Research need
This small research activity explores how the Virtual Irrigation Academy (VIA) and similar innovations can become self-sustaining businesses that deliver long-term benefits to farmers and agriculture.
Since 2015, ACIAR and DFAT have invested in the VIA – a suite of affordable water-sensing tools, water literacy and data systems to empower smallholder irrigators. The VIA has helped farmers make better decisions to manage irrigation water more effectively, resulting in increased crop yields. Despite strong results, the VIA has not determined a self-sustaining business model and remains dependent on external funding. This is a common challenge for many agricultural innovations, which often struggle to grow due to issues such as financing, market access and policy support.
This research activity will use the VIA as a case study to develop practical and sustainable business strategies for scaling innovation. It will identify the conditions and partnerships needed for success, with the goal of reducing reliance on donors. The research will also gather insights that can help other organisations design effective strategies for scaling agricultural innovations and guide future research and development initiatives.
