Agriculture and Food Strategy
Background
The aim of the Agriculture and Food Strategy is to address contemporary opportunities that exist for Agriculture in Manjimup. This project component includes:
- Developing new products, markets and alliances;
- Increasing the scale of productive output through innovation;
- Making better use of agricultural waste and low value agricultural produce;
- Fostering agricultural food processing and other new business opportunities through the provision of incubator type facilities; and
- Using available water in a water trading environment and improve irrigation practices.
Progress
The Agriculture and Food Strategy was developed in 2014 by an organisation called Science Matters, who worked closely with key government agencies and primary producers in the production of the strategy. Included are case studies on various agricultural enterprises in the region. The strategy was finalised following an extended period of consultation, with the central theme revolving around assisting Manjimup to find the best conditions for innovation to flourish.
Since the finalisation of the strategy, another study was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA) to assess the potential for establishing a High Pressure Processing (HPP) facility in Manjimup. For further information, please see the joint DAFWA and Shire of Manjimup media releases below.
- Possibility of a high pressure processing plant being investigated - February 2015
- Report points to high pressure processing potential at Manjimup - April 2015
In addition, a Prefeasibility study: Manjimup food and beverage hub, was completed by Ernst and Young in 2016 to ascertain the level of interest that local producers may have in the concept of a food and beverage hub in the Manjimup region. The study involved targeted stakeholder consultation to identify the types of facilities and services that would be of most value to producers in the area, identify potential sites, determine the most preferred site and assess the financial viability of a dedicated food and beverage hub.
