Member for Wagin Terry Waldron MLA has welcomed the launch on Friday of the first round of the Premier’s Agriculture and Aquaculture Entrepreneurship Program, made possible by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program.
The program will offer 12 scholarships over four years, each worth $30,000, to enable farmers and innovators involved in the agriculture or aquaculture sectors to develop or pursue an idea, technology or practice through exposure to international best practice and leaders in their field.
Mr Waldron said successful applicants would have an innovative concept or idea within the fields of agriculture or aquaculture that has the potential to broaden the economy and to modernise the agrifood sector.
“This program will allow successful applicants to learn from international leaders in the agriculture and aquaculture arenas and apply their newly acquired skills and knowledge to their innovation and the relevant sector, in WA,” Mr Waldron said.
“It will also boost the State’s agrifood workforce and expertise.”
Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said the program represented yet another exciting opportunity to broaden the State’s economy, made possible by the Royalties for Regions program’s $350 million Seizing the Opportunity in Agriculture initiative.
“This investment will support entrepreneurship and innovation in regional Western Australia and in our agriculture sector, directly benefiting regional communities both now and into the future,” Mr Redman said.
“This program is another example of the State Government’s unprecedented investment in the agricultural sector under the $350 million Seizing the Opportunity in Agriculture initiative, and will create new and expanded industry sectors.”
Nationals WA candidate for Roe Peter Rundle said the Agriculture and Aquaculture Entrepreneurship Program aimed to deliver three $30,000 scholarships per year (with $360,000 to be provided over four years).
This program will be administered by the Office of Science and is part of the Agricultural Science Research and Development Fund’s Science and Agribusiness Connect Program. It is made possible by a $3.410 million Royalties for Regions investment.
Applications for round one of the Entrepreneurship Program close at 12.00pm (midday) AWST on Friday 5 August, 2016.
For more details about the program, visit https://www.dpc.wa.gov.au
