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.


2023 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.

The Crawford Fund 2023  Student Awards are now open!

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 $4,000 awarded. We strongly recommend you read this general background information before you start your online application. The short online application form will require you to attach a brief CV, the signatures of, or a supporting note from, the authorised officers approving your application, and details of at least one referee.

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPROVED AWARDEES’ TRAVEL WILL NEED TO COMPLY WITH DFAT TRAVEL ADVICE FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH PURPOSES.

The closing date for the 2023 Student Awards is COB 15 May 2023.


CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2022 STUDENT AWARD RECIPIENTS!

Congratulations to the 14 successful applicants from around Australia who received our 2022 awards to experience international agricultural research and development first hand.

The ACT award winners were: 

Harry Campbell-Ross, Australian National University
Location/Focus: Philippines
Research: Assessing Smallholder Food System Resilience at a Community Scale
Other Collaborating Institutions: University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB)

Xolile Ncube, Australian National University
Location/Focus: Zimbabwe
Research: Transforming Irrigation in Southern Africa
Other Collaborating Institutions:  ACIAR Project (LWR/2016/137) hosted in country by the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

Bimal Sharma, University of Canberra
Location/Focus: India
Research: Patterns of Rural Community Livelihood and Managing Natural Resources in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam, India
Other Collaborating Institutions: Morigaon College affiliated to Gauhati University, Assam, India


ACT Crawford Fund Scholars: 2022 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 46 2022 Annual Conference scholarship winners from universities and organisations across Australia, and for the first time, special guest scholars from Papua New Guinea! This takes our conference scholar alumni to almost 370 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 2022 conference scholars from the ACT are listed below.

  • Angus Dunne, Australian National University
  • Tanya Skinner, Australian National University
  • Pinhui (Cindy) Wang, Australian National University
  • Michael Wellington, Australian National University
  • Salome Wilson, Australian National University
  • Michael Norman, CSIRO
Scholars from ACT (L to R) Michael Norman, Tanya Skinner, Angus Dunne, Michael Wellington, Pinhui Wang and Salome Wilson pictured with the Crawford Fund ACT’s Chair Margaret Reid and Coordinator Tony Fischer.

ACT Committee in the News

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