IN THE FIELD - Going loco for cocowood

Forestry Research Program Manager Tony Bartlett recently visited Fiji to check progress on an ACIAR project on coconut wood (cocowood). The research is aiming to improve the livelihoods of people in the South Pacific through making use of senile coconut trees.

Senile coconut trees can make valuable wood products

Protecting against parasites in the modern world

The world is becoming more and more connected, both physically and technologically. Prolific travel and trade within and between countries and continents allows disease-causing organisms like parasites to hitch a ride almost anywhere. Parasitic diseases can be devastating to the animals they infest, and to the people who rely on those animals for their livelihoods. ACIAR-supported research looks at ways to improve the identification and control parasitic diseases to help stop their spread.

Healthy livestock provide food and income opportunities

Bringing HOPES to horticulture farmers in the Philippines

ACIAR research in the southern Philippines is improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers growing fruit and vegetables, through investigating horticulture, people and soil (HOPES). Recent research has provided useful insights to help farmers cope with pests, diseases and harsh weather; to grow their crops sustainably; and to improve their profits.

Boie Gerona (vegetable grower) and Zenaida Gonzaga (Visaya State University)
show off the harvest from a successfully protected crop
(Photo: Gordon Rogers)

IN THE FIELD - In search of 'soil security' in the Pacific islands

Dr Richard Markham, ACIAR's Research Program Manager for Pacific Crops, recently visited Kiribati to check progress on a project aiming to improve the health of the local people and their soil...

Atolls like Kiribati may look appealing to visitors, but achieving food security
can present a serious challenge to the inhabitants, especially in the face of climate change

Young researcher forages for answers

In the final post of a 3-part series to help celebrate National Science Week, we're profiling ACIAR Graduate Officers. Our 'grads' help demonstrate the variety and opportunity a career in agricultural science can provide.

Bonnie Flohr pictured in front of the oldest agricultural fields of Tibet

Each year ACIAR hires recently-graduated students from Universities across Australia. Bonnie Flohr is one of three graduates from various science fields to work in our research programs. 

Young scientists getting down and dirty

In the second post of a 3-part series to help celebrate National Science Week, we're profiling ACIAR Graduate Officers. Our 'grads' help demonstrate the variety and opportunity a career in agricultural science can provide.

Jack Koci collecting soil samples for nutrient analysis in northern Queensland

All creatures great and small

In the first post of a 3-part series to help celebrate National Science Week, we're profiling ACIAR Graduate Officers. Our 'grads' help demonstrate the variety and opportunity a career in agricultural science can provide.

Dr Emma Zalcman is a young Australian scientist working for all creatures great and small

Each year ACIAR hires recently-graduated students from Universities across Australia. Emma Zalcman is one of three graduates from various science fields to work in our research programs.

Collaborating for Cambodian cattle farmers

Cambodia is well placed to take advantage of the increased demand for beef that is currently outstripping supply in the Greater Mekong Subregion. The uptake of new technologies and practices will enable many smallholder farmers to move up a notch from being livestock ‘keepers’ to ‘producers’, to increase their incomes and improve their livelihoods.

Farmer with steer in forage trial (photo Luzia Rast)

Growing more food, efficiently and sustainably

While visiting projects in Laos, Dr John Dixon relays to readers how farmers are trying out conservation agriculture. This post coincides with the publishing of the winter issue of ACIAR's magazine, Partners in research for development, which focuses on the dryland agriculture revolution.
 

Local farmer Malkeet Singh with his 'Happy Seeder' in northern India.
The Happy Seeder represents a breakthrough for farmers across India’s north-west rice-wheat cropping zone both in terms of conservation agriculture (CA ) benefits and other benefits directly to farmers.

Enduring research partnerships with Pakistan

Last month Prof. Talat Naseer Pasha, Vice Chancellor of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) in Lahore, Pakistan, visited ACIAR to discuss continuing partnerships with Australian universities.

(Left to right) Mr Baxter, Prof Pasha, Dr Austin and Dr Horne at ACIAR headquarters, Canberra.

UVAS is one of ACIAR’s key partners involved in dairy research under the AusAID-supported Australia–PakistanAgriculture Sector Linkages Program.