Making a real impact in
Sustainable agriculture and food

At La Trobe, we believe that real impact happens with real action. Our sustainable agriculture and food researchers are working with global industry, community, government, and academic partners to tackle the key challenges of our times.

Ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture are driving forces for La Trobe University through our research and operations.

Our world-class institutions, labs and collaborations with industry are actively shaping the future of agriculture, and our research aims to develop cutting-edge methods to improve capability and capacity to secure a sustainable agricultural and food production future.

Stories of impact

Cultivating cropping research innovation with $27M Hub

Cultivating cropping research innovation with $27M Hub

La Trobe is making protected cropping across Australia’s food and medicinal industries more sustainable and adaptive to market needs and climate impacts.

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Feeding astronauts in space

Feeding astronauts in space

La Trobe researchers were finalists in a NASA competition for their vertical farming innovations, which could feed astronauts going to Mars and improve food production efficiency here on Earth.

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Using AI to supercharge smart irrigation for farmers

Using AI to supercharge smart irrigation for farmers

Revolutionising agriculture with an AI-powered smart irrigation system that improves sustainability and takes the guesswork out of farming.

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Boosting crop production with non-toxic weed control

Boosting crop production with non-toxic weed control

La Trobe’s leading Australia’s first trial of a non-toxic, environmentally friendly method of controlling weeds and pests in horticultural crops.

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Growing plants on the moon to support life in outer space

Growing plants on the moon to support life in outer space

Supporting astronauts to cultivate and return lunar-grown plants to Earth for the first time on NASA’s Artemis III mission, taking the first step toward sustainable agriculture in space.

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Tackling food security with cutting-edge institute

Tackling food security with cutting-edge institute

La Trobe is helping to secure the world’s food future with the establishment of a specialist institute, combining agrifood experts with industry and tech.

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Improving crop growth with legume genetic discovery

Improving crop growth with legume genetic discovery

Discovering a genetic nitrogen “off switch” in legume plants, boosting crop growth, increasing yields and reducing the environmental impact.

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Protecting vineyards from smoke taint

Protecting vineyards from smoke taint

Addressing a pressing climate challenge, La Trobe researchers have developed compact, solar-powered sensors to help growers track smoke taint from bushfires and burn offs.

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Our thinkers and innovators

Professor Lauren Rickards

Director, Climate Change Adaptation Lab. Professor, Climate Change Adaptation,
La Trobe University
Academic Profile

Professor Mathew Lewsey

Director, Genomics Platform. Professor, Ecological Plant and Animal Sciences,
La Trobe University
Academic Profile

Professor Roman Buckow

Director, Centre for Food Science. Professor, Food Science,
La Trobe University
Academic Profile

Dr Saimon Moraes Silva

Director, Biomedical & Environmental Sensor Technology (BEST) Centre,
La Trobe University
Academic Profile

Dr Marisa Collins

Dr Dugald Reid

Senior Lecturer, Ecological Plant and Animal Sciences,
La Trobe University
Academic Profile

Dr David A. Fleming-Muñoz

Professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics. Co-leader, ‘Food Business, Food Security and Digital Agriculture’, La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food,
La Trobe University
Academic Profile

Dr Regina Belski

Our research centres and institutes

La Trobe’s world-class research centres and institutes boast state-of-the-art facilities and, aligned to La Trobe’s research themes, collaborate with industry, government, and the community to drive new discoveries and work towards common goals.

La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture & Food (LISAF)

La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture & Food (LISAF)

A world leading research and training institute delivering innovative solutions for sustainable and nutritious food production in a resource and climate-constrained world.

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ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Protected Cropping (PC Hub)

ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Protected Cropping (PC Hub)

Led by La Trobe University, the PC Hub is transforming the future of agriculture with innovative solutions in protected cropping, connecting researchers, industry partners, and research students to drive innovation.

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Centre for Food Science (CFS)

Centre for Food Science (CFS)

The Centre for Food Science (CFS) is an integral part of the La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food (LISAF) and a key point of contact for the development of the Australian Food Innovation Centre (AFIC).

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Climate Change Adaptation Lab

Climate Change Adaptation Lab

A lab dedicated to innovative interdisciplinary research into the complexities of climate change impact and risks to advance public good and climate change adaptation.

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Working together with industry

From start-ups to large enterprises, La Trobe partners with global industry to collaborate on research and development, workforce development and entrepreneurial exploration. We have a proud history of co-location in our facilities, supporting industry partners to build capacity and grow.

PepsiCo

The La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture & Food (LISAF) has worked with PepsiCo on a multimillion-dollar research project to increase the nutritional quality of food products.

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YieldX

Backed by a $1 million investment from La Trobe’s Eagle Fund, YieldX aims to transform the future of food by making sustainable, high-yield farming accessible to everyone, creating innovative, efficient, and scalable Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) solutions to ensure food security for generations to come.

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Wine Australia

Wine Australia is an Australian Government statutory Research and Development Corporation. With funding from Wine Australia, La Trobe researchers developed Wine Industry Smoke Detectors (WISDs), positioning Australia as a world leader in understanding and managing smoke taint.

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Other areas of impact

Real impact doesn’t stop here. Explore La Trobe’s full impact across key areas of health, science and technology.

Research with impact

We’re committed to maximising the contribution our research makes to the economy, society, environment and culture, beyond the contribution to academic research.

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