Australian agriculture students selected for international study tour
Syngenta
  • 20 Australian agriculture students have been selected to participate in a two-week study tour of the northern Philippines
  • Largest group of Australian students to participate in Connections program since its inception in 2010
  • Syngenta Connections facilitates direct exchange programs which expose participants to different systems, crops, research and academic systems

Agriculture students from across Australia have been selected to participate in a two-week study tour of the northern Philippines, commencing today, as part of the Syngenta Connections program.

Syngenta Connections supports local up-and-coming growers and agronomists while strengthening ties with farming communities throughout the Asia-Pacific.

Australian agriculture has a sound future, with an impressive pool of students applying for a place on the Connections study tour, according to Paul Luxton, Syngenta Territory Head, Australasia.

The 20 agriculture students from Australia, the largest group to participate in the Syngenta Connections program since its inception in 2010, underwent a rigorous selection process to be selected for the study tour, commencing on July 12.

“The caliber of students that came through the selection process is positive to see,” Luxton said. “The successful students have all indicated an interest in sustainability and community engagement, critical to the future of Australian agriculture.

“We’ve selected students who we believe will maximise the opportunity offered by Connections and give back to smallholder farmers and communities.

“Past student participants have found the Connections study tours to be a rich cultural and agricultural experience, beneficial to their studies and possible future career direction.”

Syngenta Connections facilitates direct exchange programs which expose participants to different systems, crops, research and academic systems.

During the two weeks, the students will learn about the challenges local farmers face in the Philippines, while being exposed to rural development and smallholder farming. Students will also learn about the six commitments that form Syngenta’s Good Growth Plan, an initiative aimed at addressing the critical challenges the world faces in feeding a growing population.

The students will also meet with local dignitaries, including the Mayor of Cauayn City in Isabela, the second-largest province in the Philippines, and visit the Australian Embassy to learn more about the Australian government’s investment in agriculture and development in the Philippines.

The study tour also includes a visit to the renowned International Rice Research Institute in the province of Laguna, south of Manila, to learn about the latest technologies in rice research and field testing.

The 20 students attending Connections are studying various agricultural-related degrees, including business management, economics, rural science and agricultural science. Connections 2015 participants include:

University of Melbourne 

  • Andrew Wettenhall
  • Gina Groenewald
  • Sophie Dansie
  • Stephanie Bubnich
  • Tom Morrison 

University of Sydney

  • Billy Browning
  • Brendan O'Keeffe
  • Geraldine Marks
  • Lillian Clifton
  • Jazz Calalang

University of Queensland

  • Angus Skinner
  • Chelsea Stroppiana
  • Michael Wellington 

University of New England

  • Claudia Vicary
  • Kirsty McCormack
  • Sarah Hain

Charles Sturt University

  • Catherine Worner
  • Felicity Gamble
  • Javier Atayde
  • Linda Ferguson 

The Connections program is implemented in partnership with Rimfire Resources and their GradLink Program in Australia.

For more information, or to speak with Paul Luxton or the Connections participants, please contact Kate White on +61 418 254 296. Follow #SynConn2015 on Twitter and Facebook for regular tour updates.
 
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