Regenerative Agriculture Scholarship

The scholarship in regenerative agriculture supports the practice, management, and science of building healthy soils, healthy plants, and healthy people. It may be custom-designed and tailored to the individual applicant’s learning styles, needs and aspirations, while also supporting the scholar with the cost of their chosen education pathway. This may include, but is not be limited to:

  • Short, industry-based course enrolment fees

  • University Bachelor Degrees/Masters/PhD “top ups”

  • Conference and/or forum attendance fees.

There will also be an opportunity to be mentored by a member of the IEA Education Committee over the course of the scholarship.

2026 Scholar - Luke Richards

Biography

Luke Richards is a former civil engineer turned soil health advocate, currently Head of Product at Downforce Technologies, a world-leading developer of soil health and natural capital monitoring technology.

Over the past four years at Downforce, he has led product development and farmer engagement across the Australian and US regenerative agriculture sectors, building digital tools that help farmers monitor soil health and navigate a transition toward regenerative practices.

Prior to Downforce, Luke worked across the non-profit and social enterprise sectors, developing citizen science tools for biodiversity tracking at Earthwatch Institute and leading circular economy initiatives at Reground to divert organic waste to support soil health and landscape regeneration with local growers.

He holds a Master of Environment and Sustainability from Monash University, where his research focused on cost-effective soil health sensor technology in partnership with Parks Victoria and Bush Heritage Australia, in consultation with the Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owner group.

Luke is a recipient of the Bill Borthwick Scholarship and the Parks Victoria Research Partners Panel Scholarship, and has presented at the International Conference on Sustainable Development during New York Climate Week.

His personal mission is to see soil health and natural capital appropriately valued in farmland appraisals, so that growers are rewarded for their long-term commitment to good stewardship and can lend against the value they have added to the land. His dream is to one day own a small plot in central Victoria with his partner Megan, and put these ideas into practice.

Aspirations for the scholarship

Through this scholarship, Luke wants to explore the structural barriers preventing soil health and natural capital improvements from being recognised in farmland valuation and insurance, two critical levers that could accelerate regenerative agriculture adoption across Australia.

But he also wants to listen. Already through his work work, Luke regularly speaks with farmers navigating the transition to regenerative practices, and wants to use this opportunity to go deeper, to understand directly from the farming community what they would like to see changed and what support would make the biggest difference.

Beyond the financial structures, he’d like to investigate the behavioural barriers that may prevent wider adoption, even when the economics improve.

His previous work at Reground applied behavioural science principles to drive participation in circular economy initiatives, and he’d like to bring that lens to regenerative agriculture, understanding what motivates lasting practice change on farm.

Luke wants to use this scholarship to attend workshops, engage with actors across farming, finance, research and government, and translate what I learn into community-led solutions.

2026 Scholar Luke Richards

What is included in the scholarship program?

  • Fees to attend short courses for example: Grazing and Farming for Profit, Holistic Management, and international online offerings.

  • University course fees for 3 years for agricultural/environmental based degrees for example: Southern Cross University’s Regenerative Agriculture, University of New England’s Rural Science, and Melbourne University Dookie College.

  • Conference and forum attendance fees at renowned conferences run by recognised industry associations in Australia for example: Holistic Management, Carbon Management, Farmers for Climate Action.

  • Ongoing mentoring over 3 years with qualified and experienced IEA Education Committee Board members, and at the conclusion of the scholarship, the recipient can apply to become Accredited with the IEA.

  • Participation in the Accreditation Community of Practice with exposure to regenerative educators and consultants.

  • Workplace practical experience with regenerative farmers and IEA members across Australia or within a specific region if requested by the scholarship provider.

What is not included in the scholarship program (unless under exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis)

  • Travel to attend courses and/or University

  • Accommodation or rent whilst attending University or short courses

  • Out of pocket incidentals

  • Past educational debts such as ‘HECS’ fees acquired through previous studies

Enquiries

For all scholarship enquiries, or if you are considering offering a scholarship in regenerative agriculture, please email Dr Bernard Callus, IEA President & Education Director at bcallus@ecoag.org.au.