The 2025-26 Federal Budget, presented last night by Treasurer Chalmers, has allocated A$108.7 million to the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). An additional A$11.8 million will be sourced from external funding partners, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
ACIAR supports Australia's national interests by investing in collaborative research and capacity-development partnerships to increase global food security and improve the livelihoods and resilience of smallholder farming, fishing and forestry communities in the Indo-Pacific region.
ACIAR achieves this through excellence in research partnerships and coordinated engagement across an international network that is efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of partners. ACIAR, through its Country Network, has permanent representation in 11 countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
ACIAR partners bilaterally and multilaterally with governments and institutions to improve food security, reduce poverty, manage natural resources sustainably to adapt to increasing climate variability, enhance human health and nutrition, improve gender equality and women's empowerment, foster more inclusive value chains, and build research and policy capacity.
In 2025-26, ACIAR will continue to prioritise deeper consultation with our partners and strengthen Australia's engagement with research institutions, universities and international organisations. ACIAR will deliver investments that reflect evolving partner country and regional priorities, are locally led, and prioritise knowledge transfer and local retention to optimise next generation economic, social and environmental benefits.
ACIAR's investments will have a strong focus on building climate resilience in rural communities and empowering our research partners to lead climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. Engaging collaboratively with partners, ACIAR will integrate gender equality and social inclusion across all research and capacity development programs.
Full details of country priorities and programs are on ACIAR website.
