Dr Phil Rolston

Over the course of his career, Phil has taken on more than 80 international consultancies, working with farmers and foragers in such countries as Argentina, Iran, Nepal, Uruguay, Vietnam and China. For over three decades he has worked to develop forage seed production, grassland farming systems, pastoral agronomy and integrated crop livestock. 

Since the early 1980s, Phil has worked to bring Kiwi inspirited grassland farming systems and techniques to western China, for over 30 years later, Phil’s work has included research and development projects regarding improved soil fertility, through plant selection, pasture establishment and management, grassland and livestock production to boost the region’s economic performance. He has been responsible for the training of a number of technical staff, enhancing the research capacity, and accelerating the grassland agriculture production in China. 

Phil has been awarded the Chinese Government’s Friendship Medal – the highest honour awarded to foreigners in China and the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award – China’s highest accolade for foreign scientists. In New Zealand Phil was awarded the NZ Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture Technology Transfer Award for his extensive contributions to training and research in seed growth, Researcher of the Year by the Foundation for Arable Research, for his work in ‘on-farm research and extension’, and the AgResearch’s Technology Prize.

Watch Dr Phil Rolston accept his award here.