The 2019 funding round called for proposals in the following areas:
- environmental biosecurity (with clear overlap with social and community biosecurity), and in particular myrtle rust (with clear linkages to the Draft National Action Plan – below);
- building on the social biosecurity program of the PBCRC, including indigenous engagement;
- urban and peri-urban biosecurity;
- opportunities to promote and celebrate the International Year of Plant Health; and
- scholarships to attend the APPS 2019 Conference or other similar biosecurity-related conferences, focused on Early Career Researchers and developing country links.
The Board was once again pleased with the number of proposals received: 31 proposals totalling almost $750k, with in kind contributions more than matching the cash requested.
Eight projects have been approved and most are now contracted (PBSF018-PBSF026), and two others are subject to further discussions.