Food, soil, water & agriculture
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
This project aims to demonstrate that circular food systems can decouple growth in social and economic benefits from consumption of natural resources (particularly water and land) and production of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, as well as reducing urbanisation by creating local opportunities for women and youth.
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.
We are a research group at the Fenner School of Environment & Society, led by Dr Steven Lade. We research human and planetary systems using concepts such as resilience, social-ecological systems and Earth systems with applications in water resource management, sustainable finance and more.
Sustainable Farms draws upon research programs across the Australian National University, focussing on three key research topics: Healthy Farms, Healthy Farmers, and Healthy Profits.
The project aims to find means of meeting the African government’s plans for greater food security while using limited water resources more sustainably.
Projects
Members
Academic staff
Lecturer
Professor
Fellow
Associate Professor
Affiliate
Honorary Associate Professor
Honorary Senior Lecturer
Emeritus Professor
Emeritus Professor
News
A new booklet from Sustainable Farms highlights ten projects that farmers can undertake to improve the health of natural assets on farms – such as dams, shelterbelts or riparian areas.
When the clock ticked over to 2020, Australia was in the grip of a brutal drought and unprecedented bushfires. But in the months since, while many of us were indoors avoiding the pandemic, nature has started its slow recovery. That is the message of our new analysis released today.
A new project is open to Honours and Masters students to apply a new food systems model study the link between food production, food processing, and nutritional density across range of food stuffs from the horticulture, aquaculture and the live stock industries.
How can we accommodate the needs of both farming and nature? Research shows us how – but it means accepting land as a finite resource, and operating within its limits. In doing so, farmers will also reap benefits.
How can we improve storm water quality and additionally, how to make storm water channels more appealing to the community, using methods from Indigenous science?
The ANU has been awarded a $3.4 million grant from the Federal Government to provide advice to the Australian Government on a farm biodiversity and carbon scheme.
Events
Managing farm dams, freshwater wetlands, and wastewater lagoons for carbon and biodiversity benefits
Teal carbon ecosystems are freshwater wetlands, like lakes, ponds, farm dams and reservoirs. Equivalent to blue carbon (coastal wetlands), they can regulate greenhouse gases and mitigate the effects of climate change.