Meet the 2022 Future Thinkers in Pacific Climate Resilience
The outcomes of ACIAR’s inaugural Future Thinkers’ Awards were announced today,
with three climate research initiatives selected for funding as part of the PASS-CR Program.
PASS-CR is an ACIAR-funded initiative, delivered by the Australian Centre for Pacific Island Research (ACPIR) and partner universities. It is designed to mobilise a new generation of Pacific agricultural researchers to tackle the challenges facing Pacific agriculture.
PASS-CR provides scholarships and support to postgraduate students in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries at Fiji National University (FNU) and the University of the South Pacific (USP).
The Future Thinkers’ s Awards were launched earlier this year to give PASS-CR scholars additional capacity building and funding opportunities to mainstream climate change research into their Masters and PhD projects.
“This is a unique opportunity for scholars to deepen their understanding of how climate change affects food systems in the Pacific,” said Dr Daniela Medina Hidalgo, ACPIR’s Climate Change Lead for the PASS-CR Program.
“Implementing these projects will also provide them with new valuable skills that can lead them to access other climate funding options, as they progress into their research careers.”
The 2022 Future Thinkers for Climate Resilience were announced in a ceremony hosted by ACPIR, and they include:
Christian-Yves Amato-Ali
A Masters student from USP, Christian’s research aims to reduce food loss by improving taro farming practices in Tonga.
As a 2022 Future Thinker Awardee, Christian will expand his research to explore the links between food loss and climate resilience.
Leikitah Katah Naituku
A PhD student from USP, Leikitah’s research will provide benchmark knowledge for plant protection to improve capsicum production in Fiji.
As a 2022 Future Thinker Awardee, Leikitah will work to develop sustainable and affordable compost bins, along with a manual on vermicompost production for smallholder capsicum farmers and backyard gardeners in Fiji.
Wati Tomasi Mocevakaca
A Masters student from FNU, Wati’s research aims to reduce antibiotic resistance in the Fijian dairy industry by identifying and addressing resistant bacteria species in dairy calves.
As a 2022 Future Thinker Awardee, Wati will also explore farmers’ perceptions of climate variability and risk, and how that impacts dairy management practices.
Capacity building is at the heart of the PASS-CR program and woven into the design of the Future Thinkers’ Awards from the outset, with dedicated workshops, mentoring and support offered to PASS-CR scholars from the project development phase through to implementation.
“Through the development of their applications, scholars were mentored to establish an interdisciplinary and integrated climate change and food systems approach. This included training on how to effectively integrate gender and climate change elements into their work,” Dr Medina Hidalgo said.
The awards will enable scholars to directly increase their skills and knowledge on climate change specific methodologies, so that their research has the potential to directly influence planning and decision making at a community, national and regional level.
Congratulations to our 2022 Future Thinkers and good luck for the journey ahead!