Forum is GGA’s flagship event designed to connect the GGA network with the wider industry.

Held every two years, GGA Forum builds vital cross-industry links and forges opportunities GGA network groups to engage with industry to shape the future of agriculture.

Delegates can expect valuable networking time, topical discussions and information exchange on matters we need to consider together as a WA agricultural community.

Above all, Forum aims to be an event to build relationships, one conversation at a time, that unlock the collective intelligence of our WA ag community to co-design a future for agriculture that we can all be hopeful about.

Forum23 Resources

‘Program Booklet’ with digital resources inside

Detailed 2023 Event Program

Thursday 27 July

Welcome Cocktail Party | 6.00pm – 10.00pm

This is a party with a purpose. This evening is about good vibes, fun, food, getting conversations flowing and expanding connections.

Immersed in a beautiful setting with a backdrop of sensory lighting and smooth DJ lounge-tunes, guests can slip into a relaxed mode enjoying abundant food, beverages and an array of roving entertainment that will result in conversations with complete strangers – hard to believe, but trust us! It will be a magical evening (hint, hint) preparing you for the next day’s conference content.

Who can attend – the more the merrier. All of industry is warmly welcomed at this event even if you are not attending Friday’s conference. Please bring partners as well!

Setting – Lakeview Foyer room, with access to a festoon-lit, heated courtyard.

Food/Beverage/Furniture – There will be a substantial canapé food service and unlimited beverages. It will be a stand-up event with scattered bar stools and tables and some / limited lounge seating with outdoor chairs in the courtyard.

Dress Code – ‘Cocktail’ dress code is semi-formal, usually featuring a bit of colour. Ladies attire is usually 3/4 length if opting for a dress or skirt and gents a smart suit or pant with a jacket (tie totally optional). The function will be indoors but if you plan on enjoying some time in the outdoor courtyard, bring something warm like a jacket or throw given it is winter.

Free Parking – free parking is available on-site for all evening Welcome Cocktail Party guests.

Friday 28 July

*Rise and shine!

Breakfasts | 7.00am – 8.15am

GGA will hold two networking breakfasts for selected GGA network stakeholders before the conference begins.

Breakfast 1 – GGA member EOs/Chairs & Vice Chairs Breakfast – hosted by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and featuring important updates and great networking among fellow leaders in the GGA network community.

Breakfast 2 – GGA member Research & Development Officers Breakfast – Experience the excitement of the inaugural R&D Breakfast, led by GGA Project Broker Michelle Condy. Discover the power of connection as you engage with peers from across the state, uniting in the codesign process of GGA’s new R&D mentoring program. The planned program will include training modules to onboard new staff, a series of professional development content in 23/24, and an ongoing community of practice. Don’t miss your chance at Forum’23 to shape the program according to your vision—be an early participant and become a founding member today.

Ticket Cost – Free to invited/eligible GGA network delegates

Conference

Registration / Coffee & Juices | 8.15am – 8.45am

Arrive, park the car, find the conference room, grab a name tag, then find your seat.

We have a barista coffee cart onsite or, for those that prefer their daily intake of nutritious greens, fresh juices are available to grab and go. Yum!

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Guest Speakers

Expect to be inspired and informed. Speakers will be coming from WA, interstate, and even dialing in from the UK.

Browse our confirmed speakers, discussion panelists and event emcees here https://airtable.com/shrcAfprZdtmiIv4E

Morning Sessions | 8.45 am – 1.00 pm

Segment A – Big challenges

Session 1 – The seven principles of resilience thinking – what is resilience, is there a resilience formula, why, and how do we even build it? After a recap of our macro planetary boundaries context, our speaker explains the resilience thinking framework developed by the world-renowned Stockholm Resilience Centre on how interacting systems of people and nature can best be managed in the face of disturbances, surprises and uncertainty. This framework is a roadmap for building resilience on any level from individual/personal level, farm entity, organisational to industry level | Speaker – Dr Hanabeth Luke – Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Science and Engineering and co-ordinator, Southern Cross University, NSW.

Session 2 – Mindset makeover for change and impact – what mental shifts need to take place to unlock the collective intelligence and all forms of knowledge within GGA network groups and our wider ag community? We’ll be needing to know how to value and embrace cross-sector and divergent thinking to be part of solving the greatest challenges of WA agriculture | Speaker – Zoë Arden – Fellow, and Associate Director at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), England.

Session 3 – Panel discussion – we discuss the challenges of the mindset makeover in our GGA network and WA ag community context. | Panelists – Tanya Kilminster – GGA, Dr Ben Biddulph – DPIRD, Kallista Bolton – GGA, Dr Hanabeth Luke – SCU, Zoë Arden – CISL.

Segment B – What lies ahead?

Session 4 – Journey to sustainability – we hear from CBH Group on their response to findings from their 2021 global sustainability survey and discuss with a panel what the winding and often bumpy road to change and sustainability involves and how producers are being supported | Panelists – Jo Wisdom, Jane Wardle-CBH, Simon Wallwork- Agzero2030, Dr. Nathan Craig – WGM, and David Ward – Farmanco.

Session 5 – Natural capital accounting decoded – coming ready or not, natural capital accounting will be a game-changer for agriculture we all need to understand. We recap what it means on-farm then look at what is happening at a global policy and financial markets level that will present opportunities or challenges | Speakers – Richard Brake- Richard Brake Consulting

Lunch | 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Time to get up, move about, eat and refresh, sit in the sun, have a chat, and meet more people.

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Afternoon Sessions | 2.00 pm – 4.45 pm

Segment C – Work underway

Session 6 – South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub showcase – in this session, we take a look at the large GGA-led, SW WA Hub project. What is it, what has been accomplished to date, and we hear from the leads of three Hub-enabled projects. We then cover what to expect from the next body of work delivered within the Hub project | Speakers – Mark Holland -GGA, Phil Honey-STC, Chris O’Callaghan-Liebe Group, Associate Prof. Nik Callow -UWA, and Neil Lantzke-DPIRD

Segment D – What’s new?

Session 7 – First Nations matters – A briefing will be provided on the roll out of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 effective from July 1, 2023. | Speaker – Cesar Rodriguez- Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

Session 8 – Minister’s Address | Speaker – The Honourable Jackie Jarvis MLC Minister for Agriculture and Food; Forestry; Small Business

Session 9–Introducing the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration – this is big news! We will hear about how WA’s agricultural research, development and extension capabilities are being rebuilt and reinvigorated. The new collaboration will work with industry to build applied research programs focused on emerging industry issues through six programs and the work has already started.

Session 10 – Event close with a twist – we may have saved the most fun till last! We bring up on stage some of the GGA network’s best youth ambassadors to wrap up our day. This session will be an intersection of today’s ag leaders connecting with tomorrow’s, be ready to consider your ‘beautiful question‘ to action as a result of your Forum23 experience | Facilitators – Erin O’Brien, and Melanie Dixon, WMG.

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Closing Sundowner | 4.45 pm – 6.00 pm

We’re done, but don’t leave yet!

Join us in a soft landing among good company basking in the afterglow of information overload.

Joondalup Resort Alcove Bar| Sundowner drinks – buy your own | Complimentary grazing platters served.

Major Sponsors

GGA Forum23 has been brought to life with the assistance of major event sponsors:

Additional Event Sponsors

Additional event sponsors contributing with support for specialist elements of Forum23 include: