Professor Paul PG Gauthier from the University of Queensland will present ways to reduce the impact of climate change on crops at TropAg conference 2022
The new Professor of Protected Cropping at The University of Queensland, Paul PG Gauthier is one of the six plenary speakers at this year’s TropAg International Conference in Brisbane.
Held from Monday 31 October until Wednesday 2 November 2022 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre ways to specifically help feed the world will exercise the brain of scientists in attendance.
“Building a sustainable and reliable food production system is one of the biggest challenges we face,” Professor Gauthier outlined.
“The main question is not necessarily if protected farming and vertical farming are going to feed the world, it’s about should it feed the world and what role does it play in helping to feed the world.
“I think it’s good for the audience to hear that, and I think a science-first perspective and an economics-first perspective on what is ahead is what is needed.
“Sometimes it is hard for people to project themselves ahead to 2050 which is where really the world is going,” Professor Gauthier added.
Professor Gauthier spent the last few years working in industry, at the number one company in the world, Bowery Farming in the United States, leading the R&D New Product and System Innovation group.
Protected crops that are expected to flourish during climate change are Taro leaves grown in glasshouse and Pineapple shown here being treated with BioClay for root rot in ESP glasshouse – photo UQ
Among the many products he delivered was the first strawberry grown at scale indoors.
Prior to that, he conducted research at Princeton University focusing on the understanding of the sustainability of vertical farms, both economically and environmentally.
He also worked at Australian National University (ANU), where he studied the environmental control of plant carbon balance at the leaf, plant and ecosystem levels.
Paul obtained his PhD in plant physiology from the University of Paris Sud (Now Paris Saclay).
And his experience at the interface between Industry and Academia he said had informed his plans for his role at UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), where he began work in July 2022.
“Climate change, natural disasters, digital disruption, population growth and the pandemic all reinforce the need for innovation in the Agrifood sector in what is a rapidly changing landscape,” Professor Gauthier continued.
“One of the most fascinating challenges mankind will face in the 21st century and beyond is its ability to feed the population while mitigating the impact of climate change.
“To achieve my goals, I am using my atypical training combined with excellence in science to mentor, train and lead teams, helping them become the next generation of indoor plant scientists and the generation that will defy hunger and climate change.
Professor Gauthier said there was huge opportunity for Australia, if for example, it became the next centre to produce Tropical and Subtropical crops out of season for the rest of the world.
“That’s really exciting and that is what protected cropping and vertical farming can bring.
“I always ask myself, what are people not thinking, and I bring it to the table and put the scientific analysis there, troubleshoot it and bring new solutions adapted to the size of the problem.
“So I am excited to give this talk,” Paul added.
“It’s really about science and it’s not necessarily about belief.“I think Australia is great for that.”
The TropAg conference will be held from Monday 31 October until Wednesday 2 November 2022 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The conference is hosted by The University of Queensland in partnership with the Queensland Government via the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
TropAg is backed by generous sponsors including the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Along with Illumina, Hort Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, AgriFutures, MineARC Systems, Australian Plant Phenomics Facility and many other organisations supporting as symposium sponsors, scholarship sponsors, exhibitors and media partners. View all the details of the event and speakers on this link:
