Sustainable Farming

The bioeconomy will provide a platform to a sustainable future by providing security of food, water and energy supplies, reduced emissions, and the sustainable use of both biological and non-biological resources.

The bioeconomy is an emerging term for the sustainable production and conversion of biomass for a range of food, health, fibre and industrial products and energy.

Australia’s CSIRO Livestock Industries and its partner, New Zealand’s principal pastoral food Research Institute, AgResearch, have predicted the global financial crisis could significantly reduce investment in biotechnology and agricultural science.

Australasia’s major science and agribusiness conference, being held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 28-30 October 2008, is expected to generate strong debate on the future for Trans-Tasman animal industries, in light of increasing global concern about food security.

Australasia’s major livestock industries’ science and agribusiness conference – Horizons in Livestock Sciences – will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 28-30 October 2008.

A symposium in honour of Dr Albert Rovira's 80th birthday and 50 years of his rhizosphere research and leadership.

New research aims to help canegrowers and the broader sugar industry to take advantage of the tools and techniques of precision agriculture (PA) in pursuit of both production and natural resource management goals.

CSIRO research is filling the gaps in our knowledge about forest growth and risk in low to medium rainfall areas in Australia.

We focus on finding new, integrated ways to manage our water supply and water resources issues. This includes land use change, salinity, climate change, groundwater extraction and drainage schemes. 

We examine the environmental impacts of irrigated and rain-fed agriculture to improve the quality of our land and water resources in rural regions.

This five-minute video shows how Water for a Healthy Country Flagship is one of the biggest water research partnerships in Australian history. Find out how it is improving the management of our water resources.

Australia’s farmers are our climate change 'warriors', and many of them are already meeting the challenges of climate change, with major modifications to the way they produce our food. In this podcast, Dr Mark Howden from CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation Flagship, explains how farmers are dealing with challenges such as lower rainfall and irrigation allocations. (4.51)

The Gungahlin Homestead in the Australian Capital Territory, is an historic site in the north of Canberra that now serves as head office for CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.

The CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems laboratory in Alice Springs conducts research that addresses regional futures, indigenous livelihoods, conservation planning and management, sustainable agricultural systems and knowledge management in arid and semi-arid rangelands.

This article from Farming Ahead describes research that shows that as well as meeting the nutritional needs of broadacre crops, the benefits of a single application of treated human waste, or biosolids can last several years. (3 pages)

This overview explains how CSIRO scientists have developed a powerful new technology that removes pesticide and herbicide residues from water. (2 pages)

Soil organic carbon is a complex and varied mixture of materials and makes up a small but vital part of all soils.

Soil organic matter contributes to a variety of biological, chemical and physical properties of soil and is essential for good soil health.