How very exciting to join the Nuffield Scholars in Brasil as part of their 6 week whirlwind farming tour called "global focus program". Nuffield Australia supports around 20 Aussie farmers each year to research a agribusiness topic of their choice. They choose a research topic of their choice and, semi-supported by indutsry had off around the world looking for input. Its a great concept and such a privilege to see it in action! Theres 8 in the fun, warm and cluey group travelling at the moment - a WA-based patagonian toothfish fisherman, a Victorian dairy farmer, cattle and sugarcane producers from Queensland, a broadacre crops and sheep farmer from SA, a horticulturalist from SA - and not to forget a Canadian grain grower from Ontario, Canada! And if their professions arent diverse enough - each of them is chasing information on amazing topics that will make a real difference on the ground where farming starts and ends.
Since spending a year in rural Brazil as a Rotary Exchange student in 1997, its held a place in my heart. Its such a country of passion and has come into world focus over the last decade as technology and market development has seen agriculture go gangbusters. I approached Nuffield to see if the combination of my interests and experience in Brazil, farming, and developing people could be of any assistance to them. So to cut the story short, I recruited my dear friend and fellow agricultural enthusaist Pablo Manfrim and together we have developed and hosted part of the Brazilian tour program.
Its been a hectic three days so far - and as the sun slowly wakes up the world, it signals 30min until we are back in the bus and off to visit some more farms. Stay tuned!
Since spending a year in rural Brazil as a Rotary Exchange student in 1997, its held a place in my heart. Its such a country of passion and has come into world focus over the last decade as technology and market development has seen agriculture go gangbusters. I approached Nuffield to see if the combination of my interests and experience in Brazil, farming, and developing people could be of any assistance to them. So to cut the story short, I recruited my dear friend and fellow agricultural enthusaist Pablo Manfrim and together we have developed and hosted part of the Brazilian tour program.
Its been a hectic three days so far - and as the sun slowly wakes up the world, it signals 30min until we are back in the bus and off to visit some more farms. Stay tuned!