The AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship is a collaboration between many of the Research and Development Corporations, that builds and empowers future industry leaders through a $10,000 two-year bursary program.

Hort Innovation sponsors two students in their final two years of an agricultural-related undergraduate degree or STEM degree with relevant majors which align to agriculture. This program is part of the Hort Frontiers Leadership Fund, that aims to build a competitive, innovative, resilient and profitable horticulture industry by investing in ongoing leadership development.

In 2022, Amy Clementson was a recipient of the AgriFutures Horizon scholarship and is more than halfway through the program. Amy grew up on a family-owned vineyard in Mudgee in Central West New South Wales and is currently studying a Bachelor of Agriculture and Bachelor of Business, majoring in Accounting at the University of New England. Amy hopes to pursue a career in financial and business management within the agricultural industry, to positively influence investment that facilitates a balance of long-term sustainability and efficiency.

In an interview with Hort Innovation, Amy spoke about her experience participating in the project to date.

Why did you apply for the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship?

There are few scholarships like the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship. My university peers told me about the program, saying its value exceeded the scholarship money you receive, and I was immediately intrigued.

It provides you with the opportunity to gain work experience, attend conferences, develop as a leader, and meet like-minded individuals who you will work alongside as you progress in your industry. For me it was a no brainer to apply.

How have your experiences through the scholarship shaped your leadership qualities?

Horizon scholars meet once a year to participate in activities that develop our leadership skills. This includes narrowing in on our personal experiences and qualities which define the type of leader we aspire to be.

We also have the chance to workshop ideas; in 2021 the themes were ‘big data’ and ‘workforce’ in agriculture. We led and facilitated sessions with high school students and executives to brainstorm ideas and then refined these ideas in a report.

What were the highlights of your trip to Asia with Avocados Australia?

I spent a few months as an export development intern for Avocados Australia where I was doing research to help develop new market access plans for Australian avocados. I was then given the opportunity to help project manage a study tour throughout Southeast Asia.

During the tour, we attended Asia Fruit Logistica in Bangkok. We listened to speaker sessions on the future of Asia’s market, networked and learned from successful international brands and peak industry bodies. We also visited Malaysia and Singapore, where we went on market tours and had the chance to meet with importers. This gave me an insight into the export supply chain and the issues the industry is facing in this space.

The trip gave me the opportunity to connect with Australian growers and exporters, gain a greater understanding of their businesses and our key avocado growing regions around the country. It also helped me to understand the issues the avocado industry faces. 

What was a key learning from the trip?

Over the past 12 months we have seen an oversupply of avocados in our domestic market, coupled with limited market access. The trip highlighted the importance of growing our existing export markets in Malaysia and Singapore. A key learning for me was developing my understanding about the expectations surrounding quality, sizing and the need to educate consumers in this market. 

How do you see yourself progressing your career after the completion of the scholarship?

Looking towards next year, I am still uncertain exactly where I will end up, but the trip and scholarship have reinforced my passion for the horticulture industry, and I am excited about the different ways I will be able to progress my career.