About PARG

The Precision Agriculture Research Group

“Agriculture is way too important to be a single discipline. The future of agriculture demands the latest in science, technology and mathematics to underpin innovations in plant and animal production.”

Prof. David Lamb

PARG background

Established in 2002, the Precision Agriculture Research Group (PARG) develops new technologies that address current challenges in agriculture, horticulture and natural resource management using expertise from a range of fields. PARG is a multidisciplinary group of researchers developing innovative, low cost and accessible technology for industry and farmers. PARG uses the latest sensors and positioning technology to improve efficiencies and cost effectiveness.

The Precision Agriculture Research Group operates from UNE's SMART Farm — 2,900 hectares of university-owned land, 10km northwest of the campus.

World class infrastructure

The Precision Agriculture Research Group played a part in establishing UNE’s SMART Farm
Innovation Centre
(SFIC). With connection to the National Broadband Network (NBN), Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet) and satellite technology, the Centre allows PARG’s researchers to be instantly and virtually connected and to employ a number of
wireless, sensor technologies.

Since the opening of SFIC in May 2015, PARG has connected to research sites across Australia and New Zealand and our current collaborators include government departments and universities, at home and abroad.

Research at a glance

5 Research themes

  • Smart farms including sensors and sensor networks
  • Precision livestock management
  • Remote sensing
  • Intelligent and autonomous systems
  • Healthy agricultural environments

Number of staff and postgraduate students

Staff

  • 19 academic and technical  staff including 6 funded Research Fellows
  • 7 industry and university associates

Current postgraduate students

  • 10 PhD, 1 Masters

Graduates

  • 12 PhD, 1 Masters

Awards received by PARG

  • 2 Regional Development Awards
  • 4 research awards to individuals

Funding

  • $16.8M  — Grant total since 2002
  • $10.47M — Active grant total
  • $417,460 — Industry
  • $580,541 — UNE
  • $9.48M — Government
Education and outreach

Our undergraduate and postgraduate research offerings expose students to the latest — as well as tried and true — methodologies and technologies available for crop, pasture, and more recently livestock management. UNE also offers Australia's only Master of Science
degree dedicated to Precision Agriculture.

PARG staff facilitate community outreach field days, workshops and conferences, meetings and retreats, school visits (all ages) and school teacher professional development activities.

Contact us

Precision Agriculture Research Group

Stokes Building (C24) | University of New England Armidale NSW
Phone: Dr Jamie Barwick 02 6773 4244
Fax: 02 6773 2844 | Email: parg@une.edu.au