Australian consumers are willing to pay top dollar for authentic First Nations agricultural products which uphold cultural integrity and verified provenance, a landmark report has found.
The Indigenous Agriculture Product Framework project found more than 50 per cent of respondents would prefer Indigenous goods when presented with similar products, and around 30 per cent would pay a premium for First Nations products.
Commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, through a $1.93 million grant, the report was delivered in partnership with the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC).
NFF Advisory Committee project chair and Torres Strait Islands woman, Natalie Sommerville, said the findings demonstrated how Indigenous producers and communities could benefit from strong demand for their goods both domestically and internationally.
"We have estimated the total contribution of Indigenous agriculture to the national economy at $1.4 billion annually, supporting around 1,900 jobs," she said.
"The Final Report makes detailed recommendations for the establishment of a verifiable, culturally grounded credential, supported by a vast majority of Indigenous producers consulted through the project, that would allow them to more clearly, and with greater consumer confidence, differentiate their goods in domestic and valuable overseas markets.
"Importantly, the project found support for Indigenous products to include all agricultural products and not limited to bush foods or native species."
Kimberley Agriculture and Pastoral Company (KAPCO), chair Wayne Bergmann, said that creating a credential to strengthen the provenance claims of Indigenous agricultural products was an exciting step forward.
"A well-designed framework can build consumer confidence in the domestic market and open new doors in international markets," he said.
"Importantly, a strong credentialing framework also has the potential to amplify the social impact of purchasing from Indigenous businesses—supporting enterprises that employ Aboriginal people, care for Country, and reinvest benefits back into their communities.
"KAPCO would welcome an ongoing discussion around the further development and implementation to ensure the outcomes deliver real value for businesses without adding unnecessary financial or administrative pressure."
ILSC chief executive Joe Morrison, a member of the project steering committee, said the project was a vital first step toward understanding how to boost productivity in both Australia and international exports, directly from Indigenous producers.
"This project is an important first step in creating long-term prosperity for Indigenous producers and driving economic self-determination on Country - both key drivers for the ILSC," he said.
"Indigenous producers play a vital role in the agricultural industry - with businesses centred on Caring for Country and building communities.
"It has also confirmed the need to continue to invest in skills, business development and infrastructure. The recommendations provide a practical pathway to make this a reality."
NFF President Hamish McIntyre said the project had created a platform for Indigenous producers across the country to not only engage with a potential qualification, but also to exchange ideas on the challenges and opportunities they encounter more broadly.
"We have been guided throughout this project by Indigenous producers, engaged in mainstream commodities and the emerging bush food sector, who have generously shared not just their insights but hopes and ambitions, not just for themselves, or even Indigenous agriculture, but for the sector as a whole," he said.
"The NFF looks forward to continue walking with Indigenous producers with the aim, together with government and other stakeholders, to make real the economic self-determination opportunities for Indigenous people through agriculture that this project has demonstrated."
Australian Wild Game Industry Council executive officer, Neal Finch, said a credential which enables Indigenous businesses to make verifiable claims about their culturally informed production practices could be advantageous for maintaining and expanding overseas market access.
"Indigenous people make a significant contribution at all levels of the wild game industry, as business owners and workers," he said.
"We've unfortunately seen a strong activist lobby in key markets misrepresent our industry. We see a future credential being an important step in assuring overseas customers our Indigenous products are sustainable and ethical."
