Regenerative agriculture study receives top award
Two Francis Douglas Memorial College students have won the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Scientific Investigation Award.
Year 13 students William Poole and Flynn O’Sullivan received the award for their project, Regenerative Agriculture Misadventures, in the 2023 WITT Taranaki Science and Technology Fair.
The award acknowledges students who showcase a strong understanding of present or potential sustainability concerns affecting New Zealand’s primary sectors.
For their project, Flynn and William assessed the differences between regenerative agriculture and conventional farming by comparing soil tests and earthworm numbers and conducting visual soil assessments.
Regional Ballance representative and nutrient specialist Shaun Broderick says he was impressed with the projects entered into the agri-science category this year.
“I thought everyone did a great job.
“Naturally, the Year 12 and 13 entries were of a high calibre, with evidence of more-robust methodologies and experiments. Flynn and William’s work was well thought out and demonstrated an impressive level of critical thinking.
“They should be very pleased with themselves.”
Ballance participates in an annual nationwide sponsorship programme that nurtures and celebrates scientific and innovative thinking among primary and secondary school students.
Ballance judges science fair projects that delve into subjects such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural chemical usage, nutrient run-off into waterways, and other environmental issues. This sponsorship initiative is an extension of Ballance’s $25 million Future Ready Farms programme, launched in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) Fund.
Ballance’s SFF Futures Ready Farms lead Hannah Stewart says Ballance is proud to support students with a strong passion for addressing the environmental hurdles confronting New Zealand’s agricultural sector.
“Every year we feel a real sense of pride in sponsoring these nationwide science fairs, to support young Kiwi kids to engage with sustainability through science.
“We hope that by encouraging these students to participate in science fairs, we can help ignite their future ambitions to embark on a career in science or innovation.”