When Jo Kelly first envisioned a $100 million Australian seaweed industry by 2025, expanding to $1.5 billion by 2040, it seemed like an ambitious dream for a sector that barely existed. Three years after receiving a Nuffield Scholarship supported by AgriFutures Australia, that vision is beginning to take shape – one innovative project, partnership and policy recommendation at a time.

As CEO of the Australian Seaweed Institute and chair of the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance (ASSA), Jo represents the new generation of agricultural leaders leveraging global knowledge to build emerging industries from the ground up. Her career journey demonstrates the transformative power of the Nuffield program in developing not just individual capacity, but entire industry sectors.

Learning from global leaders

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Each year, AgriFutures Australia sponsors participants from our levied or emerging industries to apply for Nuffield Australia Scholarships, providing $35,000 to travel overseas and study innovative farming practices. For emerging sectors like seaweed, this support provides access to global knowledge that would otherwise be financially prohibitive for individual researchers or small companies.

“What really inspired me to apply was the opportunity to travel and learn about what’s happening around the world,” Jo said. “Seaweed is not an established industry in Australia, so I saw a huge opportunity to learn from what others were doing – particularly countries like Europe and the US, where production costs are high, but seaweed aquaculture is still being pursued.”

Jo’s study tour took her to Europe, the United States, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia – each offering different lessons in how seaweed industries can develop. South Korea stood out as a key example, having grown a billion-dollar seaweed sector over four decades despite high production costs. “They’ve built a high-tech, high-value seaweed industry, which is exactly where Australia needs to position itself,” she said.

In France, Jo explored cooperative models where farmers retain ownership through the value chain. In Denmark – the first country to implement a tax on agricultural emissions – she saw how policy can incentivise the adoption of methane-reducing feed additives. These experiences altered her thinking: developing an industry is not just about growing a crop but about building the full ecosystem to support it – from community buy-in to market access and government policy.

“It wasn’t just about how to grow seaweed, but how to grow an industry,” she said.

Nuffield-backed industry growth

Jo’s Nuffield research built on the foundations of the Australian Seaweed Industry Blueprin, developed with AgriFutures Australia support in 2020, using global insights to refine and expand strategies for domestic industry development.

Since completing her scholarship, she has translated research into action. Through the Australian Seaweed Institute, based in Queensland, she is leading the development of seaweed biofilters that both improve water quality on the Great Barrier Reef and provide a sustainable harvest for use in agricultural products such as biofertilisers and methane-reducing animal feed. This project represents a pivotal initial step in validating the water quality benefits of seaweed in safeguarding the reef. The longer-term goal is for regenerative seaweed aquaculture to be recognised and adopted as a reef-positive industry, serving as a sustainable alternative to commercial gill net fishing, which is being systematically phased out in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) region.

Additionally, the establishment of the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance (ASSA) as a national industry body and delivery of the Federal Government’s $8 million “Seaweed Farming Grant Program “has also marked a critical step in coordinating growth and advocacy for the sector. “We’ve got more growers involved, grown the peak industry group, and this year we delivered the first phase of a national hatchery network and issued clean seedstock to growers –  it’s been a big year for ASSA,” Jo said. While many Nuffield Scholars apply their learnings to their own farming enterprises, Jo’s experience demonstrates the program’s power to drive systemic, industry-wide change. “If you’re interested in shaping your industry and want to have a broader impact, this is the ideal opportunity,” she said. “You’ll gain insights for your own farm, sure, but also ideas that can transform the whole sector.”

Looking ahead, Jo is pursuing one of her boldest recommendations yet: the creation of a co-developed subsidy framework for low-carbon agriculture. This proposed model would bring together farmers, supermarkets and environmental organisations to drive emissions reductions through practical, shared investment.

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Grow your industry with the support of a Nuffield Scholarship

The Nuffield program, established in 1951, continues building capacity for producers, businesses and rural communities through its network of over 500 Australian scholars and nearly 2,000 worldwide. Jo’s vision for industry development – from grassroots operations to national policy – highlights the far-reaching impact of the Nuffield program in shaping Australia’s agricultural future – particularly for emerging industries.

At AgriFutures Australia, we’re proud to support bold thinkers like Jo Kelly helping to grow new industries from the ground up. Applications for AgriFutures-sponsored Nuffield Scholarships are open to Australian citizens or permanent residents aged 28-45 (with exceptions for exceptional candidates) engaged in farming, horticulture, fishing or associated industries. For emerging sectors like seaweed, the opportunity to access global knowledge and networks could prove transformational – both for individual careers and entire industries.

To find out more about the program, visit