Open Call: AgriFutures Honey Bee & Pollination Program (Australia)

To ensure the Program goal is achieved, AgriFutures Australia is currently seeking research proposals to address targeted investment priorities outlined below.

During this Open Call, AgriFutures Australia is seeking research proposals that align with the Varroa destructor Research Strategy and the Honey Bee and Pollination Program RD&E Plan. Alignment to the listed investment priorities must be demonstrated in all submissions made to the Open Call. Investing in projects which are aligned with the research, development and extension (RD&E) priorities and objectives of the industry ensures that AgriFutures Australia is investing in research that meets the needs of the honey bee and pollination industry. If researchers are unsure of the alignment and relevance of their research to the listed investment priorities, they are encouraged to speak with the AgriFutures team.

Priorities and Challenges

• AgriFutures Australia is only seeking proposals which address at least one of the following investment priorities:
  • An integrated approach to varroa management
    • Challenge 1: Varroa treatment protocols from overseas may not transfer easily to Australia.
    • Challenge 2: Varroa is likely to develop resistance to widely used synthetic chemicals.
  • Minimising the impacts of varroa on honey bee health
    • Challenge 3: Varroa acts as a vector for viral pathogens of bees.
    • Challenge 4: Feral honey bee populations will become infested with varroa
  • Breeding resistant honey bees
    • Challenge 5: Australian bee stocks are highly susceptible to varroa.
  • Slowing the spread of varroa
    • Challenge 6: They have limited understanding of how varroa will spread in Australia and whether any steps can be taken to reduce the rate of spread.
  • Pollination continuation
    • Challenge 7: Lower bee populations will lead to reduced yields in pollination-dependent crops.
  • Floral resource access and industry sustainability
    • Challenge 8: Reduce the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.
    • Challenge 9: Reduce the industry’s plastic waste pollution.
  • Enhance industry capability
    • Challenge 10: Support the development of beekeepers skills.

Assessment Criteria

• The following criteria will be used to assess your application and will have equal weighting applied:
  • How relevant is the project to the research priorities of AgriFutures Australia?
  • How relevant is the project to the research priorities of the Program?
  • How important do you think it is for AgriFutures Australia to invest in this research?
  • How much value do the benefits of this research provide to industry?
  • How important is this research to industry?
  • Was the industry consulted or were adequate industry letters of support required?
  • How important are the expected outcomes of this project to industry?
  • How important are the outputs/deliverables from this project to the industry?
  • The value for money for this project.
  • The project design – how conceptually sound and technically feasible is the project?
  • The potential for adoption in industry.
  • The potential for commercial pathways.
  • The value of any potential IP resulting from this project.
  • The capability of the Project Lead.
  • The experience of the Project Lead.
  • The capability of the Research Organisation.
  • The experience of the Research Organisation.

For more information, visit AgriFutures Australia.