Overview
This project used a participatory foresight approach to explore potential challenges and opportunities for animal health in the next 10-15 years.
It aimed 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: Complete
Project date: February - June 2025
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
August 2025
A series of stakeholder engagement and horizon scanning activities, trend analyses, and interactive workshops were completed to explore a spectrum of possible future scenarios for animal biosecurity in Australia. A report was developed as a tool that will be used to foster further sector-wide dialogues and help shape the ongoing evolution of Australia’s animal biosecurity system.
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 more than 100 ‘signals of change’.
February 2025
Commencing in February 2025, biosecurity and foresight experts were brought together to work on this project.
Tags: Complete, Objective 1, Objective 3