The Soil CRC’s recent masterclass on banking and investing in agricultural soils garnered significant interest from agri-bankers, investors and advisors keen to learn practical tools and strategies to quantify the value in agricultural soil. Held in early February, the event showcased how the Soil CRC is developing new solutions that will unlock the potential of Australia’s agricultural sector.
Soil CRC project leader and masterclass organiser, Associate Professor Nicholas Pawsey from Charles Sturt University, said the three sessions in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane were well attended by a mix of stakeholders from the banking, investment and research sectors.
“Attendees heard from Soil CRC researchers about the importance of healthy soil, how soil performance is measured and managed, and opportunities to further utilise green finance to support investment in soil,” he said.
Leading the discussion at all three masterclasses, Associate Professor Richard Doyle from the University of Tasmania spoke about the importance of soil and provided an introduction to soil constraints, metrics and best management practices. A/Prof Doyle’s hands on, interactive style motivated participants to reflect on the importance of soil health and provided an opportunity for them to test local soils for themselves.
A/Prof Pawsey shared findings from the Soil CRC’s research into the financial costs and benefits of soil stewardship and challenged participants to consider opportunities to further utilise green finance for investments in soil.
“The workshop was a unique opportunity for individuals from across the finance, agricultural, research and government sectors to discuss Soil CRC research outcomes and soil investment opportunities,” A/Prof Pawsey said.
“Both financial industry participants and growers have consistently highlighted the need for clearer insights into the financial outcomes of investing in soils, and better guidance on relevant soil metrics to inform their decisions. These masterclasses were designed to begin addressing those gaps.”
Soil CRC Program 2 Leader Dr Nathan Robinson (Federation University) spoke to Sydney and Brisbane attendees about key soil metrics to inform landholder decisions, and the Soil CRC’s efforts to consolidate soil data sources through the establishment of the Visualising Australasia’s Soils (VAS) platform.
At the Brisbane session, our Program 4 Leader, Dr Lukas Van Zwieten (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), discussed advances in integrated and precision soil management solutions, highlighting key research outcomes from the Soil CRC.
Attendees also had the chance to hear from industry leaders:
- Representatives from Leading Harvest, Chloe Boyd and James Perrin, shared how their program is supporting the recognition of sustainable agriculture through investment markets.
- James Bentley (Direct Sustainable Finance – National Australia Bank) discussed green finance market developments and finance products designed to support investments in sustainable on-farm practices.
- Helen Lewis (CEO – Australian Holistic Management Cooperative) showcased their work to support growers to measure and demonstrate the outcomes of their land management efforts.
Also participating in the Sydney and Melbourne events was Professor Catherine Allan, Soil CRC Program 1 Leader, who said the event highlighted the importance of involving the banking and finance sector in consideration of the critical role of agricultural soil.
“Soil is fundamental to all human activity, so it was wonderful to see such a range of disciplinary experts sharing ideas on how best to support soil,” she said.
A/Prof Pawsey confirmed that the Soil CRC will now be delivering the masterclass in an online format to reach a broader audience and meet the evident demand for this kind of information.
“The free online version will provide an overview of the topics discussed at the in-person sessions and will build on the feedback we received from attendees,” he said.
More information about the online event will be shared to Soil CRC newsletter subscribers and promoted on our LinkedIn page once we set a date. Not already a subscriber? Sign up to our mailing list here: https://soilcrc.com.au/#subscribe
Find out more
Main image: Professor Richard Doyle presenting at the Melbourne masterclass.