Overview
This project will use a participatory foresight approach to explore potential challenges and opportunities for animal health in the future.
It aims to support industry and government decision-makers in envisioning preferable futures and determining how Australia may need to adapt as part of a future-ready approach.
Project Lead: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Project Contact: animalplan@aff.gov.au
Project Status: Active
Project date: 2024 to 2035
Objective alignment:
- 1 – Improve Australia’s preparedness and ability to respond to emergency animal diseases.
- 3 – Improve the adoption and implementation of biosecurity practices throughout the terrestrial animal industry supply chain.
Activity alignment:
- 1.4 – Undertake projects, including commissioning and undertaking research, to further develop economic analyses and epidemiological modelling tools supporting rapid decision making in emergency animal disease responses for priority diseases.
- 3.3 – Conduct more industry-government education and awareness communication activities to promote a biosecurity ‘culture’ and ‘community of practice’ across animal industries, including smallholders.
Project updates
Future Actions
As part of a participatory foresight approach, a series of stakeholder engagement activities will be undertaken. The project and associated report are expected to be completed by the end of June 2025.
Interactive workshops will be delivered to develop possible scenarios for animal health in Australia, with a report to be subsequently developed.
May 2025
Over 60 government and industry stakeholders have taken part in focus group discussions. These were part of the ‘horizon scanning’ phase of the project to identify key animal biosecurity trends. Background work by the foresight and biosecurity experts working on this project has generated approximately 90 ‘signals of change’.
February 2025
Commencing in February 2025, biosecurity and foresight experts were brought together to work on this project.