Digital upskilling required to advance Australian agriculture
Recent reports have highlighted that digital inclusion is still a major issue for regional and remote communities of which a significant proportion work in the agricultural industry. If the Australian agriculture sector’s ambition to become a $100 billion industry by 2030 is to be realised, there needs to be a greater focus on the digital capacity and the digital capability of the workforce in these rural and regional areas. Tocal College, the Registered Training Organisation of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) is working to improve digital literacy and AgTech adoption by farmers through the delivery of a number of online courses. To support this delivery, NSW DPI also facilitate an AgTech Community of Practice to provide extension and education to farmers in this space on emerging digital research and technology. In this paper we outline what is offered to help provide upskilling opportunities for the agricultural industry.