Aims, objectives and how we work

• Chris MurphyProject Officer, APSIM

• The Agricultural Production Systems Research Unit (APSRU) was founded in the early 1990’s to bring together like minded scientists in the field of farming systems research.

• APSRU grew out of work pioneered in Australia, it developed APSIM and had a large portfolio of collaborative projects.

• In 2006, it was recommended that APSIM development be split from the farming systems research

History

What is APSIM?

A highly advanced agricultural systems model created:

• to model system performance over time

• with an equal emphasis on crop and soil dimensions

• with a capability to deal comprehensively with management matters

APSIM’s Central Concept

The soil provides a central focus, crops, livestock, seasons and managers come and go, finding the soil in one state and leaving it in another.

•The APSIM initiative (AI) has been established to promote the development and use of the science modules and infrastructure software of APSIM.

•The Foundation Members of the AI are CSIRO, the State of Queensland (DAFF) and The University of Queensland. New parties are welcome to join at any time.

•Purpose:Ongoing development and maintenance of a world class framework for the testing and simulation of agricultural systems.

The APSIM Initiative

• An open and transparent ‘APSIM Community Source Framework’ (modified open source)Aims to facilitate broadly based, collaborative scienceFree public good licensing (standard non-commercial licence)

• Software quality controlVersion control process

• Science quality controlScientific Reference Panel acts like an editorial board

• IP & risk managementJoint venture agreement and licensing

• APSIM training & supportTraining as a fee for service activity, online support forum

• Commercial delivery arrangementsApproved by Steering Committee

Technical & Business Agenda

•Farming systems research Key tool integrated into R&D projects

•Broadening of the scope of APSIMNew modules being developed and existing models

being integrated •Crop adaptation and improvement

Used in crop breeding programs•Climate Risk Management and Climate Change

Climate risk management was core to development & is a key tool in climate adaptation projects

Science Agenda

Science Impacts

• 975 Non-Commercial R&D licenses having been issues in 2013/14

• This resulted in around 1,600 downloads of APSIM

• APSIM is being used in some 98 counties around the world.

• 551 journal articles, conference proceeding, books etc. referencing APSIM (as at 30 June 2014). http://www.apsim.info/Products/Publications.aspx

Science Impacts

Practice Impact

Commercial licensing

Australia & NZDelivery to farmers, agronomists and grains industry through:

• Birchip Cropping Group – Yield Prophet®• Grain Growers Ltd – ProductionWise®

InternationallyPlant breeding through:

• Pioneer Hi-Bred International• Limagrain Europe

Improvements & Modifications

• All proposed science and source code changes to APSIM be evaluated by the Reference Panel (RP) in terms of science and software quality.

• The RP will be looking for synergies with existing modules or proposals already in the system. In addition, linkages with others working in similar fields will be encouraged.

• The RP will be evaluating whether any proposed improvement or modification is in the best interests of the APSIM community.

Process

• Step 1: Submit Proposal (Major Task)• Description of the concept or proposed improvements• Rationale and Justification• Details of the proposed improvements • Implications for users

• Step 2: Proposal Evaluation• Reference Panel evaluates proposal before giving approval to proceed

• Step 3: Implementation• Developer provides an Implementation Report which outlines new functionality in

terms of science and software

• Step 4: Review• An reviewer is appointed to assess the science and software

• Step 5: Release

Support for Users & Developers

Access to APSIM WebsiteOnline registration, licensing and downloadsNews items & eventsDocumentation

User SupportSupport forum APSIM Users & Developers Forum

TrainingTraining (fee for service activity)

Other needs?Additional training options?