“Agriculture over the Horizon”

Professor Alex McBratney AM FAA

Professor of Digital Agriculture and Soil Science
and ARC Laureate Fellow
University of Sydney

Date and Time: Wednesday, 2 July 2025; Time to be advised
Venue:  University of Sydney (to be advised)
Registration:  to be advised
Entry: No charge
All are welcome

Summary: Agriculture stands at a transformative crossroads—criticised for its environmental footprint, yet a powerful engine of scientific application and innovation. Nowhere is this duality clearer than in Australia, where farmers are among the most technologically advanced in the world, harnessing cutting-edge research to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.

This talk explores the evolving modes of agriculture—Industrial, Conservation, Precision & Digital, Regenerative, Decommoditised, and the emerging “3N” model: net-zero, nature-positive, and nutrition-rich. As we confront the mounting challenges of climate volatility, biodiversity loss, and shifting global food demands, the need for a new synthesis has never been clearer.

Professor McBratney’s focus is on the intersection of Digital, Regenerative, and Decommoditised agriculture, and how their integration offers a compelling pathway forward. Through digital tools, we can optimise production and resource use. Regenerative practices rebuild soil condition and security  and ecosystems. Decommoditised models reconnect farmers with consumers, adding value and resilience. Together, these approaches help craft a vision of agriculture that is not only sustainable but revitalising.

What combination will carry us into the future? Join us as we look over the horizon to define a model of agriculture that meets the needs of people, planet, and profit—reimagined for the mid-21st century.

Alex McBratney is a globally renowned leader in soil science and digital agriculture, currently serving as Professor of Digital Agriculture and Soil Science and ARC Laureate Fellow at the University of Sydney. With an academic foundation that spans a BSc, PhD, and DSc from the University of Aberdeen, along with a DScAgr from the University of Sydney for his pioneering work in precision agriculture, Alex has made transformative contributions to soil and agricultural science. He is celebrated as a founder of key disciplines, including Pedometrics, Digital Soil Mapping, Precision Agriculture, and Soil Security.

Alex’s influence is recognised worldwide—he is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and a Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher (2016–2024). His international standing was further acknowledged with the prestigious VV Dokuchaev Medal from the International Union of Soil Sciences, where he held numerous leadership roles. For 25 years, he served as Editor-in-Chief of Geoderma, and now leads Soil Security as Editor-in-Chief.  Alex McBratney is also the 2024 recipient of the Royal Society of NSW Poggendorff Award in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Following his PhD work at Rothamsted Experimental Station in the UK, Alex spent seven impactful years with CSIRO in Brisbane before joining the University of Sydney in 1989. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment (2015–2017) and directed the Sydney Institute of Agriculture. A passionate advocate for innovation, Alex is actively shaping the future of Soil Security and Digital Agriculture through global collaborations like Aroura, the Soil and Soil Security think tank.  His work is inspiring the next generation of AgTech in Australia and beyond.  

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