OUTCOMES OF THE SARDI REVIEW

The SARDI Review conducted in 2016 confirmed SARDI’s strong reputation for its technical excellence and its significant and important research at the National  and State level. The review recommended that SARDI increase its emphasis on ‘post-farmgate’ research and explore new funding models and partnerships. In response to the review PIRSA committed to, amongst other things, develop a SARDI Strategic Plan and embed a commercialisation ethos within SARDI’s R&D activities.

In summary the Strategic Plan:

• Identifies the outcome areas for State government RD&E investment
• Provides Research Investment Principles that identify the approach to determining where in the value chain State government RD&E Investment will be focussed based on the State’s policy for growth of sectors
• Provides an Investment Guide that identifies the process for allocation of State’s RD&E allocation across sectors, what will stay the same, start, increase, decrease or stop
• States Strategic Actions to be undertaken corporately within SARDI to position it for the future
• Provides an assessment of selected projects for impact along the value chain for sectors and key actions, being areas of strategic importance to the State for each sector for that year. This section will, be updated annually and inform investment decisions.

The Strategic Plan identifies that SARDI will continue to invest and provide RD&E services in sectors of importance to the State, for example grains and cropping production research, fishing and aquaculture. It also provides the basis for how decisions will be made on changes in the investment profile within and across sectors into the future.

• The Research Investment Framework (Strategy 1) and the Investment Principles and Guide aim to provide a clear link between the policy decision for sectors and the RD&E investment. This is to ensure State funded RD&E is policy driven or aligned.
• Improved commercialisation of state funded research is a key focus of the Plan to be implemented through Strategy 2. This includes developing internal expertise and strategic partnerships with commercialisation partners, and delivering practice change through knowledge transfer.
• Maintenance of critical capability and orderly transition of capability and infrastructure are important to SARDI’s future. Strategy 3 aims to ensure that SARDI’s capability and infrastructure align with future needs.
• Collaboration within the State, nationally and internationally is critical to SARDI’s delivery. Strategy 4 identifies the need to continue to expand collaboration activities where they benefit the State. Collaboaration includes industry and other stakeholders, funding bodies and scientific organisations.

Click here to view the full plan