AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE IN TRANSITION
Agribusiness leaders in conversation with The Action Exchange
Australia’s agriculture sector is undergoing a seismic shift. Dramatic weather patterns have long been a challenge, but climate change and a surge in capital looking for Net Zero-friendly investments are transforming the agribusiness sector into a newly attractive asset class—one that is expected to achieve investors’ ESG objectives.
Non-traditional agricultural investors such as private equity and pension funds are increasingly paying attention to Australian producers and agribusiness companies. As biodiversity risk reporting and nature-based markets are incorporated into mainstream investment analysis, agribusiness will further increase investors’ priorities. As the clock ticks on mandatory sustainability reporting for public companies, and export markets demand Scope 3 emissions accountability, these ESG impacts will continue to filter up and down agricultural supply chains.
Yet, despite its growing importance to the economy and Australia’s energy transition, the agribusiness sector is often overlooked and under-sold in public debate. This series of interviews aims to progress conversations between investors, producers and regulators.
Our goal is that Australia learns the hard-won lessons in other sectors further down the decarbonisation pathway when it comes to developing commercial and regulatory frameworks for nature, and avoids some of the pitfalls and frustrations along the way.
01
Nature and Net Zero:
The new demands for investibility in agriculture
Award winning cattle and seedstock producer, Prue Bondfield, is a pioneer of the responsible investing revolution in agriculture. From her seat on the boards of the Regional Investment Corporation, Bush Heritage Australia, LiveCorp and agtech startup Black Box Co, Bondfield is one of the influential leaders in Australian agriculture’s transformation into a class of sustainable assets.
The Action Exchange asks Prue Bondfield about the changing nature of investing in agriculture and how primary producers are adapting to a market looking to capitalise on natural assets.
02
Natural capital liquidity: The co-benefits of landscape hydration
Carolyn Hall is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of The Mulloon Institute, a not-for-profit that helps Australian agriculturalists better manage their natural assets through improved water management. With a background in environmental consulting that balances flood mitigation and biodiversity conservation with improved productivity, Hall is well-versed in reconfiguring environmental trade-offs into win-win co-benefits.
She speaks to The Action Exchange about the potential for landscape rehydration to build natural capital and improve farm management.
