Women in Soil Science-Australia Seminar Series: Associate Professor Hanabeth Luke

This month's Women in Soil Science-Australia Seminar Series speaker is Associate Professor Hanabeth Luke who will be speaking on "Decision drivers for soil and landscape health"

About the speaker

Associate Professor Hanabeth Luke is a nationally recognised leader in research and education that builds resilience in rural and regional Australia. She has a passion for leading complex, multi-disciplinary projects, having secured over $4.5 million to fund impactful research across Australian agricultural communities. Her past and present work, supported by the Soil CRC, the GRDC and Horticultural Innovations, focuses on empowering rural communities and supporting transitions to more sustainable and regenerative farming systems. Hanabeth leads the seven-year Soil CRC Rural Landholder Study, working in partnership with over thirty industry groups across Australia to gather critical data that is now shaping local, state, and federal strategies for agricultural resilience. She has also led the development of holistic indicators for regenerative farmers - covering soil health, ecological function, business viability and farmer wellbeing. As a passionate educator, Hanabeth worked with industry leaders and inspiring farmers to grow the world’s first undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in regenerative agriculture .

Abstract

This presentation provides insight into the findings of the the Soil CRC Rural Landholder Survey, which has engaged around 5,000 Australian rural landholders to date. Drawing on data from seven diverse farming systems across Australia, the project highlights the conditions that enable landholders in different contexts to implement best-management practices that improve soil health and enhance farm adaptive capacity in the face of change. Three critical drivers emerge: meaningful collaboration; a commitment to long-term planning beyond immediate seasonal pressures; and considering the bigger picture, including landscape-scale and socio-economic factors. The presentation explores how these findings are shaping engagement approaches and influencing policy development from local to national scales in order to support resilient, future-focused farmers and agricultural systems.