Our department
Our vision
A progressive, innovative and profitable agriculture and food sector that benefits Western Australia.
Our purpose
To support the success of the agriculture and food sector to benefit Western Australia.
Our capability
We have a statewide network of dedicated and talented people able to address the economic, scientific, technological, environmental, managerial and social drivers that shape the agriculture and food sector. Our professionalism enables us to collaborate with a range of partners to develop and share expertise, knowledge and technology.
Our business
In leading the economic development of the agriculture and food sector in Western Australia, we support the success of the state’s agrifood businesses through services and partnerships that help drive the growth and transformation of industries. We also safeguard the state’s precious natural resources.
The statewide network of approximately 1100 employees in 35 regional locations, is structured around three directorates focused on major agrifood industry sectors – grains, livestock and irrigated agriculture. These are supported by two directorates addressing biosecurity and regulation and business support capabilities. Each industry sector has an industry development plan that determines directorate priorities and resource allocation. Operationally, staff from each directorate work together to provide the range of skills and perspectives needed to foster economic growth.
This industry-driven structure and approach aligns with the Western Australian government’s priority plan for agriculture and food and the four focus areas: growing markets, growing productivity, growing profitability and growing people.
These investment priorities are the foundation of the department’s Agrifood 2025+ strategic plan for 2014–17. The strategic plan, in turn, is backed by an operational plan which outlines activities and key deliverables designed to achieve outcomes linked to investment priorities. Outcomes are achieved through a project delivery model with funding provided from the state government, external funding bodies or a combination of both. Projects may be long or short term, wholly delivered by DAFWA and at other times involve collaborative partnerships. Government priorities, industry and clients are delivered through projects and the quality of project outcomes relies on our people’s performance.
Challenges and opportunities
The agrifood sector is constantly changing and evolving as are its needs and the opportunities presented. In the current economic environment, DAFWA remains focused on enabling the growth of the sector through strong and effective partnerships and collaboration with industry that continues to grow and mature.
This also includes creating an enabling environment using new business models that are sustainable and add value to all stages of integrated value chains.
The principles to achieve this as are contained in the Building the new DAFWA 2015–18 program and include:
- an increased focus on state economic development
- working primarily in areas directly related to core statutory obligation, government priorities and industry growth
- a focus on improved competitiveness and profitability for the whole supply chain
- facilitating industry to take a leadership role for commercial and private-benefit activities
- increasing co-design with, and co-investment from, industry and businesses
- organisational efficiency and agility through rationalisation of our organisational structures, sites and business processes.
The above principles will be supported by the following key workforce and diversity strategies:
- Building workforce capability and capacity with the flexibility and diversity to meet changing needs and deliver outcomes. Key skill areas are outlined in the Work function area of this plan.
- Managing the workforce composition within the complexity of the project delivery model including uncertainty regarding project futures and external funding.
- Recruitment and succession planning for an ageing workforce, including effective, targeted and sustainable recruitment, succession planning and providing work arrangements that support staff during all stages of life.
- Building workforce in regional locations through targeted attraction and retention strategies and the strategic relocation of metropolitan positions.
Key principles
Recognising that people are critical to success, the following principles are applied to support our staff build their capability and capacity.
oneDAFWA
oneDAFWA is designed to define the behaviours and values of our people to deliver a consistently high standard of value to stakeholders and each other.
Building and sustaining organisational performance
Deployment of the Australian Business Excellence Framework (ABEF) to support the ABEF categories most relevant to this plan: people and leadership.
Performance planning and development (MyPlan)
The My Job and Development Plan (referred to as MyPlan) is a performance planning and development process using a coaching approach. It is focused around people having conversations providing clarity in terms of work priorities, contribution to strategic goals, recognition and individual learning and development needs.
People leadership
The people leadership program facilitates building high-performing, customer-focused teams across the organisation by promoting and accommodating a strong leadership culture and capability. There are 195 people leaders who are supported to focus on an individual’s professional and career development to help meet longer-term workforce needs.
Workforce and succession planning
Planning to ensure staff are equipped to fill roles and positions as they become available.
Critical positions have been identified that are either integral to DAFWA mission critical functions or are high-priority positions to meet directorate objectives.
Succession planning for these positions are managed at the directorate level and integrated into directorate workforce plans.
Diversity
Facilitate suitable access to a diverse and talented pool of people to ensure future business success.
Staff engagement
A staff engagement survey is conducted periodically to measure our people’s connection and commitment. The surveys help determine the extent to which we have the ‘right’ elements of culture in place to build engagement with staff and clients.
Homebase
Homebase is the mechanism for assigning people to projects based upon staff availability for reassignment and project opportunities as they arise.
Quality of Life initiative
The Quality of Life initiative is about providing a working environment that is supportive and conducive to our people’s quality of life.