|
 Congratulations to Dux of Agriculture at Hurlstone for 2009 – Prasanthi Purusothaman. See Dr Russell's speech which further endorses SHEAPs demand that Hurlstone remain an integrated educational facility...
" If ever there has been an affirmation of the special and unique nature of what Hurlstone offers to Australia in terms of the education and inspiration of our future agricultural leaders it has been in 2009. In July and August, I facilitated three forums for the Hurlstone Peters Inquiry. As is now public knowledge – all three forums absolutely and unequivocally affirmed the important role of Hurlstone with its unique combination of working farm and high school on the fringe of Australia’s largest city
In particular I facilitated an educators’ forum which saw a gathering of the heads and senior ag teachers of every agricultural high school and most of the university faculties of agriculture in the state.Such a workshop was clearly both rare and invaluable in assessing Hurlstone’s role and that of its integrated farm in NSW education. The recommendations of that forum are largely contained in the Peters report which in fact went further and recommended the addition of a further net 20 hectares of land and an injection of $10m to bring the facilities to a level that could teach “best practice” in many aspects of food production. There was one key element however that was integral in the assumptions of the inquiry and forum that has now been questioned - that of the necessity to have the farm fully integrated with the educational facility to ensure a seamless link between theory and practice that is essential to the study of the subject of Primary Industries and underlies the teaching of Agriculture. Education must come first before commercial enterprise if Hurlstone is to achieve its unique educational outcomes from the farm and inserting a bureaucracy between the school and the farm would be self defeating. I would strongly suggest that although the appointment of an advisory board to the Principal, including the farm manager, is a great idea - the recommendation to break that direct link and overall control of the farm by the school would potentially undo the unique niching that the rest of the report promises. 2009 also marks the 150th anniversary of the publication by Charles Darwin of “The Origin of the Species” – arguably one of the most significant pieces of scientific research carried out until now - into understanding our very existence. But can I suggest that the significance of Darwin’s work to understanding the history of humanity is no less than that of the essential scientific progress in agriculture we need over the next 50 years to ensuring its future existence. Without doubt in 150 years from now - we could be standing here celebrating the contribution to humanity of a student present tonight, right alongside Charles Darwin – such are the opportunities and challenges ahead. - We have to feed another 3 billion people than we do now, off the same or less amount of water and arable land.
- Is climate change and mismanagement of our resources going to make the current Anthropocene age - one of the shortest in the history of our planet?
- Do in fact humans, as the evolutionary “adaptees” , have the ability, for the first time ever in evolutionary terms, to become the “adaptors” of our environment? or are we just Quixotically jousting at windmills?
- And the ethical issues - GM – potentially a saviour but to some, (misguidedly in my view), a non-negotiable, unmanageable disaster waiting to happen!
- Stem cells – can we rationalise our ethical and spiritual concerns with the scientific advances that this technology promises not only to human quality of life but also to animal production and husbandry?
- ……And the restrictions we continue to place on research and our ability to push the envelope or indeed see what is outside the envelope?
If ever we need top flight agricultural scientists and professionals as a planet, IT IS NOW! The challenges are as exciting as they are daunting and as parents we have a responsibility to inspire our youth to take up that challenge!To the young Hurlstonians of 2009 I would say this – if you love the science or practice of agriculture – don’t ignore that – your contribution to humanity is potentially one of the greatest available in history. Particularly if you are a gifted student – we need you more than ever to follow your dream in agricultural science and not to be distracted by the lures of some of the apparently highly paid but far less productive professions - just for the money.If you are passionate and enthusiastic about food and fibre production you will be well rewarded both in money and in fulfilment – (I can personally and unequivocally attest to that)….. More, indeed, than you will ever be rewarded as a less than enthusiastic professional in an area where money is the only lure.I wish you well. I wish all the school continued prosperity in its new life and I look forward to seeing both the school and all of you take your positions as leaders in the dynamic and critical world of agriculture. It is now my great pleasure, for the first time, to present, on behalf of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology – Australia’s peak body for agricultural professionals – the an AIAST medal and prize to the Dux of Agriculture at Hurlstone for 2009 – Prasanthi Purusothaman. Chris Russell is a graduate of Sydney University in Agricultural Science and has spent over thirty years working in more than 20 countries in agricultural and engineering projects - including being a member of an international UN sponsored team sent to Mongolia to help the nomadic herders use current to adapt to a privatised economy after the collapse of the USSR. His research, advisory and commercial work has primarily been in the processing of conserved fodder, feed grains and crops. Chris was also invited to facilitate the public and educators’ forums held as part of the recent Inquiry into the proposed sale of the farm at Hurlstone AHS. Currently Chris is also Technical director and part owner of a private research company working on an animal friendly alternative to mulesing in sheep known as “Skintraction®”. Chris is a past National President of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology and past Chair of the Ethics Committee and Compliance Tribunal of that body. He is also a past Chair of the Australasian Register of Agricultural Consultants (now AAAC). In his spare time, Chris is also a Judge on the popular ABC TV series “The New Inventors” and for the last 15 years has been the Australian correspondent on the New Zealand national midday “Farming Show” program.
|
