Winning ideas bear fruit

Young Horticulturist finalist Liza Whalley's (left) back pack design won her the 2013 AGMARDT Market Innovation prize. She designed it specifically for people who have to wear knapsacks all day, which can be hard on back, hips and shoulders.

The spray knapsack, with the working title of 'Phocas' (Patron saint of horticultural labourers) disperses the weight of the pack, making it kinder on those with small frames, who, in Whalley's experience, are often women.

Following her win last November, Whalley applied for a $20,000 development grant from the non profit organisation; AGMARDT, to fund the sprayer to a working prototype product stage.

AGMARDT general manager Malcolm Nitschke says that Liza's 'live concept' gave her the opportunity to develop a strong understanding of the potential for the product idea and what would be required to progress to the development stage. "This understanding was reflected in the quality of her application for AGMARDT funding and her ultimate success in securing the funding to develop her concept further," he says.

Whalley has also been offered ongoing support through ANZ Business, and Plant and Food.

Having developed the idea as part of her entry into 'the Young Horticulturist of the Year', Whalley plans to use the $20,000 grant to help take the backpack sprayer design to the stage that it can become a viable product.

"Apparently I'm the first girl to receive an AGMARDT development grant, to take my project to the next level," says Whalley.
2013 'Young Horticulturist of the Year' winner, Kelly Jean Kerr (right) took third place in the AGMARDT Market Innovation Project with her 'Go Gardening' smartphone app. The app is designed to provide gardening advice, guides and news to gardeners of all abilities.

The Nursery and Garden Industry New Zealand (NGINZ) is working with Kerr to develop the concept further. CEO of NGINZ, John Liddle says that the key will be integrating a store finder (using the smartphone's inbuilt GPS) so that people will know where to go to get everything they need for their gardening.

NGINZ is currently researching and evaluating potential developers for the 'Go Gardening' smartphone app. "App technology is constantly evolving, so we need to ensure it is designed to be useable for as many smartphones as possible," Liddle says.
Kerr hopes the launch of the 'Go gardening' app will help to get people into their gardens with confidence.
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