Plant Business

Project Overview

The Plant Business project concluded in June 2017. The project developed the horticultural, fruit quality and genetic understanding of Bush Tomato and worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on plant improvement with a view to using plant varieties developed from defined geographic locations. The project developed a model for improving native plant varieties to make horticultural production of bush foods more efficient and profitable. The focus was on sustained growth of value with the Bush Tomato trade as a case study, to increase business opportunities for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The project also explored ways that laws and institutions can help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to achieve different needs and aspirations associated with their Traditional Knowledge and to secure greater returns for the genetic resources that are used commercially. Strategies that were explored included conventional legal approaches, international protocol compliance, trademarks, certification and Knowledge Trusts, as well as Fairtrade, geographical indicator schemes and other ethical marketing avenues. This delivered tools to help maximise benefit sharing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from the utilisation of cultural heritage.

Impact from this research were:

• A model that can be used for the development of other plant-based economies
• Models for safeguarding commonly-held cultural heritage to ensure return of benefits from utilisation of Traditional Knowledge is maximised
• New plantings of high yielding and quality Bush Tomatoes
• New plantings in the future of up to 20 ha of high yielding and quality Bush Tomatoes
• New jobs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Returns from licences to use protected plant varieties.

Outputs from this research included:

• Genetic collection of Bush Tomato selections established as intellectual property (IP) in trust for Aboriginal owners
• New horticulturally suitable plant varieties that are more likely to be economically profitable under cropping
• Protection of plant varieties leading to licences for their usage
• Alternative strategies for safeguarding the utilisation of cultural heritage
• Training material to support the establishment of small businesses
• Postgraduate student completion: PhD graduate received the University Chancellor’s medal for doctoral research
• Aboriginal researchers trained to continue to develop plant varieties for commercial benefit.

Research results from this project were disseminated widely, with the project publishing 5 journal papers, presenting at 13 conferences and creating 30 other end-user publications.

For more information about this research, please contact Dr Slade Lee: slade.lee@internode.on.net.