2026 R&D Forum: Tackling shared problems

Pests, diseases and weeds don’t stop at the farm gate. A new project exploring area-wide integrated crop management has found that stronger collaboration across crops, industries and supply chains will be critical to building more resilient farming landscapes.

Lead researcher Dr Zelalem Lema Moti (CSIRO) presented the findings at the PotatoLink R&D Forum in Ballarat in July 2026.

Area-wide integrated crop management (AW-ICM) recognises that pests, diseases, and weeds can move across farms, rotations and industries. This is particularly relevant for issues such as herbicide-resistant ryegrass, where individual growers can invest heavily in management only to have resistant populations reintroduced from elsewhere.

The research project highlighted a fundamental challenge – building resilience requires coordinated action across farms, industries and regions, yet existing support systems are often organised around individual crops, businesses and short-term priorities.