Over the next five years, Australia’s prawn farming industry is projected to grow to $500M of sales value, as well as an anticipated capital investment of $400M in expansion projects. Subsequently, this will create an estimated 1,200 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs in regional Australia. This significant expansion, and increased reliance on digital skills and infrastructure will challenge the industry and requires a strategic approach to building capacity to accelerate the transformation of the sector.
Members of the APFA have identified a need to invest in emerging technologies, such as novel disease management, automatic feeders, innovative aeration technologies, feed additives, drones, digitised farming and water management systems, as outlined in their Strategic Plan 2020-25. These technologies have the potential to make prawn farming businesses more profitable, productive and environmentally sustainable. In order to embrace these technologies, the industry urgently needs workers to be digitally literate and attract new employees that already possess or are willing to be trained in these skills.
The ‘Accelerating the adoption of digital technology on Australian prawn farms’ project will create a resilient and profitable prawn farming workforce by escalating the adoption of digital technologies across the sector. A range of emerging and current technologies will be showcased to prawn farmers to accelerate their adoption, thus increasing their responsiveness and resilience to industry challenges.
By providing industry-wide learning opportunities for employees across the supply chain, a capable and confident workforce will be created. The project will focus on building the digital skills and capabilities of current and future workforce participants, as well as create new job opportunities across regional Australia for people already digitally literate. With the support and the commitment of the industry and the government this project has the potential to digitally transform prawn farming, showcase its advancements to the wider population, and develop resources to deliver the skilled workers needed for ongoing success.