A researcher in a lab coat stands in a green house with potted plants.

Food, soil, water & agriculture

Food and water security are two of the biggest global challenges of our time. Our research focuses on providing reliable scientific, sociological and institutional knowledge to inform sustainable food and water policies and improve the management, use and conservation of natural resources.

About

Food and water security are two of the biggest global challenges of our time. Our research focuses on providing reliable scientific, sociological and institutional knowledge to inform sustainable food and water policies and improve the management, use and conservation of natural resources.

Groups

A researcher kayaks down a river in a yellow inflatable raft.

It's crucial that we as a society communicate the huge importance of this system, celebrate its majestic wonder - and continue efforts to preserve and encourage river stewardship for future generations.

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A student takes notes at the edge of a dam with eucalyptus trees and kangaroos in the distance.

Sustainable Farms draws upon research programs across the Australian National University, focussing on three key research topics: Healthy Farms, Healthy Farmers, and Healthy Profits.

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Three people testing soil in an agricultural field in Africa.

The project aims to find means of meeting the African government’s plans for greater food security while using limited water resources more sustainably.

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Projects

This research looks at options for more effective conservation of freshwater ecosystems for the benefit of people and nature.

Bees are crucial for the function of many of our crops, and part of the system of producing food such as apples, almonds, berries, beans, eggplants and pumpkins.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Masters, PhD students

People

A range of post-grad projects that can be formulated to suit Honours, Masters or PhD. These will cover areas such as farm productivity, hydrology, ecological function, and social capital.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Masters, PhD students

Honours / Masters(Adv) project available analysing regional drought resilience plans in collaboration with CSIRO and the Australian Government.

Student intake

Open for Honours, Masters students

People

This research looks at the identifying the costs and benefits of different trade off options so that governments in particular, and societies more broadly, can take better informed decisions around water use in China & SE Asia.

People

  • David Dumaresq

Members

Affiliate

Honorary Associate Professor

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Honorary Professor

No photo provided

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Honorary Associate Professor

Photo of David Dumaresq

Emeritus Fellow

Baihua Fu

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Academic staff

Martin Amidy

Lecturer

Research Fellow

Articles

A hydropower dam.

Pumped hydro and batteries can easily provide all the storage needed for 100% renewable electricity generation, eliminating the need for polluting gas power plants.

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PhD student, Michelle Littlefair, crouches near the edge of a dam at night pointing her spotlight into the reeds.

Michelle Littlefair is a PhD student at the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society researching frogs in agricultural landscapes. She is also a dancer who uses her performances to spread awareness about frog declines. We spoke to her about how frogs have become such a large part of her life.

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We are all about wicked problems.

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Illustration of Alice, the rabbit and the Mad Hatter sitting around a table drinking tea.

“Most people don’t even realise we’re all affected by pollution throughout our whole lives," says Dr Julia Jasonsmith from ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society.

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Experts say city’s expansion has put more people at risk because homes are being built on flood-prone land.

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We’ve known about the risk of floods to the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley for a long time. Yet successive state governments have failed to properly mitigate its impact. Indeed, recent urban development policies by the current NSW government will multiply the risk.

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