ACT Committee
The Fund’s Australian Capital Territory Program was established in 2006. Its location in Canberra provides a great opportunity to work with several Departments and Agencies of the Australian Government including ACIAR – and with a number of the peak bodies that are part of the Australian agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries. The organisation also has access to eminent researchers in scientific organisations and universities based in the nation’s capital.
The geographic focus of the Program is Papua New Guinea, Pacific Island countries and East Timor. Training activities in other countries are supported on a case-by-case basis. These activities reflect Canberra’s strength in research on forestry, agricultural policy, economics, molecular biology, entomology natural resources management and national regulation of agricultural matters such as quarantine, water and GM crop releases. A brochure summarising our activities is available here.
Crawford Fund Student Awards – ACT
As part of our efforts to support and encourage the next generation in study, careers and volunteering in international agricultural research, the Crawford Fund proudly supports our Student Awards. These awards have been developed specifically to enable university students to gain valuable experience and expertise by bringing an international component to their studies and research.
In the ACT, applications are invited from honours and postgraduate students interested in gaining international agricultural research experience in developing countries, with a maximum of $5,000 awarded.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 STUDENT AWARD RECIPIENTS!
Congratulations to the 17 successful applicants from around Australia who received our 2023 awards to experience international agricultural research and development first hand.
The ACT award winners were:
Ebtihal Mohamed, Australian National University
Location/Focus: International, Netherlands.
Research: Developing Brassica carinata as a biofuel crop (attending the International Conference on Alternative Fuels and Biofuels ICAFB).
Other collaborating institutions: NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Manita Raut, Australian National University
Location/Focus: Nepal
Research: Irrigation technology adoption: water use and practices by marginal and tenant farmers
Other collaborating institutions: Navajagriti Farmers’ Cooperative. Manita is also supported by a John Allwright Fellowship generously funded by ACIAR.
Su Su San, Australian National University
Location/Focus: Cambodia
Research: Adoption and welfare impacts of climate smart agricultural technologies
Other collaborating institutions: International Rice Research Institute as part of a joint project “Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes in Cambodia.”
ACT Crawford Fund Scholars: 2023 Annual Conference
Each year, the Crawford Fund Committees offer Conference Scholarships for students and young researchers to attend the annual conference. The Scholarship provides funds to cover expenses such as travel, accommodation and registration.
We’re excited to announce our bumper crop of 36 2023 Annual Conference scholarship winners from universities and organisations across Australia, and for the second time, special guest scholars from Papua New Guinea! This takes our conference scholar alumni to almost 450 young students and researchers and industry representatives with an interest in reshaping agriculture to better address food security, the nutritional needs of a growing population, and the environment.
The 2023 conference scholars from the ACT are listed below.
- Sibjan Chaulagain, Australian National University
- Pravin Khambalkar, Australian National University
- Rachel Nye, AusVet
- Rose Zhang, Australian National University
ACT Committee in the News
- Cultivating tomorrow – a student awardee’s work in photos
- Fond Farewells and Welcome for our ACT Committee
- Our Conference Scholar Reflections from the ACT
- Getting to know our Student Awardees – Nicholas Metherall, Australian National University
- National Science Week – ACT Event
Events
- Crawford Fund at ABARES Outlook Conference
- Celebrating Australians in International Agricultural Research