The Background

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is an Australian Government agency responsible for strengthening the nation’s biosecurity, agricultural production, and global trade position. DAFF creates and maintains export opportunities across agriculture, fishing and forestry; manages biosecurity risks that safeguard Australia’s multi-billion-dollar industries and way of life; and works with international partners to shape global approaches to food security, sustainability, productivity, and the challenges of climate change.

Overview

CTO Consulting (CTOC) was engaged by DAFF’s Digital Business Division to provide independent program assurance for the Taking Farmers to Market (TFTM) program — one of the department’s most significant transformation initiatives. The engagement supported the modernisation of Australia’s agricultural export systems, improving regulatory efficiency, delivery confidence, and trade competitiveness.

Acting as the Independent Assurer, CTOC conducted comprehensive reviews of governance, organisational structures, delivery frameworks, and risk practices across the program. This included Delivery Confidence Assessments (DCAs), end-to-end governance and execution reviews, and evidence-based assurance of Agile and SAFe delivery performance. Working directly with the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO), and senior stakeholders, CTOC assessed strategic alignment, identified systemic risks and dependencies, and recommended improvements to accountability, decision-making, and delivery coordination.

CTOC’s recommendations were embedded into subsequent delivery tranches, strengthening milestone predictability, improving assurance readiness, and increasing confidence in program outcomes.

Context

Within DAFF’s Digital Business Division, the Taking Farmers to Market (TFTM) program represents a cornerstone investment in the department’s digital and regulatory modernisation agenda.

TFTM is a more than $300 million transformation program forming the backbone of Australia’s agricultural export ecosystem. It modernises and streamlines export processes through Agile and user-centred design approaches to maximise value for exporters while transforming internal systems and operating models.

Recognising the scale and complexity of the program, DAFF engaged CTOC as the Independent Program Assurer to provide objective, evidence-based oversight — assessing governance effectiveness, SAFe delivery performance, risk management maturity, and alignment to strategic outcomes, while assigning Delivery Confidence Assessment ratings in accordance with the DTA Assurance Framework for Digital and ICT Investments.

The CTO Consulting Approach

CTOC applied a structured assurance methodology to provide a comprehensive view of program performance, risks, and delivery capability. This included detailed reviews of governance forums, organisational design, delivery controls, risk practices, and reporting mechanisms, supported by evidence-based analysis and stakeholder interviews.

Across the engagement, CTOC:

• Conducted formal Delivery Confidence Assessments and independent assurance reviews

• Evaluated SAFe Agile performance, backlog health, and delivery cadence

• Assessed governance clarity, decision-rights, and escalation pathways

• Identified key risks, dependencies, and delivery constraints

• Provided targeted, actionable recommendations to strengthen controls and predictability

Working closely with the SRO/FAS and program leadership, CTOC validated findings, ensured alignment with the strategy outlined in the business case, and supported practical implementation planning. Recommendations were thenincorporated into delivery roadmaps for upcoming tranches.

Outcome

CTO Consulting’s assurance engagement provided DAFF with a clear, evidence-based view of delivery performance and risk across one of its most significant digital transformation investments.

The improvements strengthened governance clarity, enhanced accountability, tightened risk and control practices, and improved delivery coordination. As a result, TFTM achieved greater delivery confidence, more predictable milestones, and improved readiness for internal and external audits and assurance reviews.

By embedding stronger assurance practices, CTOC helped position the TFTM program for more consistent, confident, and strategically aligned delivery — directly supporting Australia’s long-term biosecurity, trade, and export competitiveness objectives.

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