Australia has long been a global agricultural powerhouse—a nation capable of producing far more food than its population consumes. Yet across the Indo-Pacific, millions still face food insecurity.
Australia already plays a major role in regional food supply through its agricultural exports, DFAT-led development partnerships, and initiatives like the Australian Center of International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
Yet, the challenges ahead are significant. More frequent extreme climate events in the region are already reducing agricultural productivity with knock-on effects for livelihoods, food prices and availability, and internal displacement.
Some experts argue Australia could lean into its strengths in agriculture, do more to help sure-up greater food security into the future, and prove itself as a ‘partner of choice’ by responding proactively to the concerns of its neighbours.
Still, others point out the challenges of coordinating programs across multiple Australian agencies, protecting Australia’s own market interests, as well as managing the resource pressures facing Australia’s own domestic production.
So, this week, we asked the experts: Can Australia turn its agricultural capability into regional food security?
Food security contributes to regional security. Investing in regional food security is essential for protecting human health and wellbeing, driving economic growth, for promoting regional peace and preventing wars.
Yet, Australia currently invests around 2.5% of its development assistance budget on agricultural research for development (Ag4Dev). This is even though there is a 10:1 benefit-cost ratio of such investment to Australia and regional developing countries (this means that every dollar invested in Ag4Dev earns a $10 economic benefit for developing countries and Australia).
There are other advanced abilities Australia has that can enhance regional, and its own, food security. For example, Australian investment in the control of the devastating Panama disease in bananas in the Philippines, via joint research opportunities, has been crucial to slowing the spread of the disease in Australia and to other developing countries.
Similarly, Australian investments in vaccines and biosecurity protocols in countries like Papua New Guinea and Indonesia help to stop or slow down diseases such as foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle. This not only prevents the disease from spreading through the region, and the adverse outcomes such a spread might have on local livelihoods, but it also prevents the disease from entering Australia and secures Australia’s multi-billion-dollar livestock international trade in the process.
Evidentially, Australia’s unique agricultural capabilities and research can contribute to securing agriculture in middle- and low-income countries in the Indo-Pacific region. This will deliver stability, improve diplomatic ties, contributing to improved regional trade, as well as demand for Australian exports. A win-win for everyone.
Professor Daniel Tan is a crop agronomist at The University of Sydney, whose research focuses on farming systems, food safety, and crop resilience under stress. He leads agricultural research initiatives across Southeast Asia as the lead for multiple projects and institutes. His work is supported by DFAT, ACIAR, the Grains Research and Development Corporation, IFPRI, and the World Bank. At the Lab we admire Daniel’s innovation and commitment to creating tangible impact.
The short answer is: it must.
The Asia-Pacific is home to over 370 million food insecure people. Despite being central to food production, women and girls are disproportionally affected. When food is scarce, girls eat least and last, are more likely to be withdrawn from education and face violence, abuse and exploitation.
Food security is deeply intertwined with gender equality and regional stability. Yet, Australia’s 2023 International Development Policy does not identify food security as a core priority. While it emphasises regional stability and prosperity and highlights gender equality as central to development, food security receives only a passing mention. Investments exist, particularly in climate change programs, but lack the strategy or coordinated direction that is essential for a multidimensional challenge that includes but goes beyond climate change.
Australia has long contributed to regional food security through various agencies, but efforts are fragmented. There has been limited coordination, knowledge transfer and inconsistent integration of gender considerations in program design and evaluation. This context undermines our ability to fully leverage domestic agricultural capability to support regional outcomes.
The Government’s commitment to develop a new national food security strategy— Feeding Australia is a timely opportunity. A companion regional strategy could embed gender equality as central to food security, improve coherence across investments, and position Australia as a leader in data and research. This is critical both for regional food producers and potential private investors and would better establish food security as a key pillar for Australia's blended finance investments.
Australia has the capability. What’s needed now is strategic intent.
Conor Costello is the Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy at Plan International Australia. She has over a decade of experience shaping strategy and policy across the international development and humanitarian sectors, including roles with CBM Australia and Oxfam. Conor is an experienced leader and board member with a background spanning environment, education, and disability services. At the Lab, we love Conor’s strategic mind, cross-sector leadership, and talent for turning big development ideas into real-world change.
Australia has been translating its sustainable agriculture know-how to build food security in Asia, the Pacific and Africa for decades. Importantly, adapting Australian approaches to the realities of different climates and low-resource contexts has brought important new knowledge back home, especially as we are challenged to feed more people in the shadow of climate change.
Building greater resilience—and delivering better nutrition to diverse and remote populations—requires strategy and innovation.
Strategy: to ensure that boosted agricultural production doesn’t come at the cost of biodiversity loss through land-clearing or unsustainable water use (where Australia can offer salutary lessons!), and to see that the right crops are grown at the right time and in the right place.
Innovation: to breed crops and livestock that are resistant to disease, more resilient to climate shocks and which demand less water, fertiliser and pesticides. Technology can provide producers with real-time weather and market data to inform their decision-making, straight to their mobile phones. To produce enough food in enough variety, properly researched genetic modification will be necessary.
Australia has special skills delivering successful and ecologically sustainable agriculture in conditions of water scarcity. Through development cooperation programs such as the Australian Water Partnership and through specialist agency the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), new modes of cheap, low-impact, water-efficient irrigation have opened up vast areas of arid, semi-arid and drought-prone land to agricultural production, and have allowed farmers to grow more diverse crops. This proves Australia can indeed turn its agricultural capability into regional food security, especially when greater strategy and innovation are applied.
Michael Wilson is an international development leader with over 25 years’ experience in water resource management, governance, and aid delivery across Asia and the Pacific. Currently the Group Chief Executive of eWater Limited, and former policy adviser to two cabinet ministers in the Australian Government, Michael brings deep expertise at the intersection of policy and practice. At the Lab, we value Michael’s global perspective, policy acumen, and talent for connecting complex systems with human stories.
