Earth Sciences research

Leadership programs developed by Southern Cross University’s Dr Cherise Addinsall are empowering rural women in Vanuatu and Fiji.

A social scientist trained across disciplines in environmental science, sustainable tourism and business and gender studies, Dr Addinsall has been working on Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research projects in the region for the past seven years.

She and local teams have developed models to engage and empower rural women through interactive training conducted in a non- threatening environment.

“This is based on the principle of storian – a Bislama term for sharing and swapping stories – through which women recognise the skills and leadership roles they already have in the community, while also identifying other possible leadership pathways,” says Dr Addinsall.

Benefits include improved agricultural productivity; improved financial management and access to micro-finance; gender inclusive decision-making; and the confidence to contribute to discussions in the household and community.

Dr Addinsall’s methods are guided by the Agroecology and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Framework, which was an outcome of her PhD research. It acknowledges the importance of tradition and culture in sustainable and resilient livelihood systems.

“Many research and development projects operating in the South Pacific see any changes from non-monetary provisions of goods and services to the cash market as an improvement in livelihoods,” she says.

“However, it is vital that this does not corrode the fabric of traditional and social life and values. In Melanesia, the traditional economy and customary land tenure outweigh the cash economy in terms of providing for livelihoods.

“The traditional economy is also seen as key to keeping households resilient, particularly in times of hardship and external threats such as natural disasters and global recessions.

“Furthermore, it is where women play a significant role through maintaining subsistence gardens, caring for the elderly, children, disabled or ill, volunteer labour and other activities.”

Throughout the world, demand is building for high quality, natural, safe and novel foods and other agricultural products.

Hemp is one example, and Southern Cross University’s Associate Professor Tobias Kretzschmar believes controlled cultivation of hemp offers considerable benefits for Australia.

“Australia is very suitable for growing hemp. It’s a promising broadacre crop, it doesn’t mind dry
conditions and is a multipurpose crop as well,” he says.

“However, hemp is also a polarising product – socially, politically and legally – and that has been the case for a long time.

“It’s an important issue because, scientifically and agriculturally, hemp has enormous potential in terms of its cultivation and processing for food, fibre and medicine into the future.

“For instance, there is a burgeoning market for hemp as a food crop through direct feeding and fodder, while demand for hemp products from the upscale nutraceutical market currently far outstrips supply.”

At Southern Cross Plant Science, Associate Professor Kretzschmar’s hemp research is under licence from the NSW Department of Primary Industries. He works with several private sector partners.

“Hemp is an understudied product. In our hemp research stream, we are involved with processes such as genetics, chemo/pheno-typing to build plant profiles, and the characterisation and maintenance of germplasm,” he says.

Germplasm refers to the genetic material from cells, such as seeds and tissue. In fact, Associate Professor Kretzschmar sees great advantage in Southern Cross University becoming a national gene bank for these living genetic resources.

“This would not only create a safe and central hub for germplasm collection and ongoing research, we could also provide government, business and industry with the latest data, and keep tight controls over the supply of germplasm.”

German-born, Associate Professor Kretzschmar has vast experience that over the years has seen him study pineapples in Townsville, rice in the Philippines and petunias in Switzerland.

His research at Southern Cross University is similarly diverse, covering passionfruit, coffee, mustard, rice, tea tree ... and now hemp.

Southern Cross University research is helping frog species to combat extinction threats posed by climate change and disease.

High in the rainforest mountains of Northern New South Wales, Dr David Newell and his team of postgraduate students use remote recording equipment to enhance understanding of the plight of montane rainforest frogs.

As Dr Newell poetically puts it, these burrowing frogs live “up where the streams start, in their islands in the sky”.

“But these frogs cannot go any higher up the mountains for the climates they require.

“By recording their calls, we can analyse patterns, match them against temperature and rainfall readings, and better understand when is the best time to detect them.

“When we began, these species were known only at a few locations. Through our survey and monitoring work, we are now aware of many more sites and can work with managers to protect their habitats into the future.”

Dr Newell’s research is supported by the Australian Research Council and the NSW Government’s Saving Our Species program.

It includes the study of another endangered species – Fleay’s barred frog.

“Since the late 1970s, we’ve been aware of frog declines and losses within the rainforests of the Australian east coast,” says Dr Newell.

“What was unusual is that it was occurring in well- conserved, World Heritage areas.

“It turns out they were falling prey to a fungal disease – chytridiomycosis – a condition that has placed frogs at the very forefront of global extinction rates.”

The good news is that incidences of recovery and reversal have occurred, with Fleay’s barred frog an encouraging example.

“Questions remain about whether the pathogen is becoming less virulent, or whether species are developing a resistance,” says Dr Newell.

“What we learn may help advance recovery strategies for other threatened species both in Australia and globally.”

A native plantation project in Vanuatu is an ideal example of the saying “from little things, big things grow”. Economic and other benefits are the result.

Southern Cross University’s Dr Kevin Glencross is a key researcher for the initiative that is helping transform the Pacific Island nation from a timber importer to timber producer.

The integration of food crops such as sweet potato, corn, peanuts, leafy vegetables, yams, fruits and nuts is further boosting local livelihoods.

“Vanuatu has many promising species for plantation growth, but until recently there had been little work done on reforestation or establishing and advancing a viable industry,” says Dr Glencross.

“While issues around land tenure are complex and traditional methods can be challenging, there is a wealth of cultural knowledge and social awareness that informs what we do.”

One of the project’s great strengths is diversity. Dr Glencross says that along with greater opportunities for women, families are able to stay together, communities have shared goals and agroforestry methods carry benefits for sustainability.

Potential also exists via export markets and import replacement. That’s why researchers are studying the growth of cyclone-resistant trees and other more resilient species.

“The trees are grown for timber, fruit, nuts, oil and cosmetics. Integrated crops mean there is no lag as the trees are growing, and we are now looking at expanding into cocoa and coffee,” says Dr Glencross.

“Tourism is Vanuatu’s major economic driver, but 80 per cent of food at resorts is imported. Our drive towards locally grown produce is economically sound, culturally significant and is becoming more accepted by resorts and their guests.”

Supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Dr Glencross is also collaborating with Alternatives Communities Trade in Vanuatu – which supports Ni-Vanuatu ethnic communities through the fair trade of local products to generate sustainable incomes – the Department of Forests and education groups.