Determining Sustainability Interventions to Improve the Resilience of Livestock Farms Against Environmental Perturbations
Collaboration between University of Technology Sydney and AgriWebb: “Determining Sustainability Interventions to Improve the Resilience of Livestock Farms Against Environmental Perturbations.”
To meet the growing demands of the global food system, livestock farms must increase long-term efficiency despite volatile rainfall and temperatures. While there is pressure to boost output by intensifying agriculture, farmers must also consider the environmental impacts of increased stocking load, including land deterioration and greenhouse gas emissions. Our research will explore the relationship between farm productivity and environmental factors, identifying key drivers of resilience. This will help us evaluate sustainable practices and holistic grazing management, providing farmers with the tools for informed, long-term decisions.
Supervisory Team:
🔹 Lead Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Ramp
🔹 Secondary Supervisor: Dr. Luke Mathieson
🔹 Industry Supervisor: Kenny Sabir
Dr. Daniel Ramp highlights the broader impact: “We know we have to get better at being more inclusive in how we farm, not just to address global declines in biodiversity but also to establish sustainable practices that promote environmental resilience. This project is special because it uses existing farming practices to help identify how we do that, and if we can address food security while also training some talented researchers embedded in industry then the knowledge gained should have a lasting legacy.”
Alex Trobec, PhD candidate, shares his vision: “Whether it’s a roast, a snag, a stew or a steak on the barbie, red meat is and always has been an important part of my life and my family’s culture with food. Yet in recent decades, increasing pressure on Australian livestock farms to intensify their operations through set stocking has led to the deterioration of the country’s semi-arid rangelands, stressing farm capital during drought conditions, leading to critical analysis of livestock farming’s impact on the natural environment. However, by simultaneously analysing both livestock and remote sensed environmental data, I will be able to better understand the trade-offs and synergies between productivity and sustainability. Through my role as an engineer at AgriWebb, NIPhD program then gives me the opportunity to make these findings useful for farmers by allowing research outcomes to guide my product development work and develop a more powerful livestock farm management tool, which will make animal protein production more efficient and sustainable in the years to come.”