Elders - MLA Co-Innovation and Adoption Pilot

Summary

The MLA - Elders Co-Innovation project was initiated to explore and trial methods of collaboration between the two companies in order to facilitate a two-way transfer of information between research projects and livestock producers. This was considered an opportunity to engage the extensive network of Elders staff in disseminating research outcomes to producers, feeding producer priorities back to MLA and developing case studies of innovative on-farm practices. This project demonstrated that for effective collaboration to occur requires clear protocol for communication, agreed focus areas and intended project outcomes and an established pathway to progress project concepts from development to delivery.

Objectives

This project was a three-year pilot with Elders Qld based agents and Elders senior managers to establish, develop, and evaluate a co-innovation and adoption model. project objectives were:
1. Elders Insiders online portal updated to offer the functionality of an Innovation portal. Includes creation of a new sub-portal specifically for the Elders/MLA Co-innovation Project, plus ongoing support for the portal.

2. Elders field agents collecting (and recording) producers’ ideas, needs and case studies and disseminating innovative ideas and solutions.

3. Elders Innovation Manager collating field ideas/insights into value added insights for input into MLA (and Elders) R&D/Innovation activities (KPI = 5 submissions within year 1, 10 within year 2, and 20 within year 3).

4. Elders disseminate MLA’s R&D outcomes that are specific to Qld producers being engaged.

5. up to 4 ‘Major Studies’ per annum which would involve engaging the portal supplier (Vision Critical) researchers where they would assist with end-to-end process of briefing, research design through to reporting.

6. Consultancy on all Elders/MLA developed and issued studies, with an initial estimate is 20 studies p.a.

7. Elders-MLA Producer Innovation awards operational and valued by producers and Elders agents.

Key findings

Over the course of this project, the following findings have been confirmed:
• Utilising the Elders client base provides access to many innovative producers adopting new ideas and technology
• Many livestock agents, production advisors and agronomists are keen to develop their skills to innovate and provide their clients with a point of difference service
• In-person activities are key to engaging staff and clients to full effect
• Greater engagement on case studies and innovation concepts is achieved when some key topics of interest are identified and pursued.
• A formal process flow and regular meetings is required to maintain consistent communication of project outcomes between large entities such as Elders and MLA. Communication needs to be clear and transparent.
• It is critical to have buy-in from operational staff that hold the local relationships with producers in order to engage producers and achieve a two-way flow of information.
• Wherever possible, there should be an alignment between the commercial priorities of operational staff members delivering project content and the objectives of the collaboration.
• Staff retention and consistency of project managers is highly desirable. In managing the realities of staff turnover, it is important to have comprehensive handovers and sustained company priority given to the project.
• In a collaborative project it is important that both parties actively contribute to the development of initiatives and take responsibility for project success.
• Clear project objectives and desired outcomes need to be developed upon project initiation to ensure expectations are understood by all parties.
• Communication delivered to industry on topical or seasonal issues needs to be delivered in a timely manner to maintain relevance
• A focus on delivery and value adding of key pieces of work may be more impactful than development of numerous possible initiatives.

Benefits to industry

The primary benefits to the Industry that result from a collaboration between MLA and Elders are:

a. Positive step towards identifying practical priorities for levy expenditure.
b. Upskilling of agribusiness advisors at all levels (sales, agency, agronomy, livestock production, consultancy) enabling greater servicing of primary producers needs.
c. Accelerated roll-out of research outcomes through collaboration between research staff, MLA, Elders and the Elders client base

MLA action

MLA is using outputs from this project to develop and disseminate producer case studies through existing communication channels. Opportunities to partner with private agribusinesses to deliver industry initiatives and extend project outcomes are being considered on a case by case basis.

Future research

There is considerable potential for commercial agribusiness and MLA to formally partner to deliver existing initiatives to industry and identify priorities for development of new initiatives. However, it is critical that this is approached with clear expectations of delivery, consistent staff resourcing and demonstrated engagement of local agribusiness staff.