What is it all about?

This project supports the coordination and integration of several projects that comprise the ‘PIPS 4 Profit’ program for the apple and pear industry (the fourth iteration of the Productivity, Irrigation, Pests and Soils program). 

The PIPS 4 Profit Coordinator role will accelerate and amplify collaboration and communication between research agencies, engagement/advisor specialists, and apple and pear industry stakeholders to ensure R,D&E activities and outcomes are efficiently and effectively delivered and extended, with high impact, over the next five years.

The coordinator will foster a strong culture of cross-program openness, willingness to exchange knowledge and understanding, and co-location of R,D&E activities. 

Building upon the precedent set in PIPS3 (AP19007), the role will underpin the roll-out of R&D activities and outcomes with the preparation of high-quality communication outputs on sustainable orchard system design and management BMPs that deliver evidenced profit and efficiency gains, potential to capture and use orchard data to determine apple and pear industry “environmental credentials”, and development of grower focused economic and business analysis resources on “what the R&D means to my current and future orchard operations and business profit” (labour efficiency, fruit quality, regional relevance & local variable climate challenges). 

Interactive and engaging activities will be expertly coordinated by the role, taking researchers into the field regionally to communicate and demonstrate the commercial implementation of the R&D as it progresses and by integrating PIPS 4 Profit research into regional (local grower group initiatives) and industry-wide (APAL initiatives) engagement opportunities.