Integrated study on soils, plants and the atmosphere for profitable and sustainable food production. Underpinned by research on food security, waste, governance, and technologies and processes for sustainable food systems.
Our research focuses on:
Sustainable Agroecosystems
We specialise in the integrated study of soils, plants and the atmosphere for profitable and environmentally sustainable food and fibre production.
Find out moreAgrifood Systems
We conduct research in food security, waste and governance, and develop technologies and processes for sustainable food systems.
Find out moreLeadership team
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Professor David Rowlings
Program Leader (Sustainable Agrifood Systems) and Professor, Faculty of Science
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Professor Carol Richards
Deputy Program Leader (Sustainable Agrifood Systems) and Professor, Faculty of Business & Law
Our people
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Professor Peter Grace
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Professor Carol Richards
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Associate Professor Paul Corry
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Associate Professor Bree Hurst
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Associate Professor Hope Johnson
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Dr Chris Lehnert
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Dr Ayesha Tulloch
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Dr Rudolf Messner
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Dr Elaine Mitchell
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Dr Shoufeng Cao
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Dr Naoya Takeda
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Dr David Tucker
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Dr Mark Bonner
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Ms Taleta Bailey
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Dr Johannes Friedl
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Christian Brunk
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Ella Dewilde
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Liam Grace
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Rob Kirkby
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Sandra McEwan
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Zahrasadat Mirsafi
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Annabelle Ramsay
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Adjunct Associate Professor Marguerite Renouf
Sustainable Agroecosystems
Sits at the nexus of environmental and agricultural science, enabling real-world research outcomes that benefit both fields for positive global change and food security.
We specialise in the integrated studies of soils, plants and the atmosphere for profitable and environmentally sustainable food and fibre production through innovative management of carbon, nutrients and water.
Our work spans the Australian beef, dairy, grains, cotton, sugar and horticulture industries as well as the export of environmental monitoring expertise throughout North and South America, South Asia, Oceania and Africa.
Real-world innovation
We work closely with agricultural industries to provide practical outcomes for farmers in mitigating soil borne greenhouse gases, improving crop nitrogen fertiliser-use efficiency and soil health, as well as monitoring soil carbon, reactive nitrogen and biogeochemical processes.
Our team develops improved sensing and monitoring technologies across a range of spatial and temporal scales including a portable field mass spectrometer and automated greenhouse gas chambers for in-situ real time measurements of trace gases and flux towers and remote sensing instruments for large scale monitoring of soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity.
What we do
Calculators
- US Cropland Greenhouse Gas Calculator
- Socrates
- Farming Enterprise Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator
- Cotton Greenhouse Gas Calculator
- Manual Flux Calculations
Agrifood Systems
Brings a social scientific lens to the complex systems of agriculture, food, economy, environment and society.
We deliver multidisciplinary research at the interface of science, society and business. Food and agriculture are embedded in broader social, environmental and economic systems and innovative solutions for our agrifood systems must align with the aspirations of society and business more broadly to succeed.
Real-world innovation
Through the collaborative expertise of social and natural sciences, we deliver robust research across the entire agrifood system, tackling environmental sustainability, food waste and food insecurity in the following key areas:
- Sustainable and resilient food systems
- Food waste
- Food insecurity
- Food system governance
- New and emerging food paradigms
- Community engagement
- Social licence to operate
Systems approach
By taking a broad systems approach, we acknowledge that the relationship between problems and their causes is not always direct or obvious, and that we need to understand the interplay between various elements of the system to facilitate success. A systems approach also allows us to consider unintended outcomes, feedback loops, and leverage points, and importantly, take a multidisciplinary approach to solving problems:
- Why are farmers not adopting new technologies?
- How can regulation be improved to reduce food waste?
- Why and how are trading practices contributing to food waste?
- How can farmers be more resilient in the face of food shocks?
- How can regulation hinder or support the development of a new initiative?
- How can we ensure we have community or business support?
- How can we best engage with stakeholders across the various ‘parts’ of the economy?
- What are the social impacts (positive, negative, unintended, or intended) and how do we foster/mitigate these?
With an increasing expectation from funders around demonstrating impact, there are ample opportunities to partner with researchers from the Agrifood Systems Program on large scale projects to provide value-added, multidisciplinary perspectives.
