Ex-post impact assessment (MT18011)

This report presents a summary and aggregate results for the 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 evaluations of randomly selected samples of individual projects (45 projects in total) along with a selection of other summary results demonstrating the performance of Hort Innovation’s RD&E investments. 

See the overall summary report.

The third round of impact assessments took place in 2020/21, looking at projects that were completed in the 2019/20 financial year. There were 15 projects randomly selected, with the assessments revealing a range of economic, social and environmental impacts being generated for horticulture growers, supply chain participants, and the community at large.

The third year of random sampling can be downloaded below. These are appendices to the full third-year aggregate report from the project team, which can be downlaoded here.

• Full impact assessment report: Almond productivity: Tree architecture and development of new growing systems (AL14007)
• Full impact assessment report: Australian Almond Industry Innovaiton and Adoption Program (AL16001)
• Full impact assessment report: Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 research program (BA14014)
• Full impact assessment report: Facilitating the development of the Australian Strawberry Industry – temperate regional delivery (BS15004)
• Full impact assessment report: Maximising the biosecurity of the Australia Citrus Industry Budwood Facility (CT17003)
• Full impact assessment report: Macadamia Second Generation Breeding and Conservation (MC14000)
• Full impact assessment report: Macadamia Genomic Development (MC15008)
• Full impact assessment report: Improving the biosecurity preparedness of Australian horticulture for the exotic Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) (MT17005)
• Full impact assessment report: Mushroom Production Waste Streams, Novel Approaches to Management and Value Creation (MU17005)
• Full impact assessment report: Improved Soilborne Disease Diagnostic Capacity for the Australian Vegetable Industry (VG15009)
• Full impact assessment report: Vegetable Industry Communication Program (VG15027)
• Full impact assessment report: Development of a Vegetable Education Resource – Stage 2 (VG15067)
• Full impact assessment report: Adoption of precision systems technology in vegetable production (VG16009)
• Full impact assessment report: Pathogen Persistence from Paddock to Plate (VG16042)
• Full impact assessment report: National Industry Development for the Vegetable Industry (VG18003)

The second round of impact assessments took place in 2019/20, looking at projects that were completed in the 2018/19 financial year. There were 15 projects randomly selected, with the assessments revealing a range of economic, social and environmental impacts being generated for horticulture growers, supply chain participants, and the community at large. Where suitable data was available, the impacts were valued in monetary terms as well – this demonstrated that an average benefit-cost ratio of 3.4 to 1 was achieved across the sample projects, generating a total net present value of some $40.5 million over 30 years.

For an overview of the top-level results and to see how the assessments were made, see this article.

The second year of random sampling can be downloaded below. These are appendices to the full second-year report from the project team, which can be downloaded here.

• Full impact assessment report: Managing almond production in a variable and changing climate (AL14006)
• Full impact assessment report: Development of high health status mother plantings for new Australian almond varieties (AL16004)
• Full impact assessment report: Development of national strategies to manage citrus gall wasp (CT15006)
• Full impact assessment report: Australian Citrus Quality standards (Stage 3) (CT15013)
• Full impact assessment report: Implementing brown sugar flotation for assuring freedom in fruit fly (CY16011)
• Full impact assessment report: Benchmarking the macadamia industry 2015-2018 (MC15005)
• Full impact assessment report: Evaluation of nursery tree stock balance parameters (NY15001)
• Full impact assessment report: Olive oil food service (OL16004)
• Full impact assessment report: Regional capacity building to grow vegetable businesses - Bowen Gumlu and FNQ (VG15004)
• Full impact assessment report: Improved management options for cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (VG15013)
• Full impact assessment report: Growing Leaders (VG15030)
• Full impact assessment report: ProbiSafe - developing biocontrol agents to inhibit pathogen growth (VG16005)
• Full impact assessment report: Educational opportunities around the perceptions and aversions to vegetables through digital media (VG16018)
• Full impact assessment report: Training growers to enhance their consumer engagement (VG16035)
• Full impact assessment report: Vegetable market price reporting pilot program (VG16084)

The first round of impact assessments took place in 2018/19, looking at projects that were completed in the 2017/18 financial year. There were 15 projects randomly selected, with the assessments revealing a range of economic, social and environmental impacts being generated for horticulture growers, supply chain participants, and the community at large. Where suitable data was available, the impacts were valued in monetary terms as well – this demonstrated that an average benefit-cost ratio of three to one was achieved across the samples projects, generating a total net present value of some $41.8 million over 30 years.

For an overview of the top-level results and to see how the assessments were made, see this excerpt from the Hort Innovation Annual Report 2018/19.

A range of detailed reports showing the impact assessments undertaken on specific projects from the first year of random sampling can be downloaded below. These are appendices to the full first-year report from the project team, which can be downloaded here.

• Full impact assessment report: Profitable pears: Maximising productivity and quality of new pear varieties (AP12002)
• Full impact assessment report: Achieving more consistent yields of quality fruit in the Australian avocado industry (AV14000)
• Full impact assessment report: Supply chain quality improvement – cool chain best practice guidelines (AV15010)
• Full impact assessment report: National strawberry varietal improvement program (BS12021)
• Full impact assessment report: Berry export strategy (MT17001)
• Full impact assessment report: Communication and education of mushroom nutrition research to health professionals (phase 2) (MU14000)
• Full impact assessment report: Nursery industry statistics and research 2016/17 (NY16004)
• Full impact assessment report: Where should all the trees go? Investigating the impact of tree canopy coverage on socioeconomic status and wellbeing in local government areas (NY16005)
• Full impact assessment report: Innovating new virus diagnostics and planting bed management in the Australian sweetpotato industry (VG13004)
• Full impact assessment report: Women’s and Young Grower Industry Leadership and Development Missions 2016-2018 (VG15703)
• Full impact assessment report: Increasing consumption by developing community awareness and benefits of vegetables (VG16025)
• Full impact assessment report: Addressing vegetable consumption through foodservice organisations (chefs, TAFEs and other training institutions) (VG16026)
• Full impact assessment report: Development of the Australian melon industry through communication and market focused activity (VM12003)

In 2018/19, impact assessments specific to four of Hort Innovation’s levy funds were also undertaken, including for the apple and pear, avocado, mushroom and table grape industries. You can read more about this work on the project page for Ex-post impact assessment – industry specific (MT18009).