Australia's food security in a regional context

Dr Andy Sheppard’s scientific and technical reputation and academic achievements are in biosecurity, invasion ecology, biological control and risk analysis. Since 2006 has been a CSIRO Research leader of three different CSIRO programs on plant, animal and environmental biosecurity and terrestrial biodiversity management. He was Research Director in the CSIRO Health & Biosecurity business unit from 2015-2021. He is the non-residential Director of CSIRO’s European Laboratory in Montpellier since 2002. Current primary role is a secondment into the Commonwealth Department Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry as Co-Executive Director of DAFF-CSIRO Catalysing Australia's Biosecurity Initiative after instigating this partnership across both agencies. This $50-$100M Mission launched in early 2024.

He serves on a number of boards/advisory committees including the Governing Board and the Scientific Advisory Body for the OECD Cooperative Research Programme, the Federal Government National Biosecurity Committee, the Federal Government Threatened Species Scientific Committee and the CSIRO Centre of Australian National Biodiversity Research. He has led a portfolio of research projects in weed and pest and invasive species management based on Australia, South Africa and France. He was elected to the Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering in 2019 and International Fellow of the Académie d'Agriculture de France in 2020.

Dr Helen Cleugh is an atmospheric scientist, working in CSIRO until 2020. She is now an Honorary Professor at ANU, and former Vice Chair of the World Climate Research Programme. In 2017, Dr Cleugh became the inaugural Director of CSIRO's Climate Science Centre, after leading CSIRO’s climate and atmospheric research for over a decade. She built collaborations nationally, including national research infrastructure for ecosystem observations (NCRIS TERN and OzFlux) and Earth System Models (ACCESS-NRI). Her research explores the influence of land-air interactions on climate, carbon uptake and water availability – providing data, information and knowledge for resource managers, decision and policymakers.

Professor John Dixon is recognised internationally as a leading advocate of international agricultural research and its benefits to developing country farmers, as well as to Australia. For four decades he has worked in the field helping smallholder farmers increase their productivity, quality and sustainability through farming systems research and development, sustainable intensification and diversification and innovation systems, and at the same time being instrumental in policy changes at the highest levels of global agricultural institutions.

Shaun Coffey is Chief Executive of the Crawford Fund for Food Security, an Australian non-profit advancing international agricultural research and capacity building to address global food and nutrition challenges. A systems thinker and leadership educator, Shaun brings decades of experience across government, research, and the private sector. He champions co-design, inclusive development, and ethical governance. At the Crawford Fund, he has launched the Global Research Leadership Collective and new advocacy frameworks to strengthen Australia's role in global food systems. Shaun writes regularly on connected leadership, improvisation, and the practice of leading with purpose.