Ahead of World Water Day (22 March), we're highlighting the passionate work of Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) soil scientist, Dr Ana Avila, who has an important message to share about sustainable water use.
World Water Day is an initiative of the United Nations and is observed annually to raise awareness about the global water crisis and to promote sustainable water management.
The theme for 2026 is exploring the relationship between water and gender equality, focussing on the disproportionate burden women and girls face in water collection, management, and sanitation responsibilities.
Dr Avila is an advocate for sustainable water use and management on farms and is passionate about the global impacts of saving water.
"I'm currently working on the Growing Value from Irrigation for Tasmanian Agriculture project which has a focus on soil water balance, not wasting water, and the value of water to Tasmania's agricultural industry," Dr Avila said.
"This is important on a local level in supporting farmers to be both sustainable and profitable, and I'm also concerned about trying to save water on a global scale. When you save water it's not just for yourself, for your own money, or for your own company, but it's for the entire world. So, this is a job for everyone. It's all about not wasting water and using it more effectively."
For Dr Avila, her interest in water use started when she was setting up drip irrigation experiments in her greenhouse in Brazil. As a researcher on the Growing Value from Irrigation for Tasmanian Agriculture project, funded by the Tasmanian Government, she's now conducting experiments from under Tasmania's longest irrigation pivots.
Dr Avila has been travelling around the state to quantify water use and water loss on farms. It's part of an effort to help farmers get more irrigation for their crops from every single drop of water.
Dr Avila has spent years studying the soil properties that relate to water use and retention, across Brazil, Queensland and now in Tasmania with TIA.
Ahead of World Water Day, Dr Avila wants to raise awareness that water use is everyone's responsibility.
"Climate change is not in the future, it's already present. We have to think about the natural resources that we have, and water is the most important," she said.
"Soil and water are two of the most important things that we need to study and preserve."
Her research is focussing on water losses from run-off and deep drainage in the outer spans of pivot irrigators, helping farmers improve pivot design and irrigation scheduling.
"We're looking to understand what's happening with irrigation on farms in Tasmania and what we can do to help farmers not waste water,' Dr Avila said.
The project team aims to measure how much of the applied water through irrigation actually infiltrates the soil and remains available to plants, instead of being wasted through run off.
Dr Avila has a message to women and girls interested in science and sustainable water management.
"As a scientist it's just amazing to see how complex the environment is and understanding how it works," she said.
"We now have more women in science than ever before. It's so inspiring, and we have so many amazing female scientists at the University of Tasmania. It's really the greatest place to be. I feel so confident and so happy here."
