The Future Drought Fund (FDF) has invested $1.6 million through Nuffield Australia to deliver drought resilience scholarships and training.
The 2025 Drought Resilience Scholarship Program will support 5 agricultural leaders to increase their knowledge of new tools and practices, to help the agricultural sector respond to a changing climate.
Scholars will travel overseas to study drought resilience topics and learn from international leaders in the field.
The FDF’s investment will support all Nuffield scholars to increase their knowledge of drought resilience, to better prepare themselves and their communities for drying conditions.
2025 Nuffield Drought Resilience Scholars
The 2025 FDF-funded drought resilience scholars are:
- Jock Barnett from Delungra, NSW, investigating how expanding and diversifying farming enterprises affects drought resilience.
- Tyson Cattle from Malvern, Vic, looking at agriculture organisations around the world and agriculture industry representation to inform drought preparedness and broader agriculture policy development.
- Lucy Dodd from Bordertown, SA, will look at supporting small scale poultry producers to diversify and drought proof their operations.
- Kari Moffat from Moil, NT, will investigate the influence sustainability commitments have on agricultural business decision making, enabling identification of risks and opportunities for drought resilience.
- Hamish Robertson from Hamilton, Vic, investigating efficiencies to drive affordability of wool garments and increase consumer demand to improve resilience of the family farm in drought.
2024 Nuffield Drought Resilience Scholars
In 2024, the FDF supported 5 drought resilience scholars:
- Caitlin Herbert from Eugowra, NSW, researching the role cattle feedlots can play in helping the beef supply chain prepare for drought.
- Michael Taylor from Kentucky, NSW. The former Australian Farmer of the Year will study solutions to the challenges that hinder the widespread adoption of agroforestry.
- Claudia Benn from Injune, Qld, will extend on the work of previous Scholars to help Australian farmers farm more profitably in alignment with natural systems.
- Ben Poschelk farms at Glen Innes, NSW. Ben will undertake a global analysis of resilience thinking and change in people and communities who have adapted to adverse weather conditions.
- Natalie Schlitz from Kerang, Vic, will investigate weaknesses that threaten the viability of the Australian fodder export sector in a water-limited future.
Meet the 2024 Nuffield Drought Resilience Scholars
In 2024, the FDF supported 5 drought resilience scholars:
Meet the 2024 Nuffield Drought Resilience Scholars
Video duration 3 mins 58 secs
Introduction
This is the transcript of a video interview with the 5 Nuffield Drought Resilience Scholars, whose scholarships are funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
[Recording begins]
Claudia Benn [00:06]
My name is Claudia Benn, and I'm from Arcadia Valley in central Queensland. Myself, my partner and my parents all work together and we produce organic grass-fed beef.
Natalie Schlitz [00:16]
My name is Natalie Schlitz, and I'm from Kerang in northwest Victoria, where I farm with my husband and his family.
Ben Poschelk [00:22]
My name is Ben Poschelk, and I have a cattle property in Glen Innes in New South Wales.
Caitlin Herbert [00:27]
My name is Caitlin Herbert, and I am a 6th generation farmer from central West New South Wales in a small town called Eugowra.
Michael Taylor [00:34]
I'm Michael Taylor. I'm a grazier and agroforester from northern New South Wales, just near Armidale.
Natalie Schlitz [00:44]
The main reason I applied for a Nuffield scholarship was because I wanted to challenge myself beyond my backyard. So, the opportunity to experience new things in a new place internationally was really attractive. And to bring those learnings home to share with others was a very special opportunity.
Caitlin Herbert [01:05]
Our business revolves around preparedness and contingency planning, and I'm hoping to travel the world and bring back learnings from other agricultural businesses into our own and the wider Australian farming community.
Michael Taylor [01:21]
I've seen three droughts now including the 2019 drought, which was probably the worst on my family's record. And to see the impact that our trees had not on only on our business, but also on the surrounding farms, convinced me that I needed to do more on learning about the barriers that are stopping other farmers in grazing and cropping areas as well from integrating more agroforestry practices.
Caitlin Herbert [01:53]
Drought is a society wide problem, and continuous learning and research into this space ensures not only resilience during the enduring phase of a drought, but also the preparedness prior to it and the recovery after it.
Claudia Benn [02:12]
The part of my Nuffield journey that I'm most excited about is probably all of the unexpected things, the things I don't know that are coming yet. And I've already learnt just from a few short travels so far that every person you meet can be like a domino effect and open up doors you didn't even realise were there. And so I'm looking forward to the things that I don't know that are coming and how my topic will evolve and all the things I'll learn about drought resilience that I don't even know that I don't know yet!
Ben Poschelk [02:43]
The part of my Nuffield journey that I'm most excited about is probably two parts, and that is the networking. Already being connected with so many primary producers around New South Wales and Queensland and Australia is truly phenomenal. And all of those candidates and recipients of scholarships are so curious in meeting and networking, but also in learning. And that's the other part, the opportunity to learn from so many, and learn from people and primary producers abroad overseas. And that opportunity to travel and learn, is truly a very, very fortunate opportunity.
Claudia Benn [03:28]
Look into the drought resilience. So, the Future Drought Fund are providing an amazing opportunity to fund scholars, and it's a great option. It's such an important area. And if you're at all interested in that, give the Drought Fund scholarship a go.
Natalie Schlitz [03:43]
Drought resilience runs deeper than just drought. We face climate variability nationwide, and by exploring these challenges, it may just be your best journey yet.
[Recording ends]
Learn more about the scholars projects.
Funding information
Find details of the payment information for Drought Resilience Scholarship Program as required under section 27A of the Future Drought Fund Act 2019 below.
Download
Future Drought Fund: Drought Resilience Scholarship Program (PDF 158 KB)
Future Drought Fund: Drought Resilience Scholarship Program (DOCX 178 KB)
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