R&D Projects

Mission MushVroom

P1-045

Mission MushVroom

Mission MushVroom will be the first study to cultivate and grow mushrooms in space. Oyster mushrooms are the perfect space crop, helping astronauts meet their nutritional needs on long-duration space missions like those to Mars, while closing the loop in plant agriculture and helping to minimise inputs and waste. They are quick to grow, double in size every day, and have nutrients found across food groups, including the unique ability to make vitamin D on UV exposure- the only supplement currently given to astronauts on the International Space Station.

P1-045

Freight milestone delivery

P1-041

Freight milestone delivery

Smart, sustainable, resilient food systems require smart, sustainable, resilient transport systems at the location, regional, national and international scale. The development of short-term and long-term transport, land use and infrastructure plans to support such systems is contingent upon effective freight scenario planning, which encompasses potential drivers of change in the freight task and future trends in supply chains, including technology, demographics, climate change energy sources and emissions, and unplanned events. However, collecting accurate freight data poses significant challenges and is often expensive. Existing freight models lack the necessary flexibility to incorporate and reflect dynamic changes due to the nature of one-time data collection. Consequently, these limitations hinder a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of infrastructure and land use plans.

P1-041

Governance of Food Relief in Australia: A Rights-Based Approach

P1-044

Governance of Food Relief in Australia: A Rights-Based Approach

This research will assess whether Australia’s food relief governance supports the fulfilment of the human right to adequate food. Importantly, this research will take a solutions-oriented approach to addressing how the governance of food relief should be designed to tackle the full range of challenges facing individual food security and the fulfilment of the right to food in Australia.

P1-044

Transitional agrifood system drivers

P1-040

Transitional agrifood system drivers

This research investigates roles of policy, planning and governance at different scales on producer decisions to integrate sustainable plant-based protein farming into their practices, and how these decisions are influenced by and interact with climate-driven shocks. With legumes as a cornerstone of PBP farming, this work is expected to improve empirical and theoretical knowledge informing how and where sustainable PBP practices will have positive outcomes for people and the environment.

P1-040

Australian agrifood hubs

P1-039

Australian agrifood hubs

The future of the Australian food landscape requires research that involves a range of disciplines, including agriculture, marketing, supply chain logistics, sustainability, the circular economy, science, and technology. Urban and regional planning are also significant as they have a role to play in terms of facilitating of appropriate environments, both physical and social, to allow future food systems to thrive.

P1-039

Mapping Southern Queensland’s agrifood ecosystem

P1-038

Mapping Southern Queensland’s agrifood ecosystem

Limited knowledge of the food and agribusiness ecosystem in the Sunshine Coast and Noosa restricts access to distribution and infrastructure. This project will study ecosystem members, roles, resources, and infrastructure to drive sector growth and innovation.

P1-038

Coffs Agrifood Living Lab

P1-019

Coffs Agrifood Living Lab

The project is establishing a ‘Living Lab’ (i.e. Living Laboratory) in Coffs Harbour to design the Precinct and act as a hub where other solutions can be developed to evolve the region's agrifood ecosystem.

P1-019

Spatially enabling Australian tree crops

P1-027

Spatially enabling Australian tree crops

The project will be collating industry information such as variety, planting date, management, productivity etc to each established orchard polygon. This collation of information will directly assist market access, traceability, biosecurity response, yield forecasting, carbon storage, regeneration and drought resilience, and will set a new standard for all other agricultural industries.

P1-027

Exploring freight demand and network accessibility in the Namoi region

P1-036

Exploring freight demand and network accessibility in the Namoi region

The project generated valuable, data-driven insights that support more targeted infrastructure planning and policy development. By visualising localised freight demands and mapping accessibility against existing heavy vehicle network routes, the project revealed where critical gaps exist in the current system. This understanding will empower local and state authorities to make informed decisions about upgrading roads, improving access, and addressing key connectivity challenges. Ultimately, it will help streamline agricultural freight movements and bolster the efficiency of supply chains across the Namoi region.

P1-036

Consumer drivers for fresh produce purchasing

P1-035

Consumer drivers for fresh produce purchasing

By tracking online food personal preferences and drafting a hierarchy of drivers for purchasing produce (affordability, access, source), NSW farmers can gain invaluable insights into consumer behaviour, allowing them to align their production and marketing strategies accordingly. This approach goes beyond mere guesswork and assumptions, enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of evolving consumer trends. Furthermore, this allows the application of previously established research to be micro-targeted.

P1-035

Discrete choice modelling in packaging

P1-031

Discrete choice modelling in packaging

The objective of this project is to develop two economic discrete choice models to determine the economic viability of optimal packaging options and in so doing support researchers in core experiment activiites by providing guidance and direction.

P1-031

Dynamic LCS assessment of thermoform packaging

P1-030

Dynamic LCS assessment of thermoform packaging

The dynamic Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment methodology proposed by FPP R&D and UNSW will compromise three parts: environmental life cycle assessment (e-LCA), life cycle costing (LCC) and social life cycle assessment (s-LCA).

P1-030