AGCO Foundation, a private foundation working to transform lives in farming communities, announced a new partnership with the University of Sydney Business School to expand its Remote and Rural Enterprise (RARE) program with a new agriculture stream. The initiative will strengthen economic resilience in Australia through student-led, place-based projects and targeted support.
Over the last fifty years, more than 70% of Australia's rural and agricultural communities have faced economic decline driven by population loss and limited employment diversification. Small agricultural enterprises, including family farms and cooperatives, remain the backbone of these communities but face barriers such as geographic isolation, climate change and restricted market access.
The agriculture stream will deliver targeted interventions such as social enterprise development, agricultural tourism, and sustainability projects. Each year, between 50 and 70 students will participate in community-based action research, working alongside local entrepreneurs and Indigenous-led enterprises to co-design solutions that drive agricultural resilience and economic and social development.
"Partnering with the University of Sydney Business School to expand RARE with an agricultural stream aligns with our strategy to build vibrant local ecosystems — keeping future leaders rooted in local agriculture and enabling intergenerational knowledge exchange to co-develop innovations and best practices that support sustainable transformation and economic viability," said Roger Batkin, Board Chair of the AGCO Foundation.