1. Agriculture Meets Informatics
What is the role of informatics to address the global agricultural
challenges of the 21st Century?
Bronwyn Harch
28 May 2014

2. Symposium Objectives
1. bring together science leaders in agriculture and
computational informatics to discuss experiences,
challenges, and future opportunities for cross-
disciplinary research
– forecasting and systems modelling, precision agriculture,
science into society, impact assessment
– space-time modelling, data assimilation and visualisation,
elicitation, network analysis, risk and uncertainty
2. provide opportunities for early career researchers so
new opportunities in agri-informatics become an
integral part of CSIRO’s capability
Agriculture Meets Informatics | Bronwyn Harch2 |

3. Symposium Outcomes
Key discussions & outcomes will be used fo :
• a synthesis report to the Office of the Chief
Executive
• research and impact planning for the
•Agricultural Productivity Flagship
•Digital Productivity and Services Flagship
Agriculture Meets Informatics | Bronwyn Harch3 |

4. Early Career Researchers
Agriculture Meets Informatics | Bronwyn Harch4 |
David Drew Research Scientist CES
Skye Gabb PhD Student CES
Nellie Hegarty Honours Student CAFHS
Criag Lobsey Postdoctoral Research Fellow CLW
Di Mayberry Research Scientist CES
Henrike Mielenz Postdoctoral Research Fellow CES
Dan Pagendam Research Scientist CCI
Hafiz Suleria Postdoctoral Research Fellow CAFHS
Anton Wasson Postdoctoral Research Fellow CPI
Alex Whan Postdoctoral Research Fellow CPI
Bangyou Zheng Postdoctoral Research Fellow CPI

5. Challenges for developed
economies like Australia …

6. Addressing productivity: A national challenge
Productivity
Imperative
Digital
Economy
Services
Focus
A national challenge Potential for greatest impact Information drives development
Focus upon the services
sector, which represents 81%
of Australia’s economy
Access to improved information
and communications will drive
productivity improvements in
the services sector
Productivity has declined
over the past decade to the
point where Australia is
significantly behind other
OECD countries and the
United States.

7. Competitive, Value Added Products & Services to
the Global Market

8. Ability to foster collaboration & connection for
addressing significant global challenges – risk
informed & managing uncertainty

9. Challenges for Australian
Agriculture …

10. Emerging Science Priorities Capability Workshops
10 |
Functional Genomics
& Epigenomics
Germplasm
Enhancement &
Breeding
Metabolic
Engineering
Integrated
Management Systems
Plant/Animal–Biotic
Interactions
Biodiversity and
Conservation
BIG DATA
• Phenomics
• G2P - [Multi-scale Gene to
Phenotype Strategies]
• Genomic selection
• Hologenome
• Info-Stewardship
• Deep imaging
MODELLING
• Metabolic
• Breeding systems
• Complex Bio/Eco-systems
Emerging Science
Breeding
• World leading genetic
improvement in key
commodities - e.g. wheat,
cotton, beef, …
• New Industries based on
novel plant/animal functions
Sustainability
• Optimised farming systems
integrating economics,
management and genetics
• Science-led management
of natural landscapes and
biota
Global Impact Technologies
• Food security/bioeconomy
game changing technologies
Outcomes
Current Capability
CSIRO PLANT INDUSTRY and CSIRO COMPUTATIONAL INFORMATICS

11. Sequenced
Genotypes
Phenomic Trait
Assessments
Rhizosphere,
Soil, Gut
Metagenomes
Next Generation
Breeding Systems
Next Generation
Farming Systems
Information and Decision
Making Value Chain
Environmental
Sensing
Future Agri-Production Needs
Next Generation Agriculture
Modelling
CSIRO PLANT INDUSTRY and CSIRO COMPUTATIONAL INFORMATICS

12. The research challenge?
Transformation of information &
decision making workflows

13. Transformation of information & decision making
workflows
Inputs
Magic
Happens Outputs

14. Designing for Data
Generation & Capture
Data Generation,
Communications
& Capture
Integration of
Data & Modelling
Implementation
Monitoring & evaluation
Storage, Discovery,
Communications, Access
Decision Making
Under Uncertainty
Gaining Insights & Understanding
Information &
Decision Making
Value Chain

15. Manufacturing
& Productivity
Energy &
Mining
Environment
Ag,
Food &
Health
* Capability
* Infrastructure
* Networks
Information & Decision Making Value Chain

16. Data is everywhere
Services EcoSystem
Sharing, Interoperability & Repurposing
Resources / Simulation / Modelling / Computational Services
Data Fusion / Alerting / Configuration / Querying / Composition
River Flow Climate Simulation
Rainfall
Historical Data
Electricity Recreational Urban Irrigation Weather
Communications Network
Communications Network
Aquaculture Bushfires
Demographics
Trading
Wind

17. Computational Informatics
Problems aren’t solved by just having a single analyst
working on a single computer any more.

18. Big Data
 Design
 Transmission
 Analytics
 Visualisation
 Experience
Volume
…
Velocity
Variety
Veracity
Volatility
Validity
CSIRO COMPUTATIONAL INFORMATICS

19. Cloud
Everything converges on Analytics in the Digital Economy
Digital
Information
New Business Models
New Products & Services
CSIRO DIGITAL PRODUCTIVITY FLAGSHIP

20. Sequenced
Genotypes
Phenomic Trait
Assessments
Rhizosphere,
Soil, Gut
Metagenomes
Next Generation
Breeding Systems
Next Generation
Farming Systems
Information and Decision
Making Value Chain
Environmental
Sensing
Future Agri-Production Needs
Next Generation Agriculture
Modelling

21. Thankyou