Backing the next generation of soil and land experts

The Albanese and Malinauskas Governments are backing six soil and land management professionals to expand their knowledge and networks for the benefit of agricultural productivity and sustainability in South Australia.

The South Australian Soils Bursary Program is aimed at strengthening the agronomy sector by reducing financial barriers for early-career professionals and researchers to access training, development and knowledge-sharing activities.

By supporting South Australia’s up-and-coming soil and land management experts, Labor is lifting the nation’s potential when it comes to productivity and sustainability in Australia’s agricultural sector.

The bursary program is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Partnering to Implement the National Soil Action Plan program and is managed by the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions through the Soils Collaboration Centre.

Grants of up to $2,000 are awarded to individuals and up to $5,000 for groups to cover or subsidise the cost of accessing soil and land management training and other knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Early-career professionals Nick Bassett and Michael Brown, who work with the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, and Stewart Murray from the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network have each been awarded $1,995 through the bursary program to complete Soil Science Australia’s nationally recognised Soil Management Training course, moving them closer to becoming accredited soil practitioners.

Adelaide University PhD students Ana Paula Ferreira de Brito and Rui Yan have been awarded $2,000 to subsidise the cost of attending the 23^rd World Congress of Soil Science in Nanjing, China, where they will present their soil and land management research.

Ana will share her research into tree proximity effects on soil organic carbon, bulk density and soil moisture in a dryland landscape, while Rui will share research on River Murray floodplain soils.

Recent agricultural science graduate and freelance journalist from the Mid North, Caleb Schwarz, has been awarded $704 through the bursary program to complete online training in regenerative agriculture principles, delivered by globally recognised agroecologist Nicole Masters.

The South Australian Soil Bursary Program is open to any South Australian who is developing, pursuing or actively engaged in soil science, soil and land management, agricultural sustainability or related fields.