For the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration (WAARC), collaboration is more than a guiding principle; it drives innovation and ensures every initiative delivers real impact across Western Australia’s agriculture and food sector.
While “collaboration” has become a buzzword across industries, meaningful collaboration requires more than good intentions. What does it truly look like in practice? How do we build a culture that sustains it? And how can it be scaled for lasting impact?
These questions and more were at the heart of an engaging, cross-industry panel discussion last month during WAARC’s inaugural Showcase at The Maali, Perth Zoo.
The thought-provoking conversation explored lessons beyond agriculture, offering fresh perspectives on how collaboration can transform sectors and deliver tangible outcomes that no single organisation could achieve alone.
Learnings from diverse industry leaders
We were privileged to hear from four dynamic leaders who shared their candid insights into building effective collaboration models across diverse industries:
- Nicole Roocke, Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) Chief Executive Officer
- Leanne Cunnold, Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) Chief Executive Officer
- Dr Jake Kendrick, Centre for Advanced Technologies in Cancer Research (CATCR) Founding Member
- Dr Kelly Pearce, WA Agricultural Research Collaboration (WAARC) Director.
Facilitated by WAARC Independent Chair Terry Hill, the discussion began with perspectives from respected industry leaders in the audience – Ian Longson (Grain Industry Association of WA), Bronwyn Walsh (WA Citrus), and Deb Cousins (Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC).
Terry asked how they would define collaboration in their own words. Common threads ran through their responses, highlighting essential building blocks of successful collaboration:
- A clear, shared purpose, vision and goals with mutually beneficial outcomes
- Fostering a culture of trust, respect, and transparency
- Co-design of research and innovation with industry, members and partners from the outset
- “The whole is more than the sum of its parts”: A synergistic relationship where members complement and enhance each other leading to collective growth and greater accomplishments than they could ever achieve alone.
Key takeaways
Nicole reminded us that “consultation doesn’t equal collaboration.” At WAARC, we understand genuine collaboration can be as challenging as it is rewarding. We know it takes time, structure, shared ownership and systems that create fair opportunities for all our members to contribute and benefit.
Leanne emphasised that collaboration thrives when tackling complex, technical challenges that no single organisation could solve alone. She shared how AROSE facilitated a consultation process to identify bushfire management gaps and improve resource allocation during emergencies. It was a great reminder that impactful collaboration doesn’t come from replicating what’s already in the market.
Jake highlighted the strategic importance of CATCR being embedded within the industry to build relationships, promote the co-design of research and innovation, and push the frontiers of cancer research using latest technologies.
A common challenge identified by all panellists was the difficulty of bringing organisations with different cultures, priorities and incentives into a single collaborative model. Competition within a collaboration can undermine progress, and perceptions of working with “competitors” must be carefully managed.
We were also reminded that individuals around the decision-making table can make a real difference. Effective collaboration means bringing diverse perspectives together and listening actively. Disagreement is inevitable, but working through it is worthwhile. True collaboration takes deliberate effort – avoiding the temptation to default to business as usual. If it feels effortless, it may not be deep enough.
The power of collective impact
The panel discussion reinforced a simple truth: collaboration delivers the greatest value when organisations recognise they can achieve more together than they can independently. With shared purpose, trust and a consistent culture, opportunities can be leveraged to drive innovation and lasting impact.
WAARC is proud to be facilitating these conversations and building the systems, capability and partnerships needed to enable effective collaboration across Western Australia’s agriculture and food sector.
The Showcase panel not only sparked ideas for future research and partnerships, it reaffirmed WAARC’s commitment to fostering a collaborative environment where innovation can thrive.
A big thanks to everyone who joined us at the WAARC Showcase and took part in the conversation!
