Key points
- From sleeping on a futon in rural Japan to standing on the floor of Europe’s largest food market, one journey revealed how deeply culture shapes agriculture.
- Crossing farms, research labs and policy halls on three continents, a CSIRO scientist traced how food systems respond to climate, politics and people.
- Forty days on the move transformed computer models into human stories about how agricultural decisions ripple through lives and landscapes.
In 2026 CSIRO will celebrate a decade of partnership with Nuffield Australia building the capacity of our future agriculture and food leaders. The annual Nuffield Scholarship allows young scientists to travel the world to learn and connect, ensuring their science and research is grounded and impactful.
Dr Jonathan Richetti was CSIRO’s 2025 Nuffield Scholar and has just returned from a trip that took him from Japan to Spain looking at different agricultural systems. Here are his reflections.
When did you leave Australia to embark on your Nuffield Scholarship?
On the 5th of October and I had not slept in the same bed twice for 40 days until I returned home on the 16th of November!
Where did you go and what experiences did you have?
Japan was my first stop, where I visited a wide range of public and private research organisations, from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to Japanese agricultural company Kubota. I also spent time on Japanese farms sleeping on a futon at a traditional farmhouse in the mountains of Hiroshima.
From there, I headed to the midwest of Canada. This is the coldest I’ve ever been (I’m from Brazil originally but have spent many years living in Australia). Canada shares many similarities with Australian agrifood systems, from single cropping to the size of farms and labour challenges. However, while we face drought and heat, they face the challenge of snow and cold.
From Canada, I continued my journey east to Scotland, where I visited the oldest bull sale in the world at Stirling. I also had an opportunity to spend time at the esteemed James Hutton Institute which works on the sustainable management of land, crop and natural resources.
Next stop was Italy, where I gained a unique insight into the way politics and policy interact with agriculture and food at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. After spending some time on Italian farms, I flew to Spain where I spent time from Madrid to Seville. A highlight was a visit to Mercamadrid, the largest fresh food wholesale market in Europe, where I was able to study production lines. Oh, and I also got to taste the best cheese along with some quality Iberico Jamón (ham). Delicioso!
From here, back to home soil where I travelled to Victoria, visiting orchards, packing facilities, and seed processing facilities expanding my understanding of food supply chains in Australia.
What did you bring back from your travels?
There are so many different aspects of food and fibre production from country to country, but one very important thing I learnt is how closely local cultures are linked to agriculture.
Modern agricultural practices are probably more obvious in places like North America, Brazil, and here in Australia while more traditional forms of agriculture are still practiced in other parts of the world and have been for millennia. That has deep implications for how society views the production of food and fibre, which I think I’m just scratching the surface of.
Less abstractly, I learned about the different facets of agriculture. How countries like Italy and Spain, and Japan to a certain extent, explore different luxury and niche food markets and agritourism, while countries like Canada and Australia supply the bulk of food and fibre in a commodity format to the world.
Ultimately, I was asking myself the questions – what drives different decisions in different countries. And about the pace of change and how it affects people. A big learning from this trip is to question and respectfully challenge everything.
How can you apply the experience in the area of science you work in?
I grow plants in computers! That is, I use modelling and simulation to support the agricultural sector to make informed decisions. Everywhere I travelled helped me to see how my area of expertise links with the different components of agriculture and food. Every time I look at my area of science, I can see how that flows through into potentially different impact pathways. I can better articulate how my science could affect people’s lives and business at different time scales. At the same time, I can now better articulate what problems my area of science could support.
What did the Nuffield Scholarship mean to you and how can it benefit young scientists?
For me, it has been an invaluable opportunity to expand my horizons and look at my science through different lenses. It has allowed me to understand and see other aspects of agriculture that I normally wouldn’t consider. It also meant new friendships and new ways of viewing the world.
The immediate benefits to young scientists are the incredible networks you build and the better understanding you can build of how science interacts with businesses and people. Who knows where the experience will lead me to in the future. Science is about the long-term picture and the lasting impact. Maybe let's get back to this question in 10 years!