Background: Applications for this fund opened in April 2017 and closed on 17th May 2017. The Leadership in Agricultural Industries Fund is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to support Australian agricultural industry. The government has committed $5 million to the Fund with individual grants expected to be between $100,000 and $500,000.

The Fund’s objective is to support national agricultural industry organisations to develop leadership capability within agricultural industry representative bodies. It aims to build farm leaders’ skills so they can better represent their agriculture industry.

Submission: A grant funding submission was made by the Australian Melon Association on behalf of a consortium comprising nine horticultural industries that recognise both the need for strong leadership within their organisations and a cooperative approach to leading industry issues.

Announcement of Grant: Successful submission advised on 26th October 2017

Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD) program

The LEAD program will develop leadership capacity in potential and existing leaders for a group of aligned horticultural industries to collaborate in advocating rural issues to engage with government and other organisations. It will build leadership and mentoring skills in a cooperative way at an industry level through working with existing networks of the Tropical Horticulture Group.

It is a collaboration of industries – melon, pineapple, banana, avocado, passionfruit, strawberry, persimmon, mango and lychee. This group has existing alignment and industry objectives to increase leadership capability.

The leadership program will include: pre-workshop self-awareness development; two x 3 day residential workshops; webinars and mentoring development over an eighteen-month period. This project will deliver leadership skills to 36 leaders to create leaders who are supportive of each other and prepared to advocate on behalf of horticulture and their own industry. The three day workshops will be conducted in Canberra and Brisbane. You can join Group 1 or Group 2 depending on your availability but you must commit to both workshops within your group.

COST: The cost of the LEAD workshops & webinar program is free with accommodation provided in both Canberra & Brisbane. Participants will be responsible for the payment of travel, breakfast, one dinner, taxi fares, beverages and incidentals.

APPLYING: The Australian Lychee Industry has 2 places to fill from grower participation across Group 1 & 2.

HOW TO APPLY: Expression of interest emailed to Jill Houser Executive Officer ALGA - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

APPLICATION: An application will be emailed out to interested growers

DEADLINE FOR APPLYING: Applications for both groups must be received by 4th May 2018 with the 2 successful applicants being notified by 25th May 2018.

WORKSHOP DATES: As shown in attached document

Please contact me if you require any further information:

Jill Houser – Executive Officer, Australian Lychee Growers Association