A lifetime of better farming, from Rutherglen to the world
Former Director General of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). Honorary Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne.
About
A no-till pioneer who went on to lead CIMMYT
Tim Reeves migrated to Australia from the United Kingdom in 1967 and began his career as an agronomist at the Rutherglen Research Institute in north-east Victoria.
Working with local farmers, he developed direct-drilling and zero-tillage methods, planting seed into undisturbed soil to preserve its structure and moisture. With colleagues in the Victorian Department of Agriculture he also introduced canola, lupins and faba beans into cereal rotations. He spent 25 years at Rutherglen and later served as Acting Chief Scientist for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
In 1992 he became Foundation Professor of Sustainable Agricultural Production at the University of Adelaide. In 1995 he was appointed Director General of CIMMYT in Mexico, the only Australian to have led the organisation.
He has since served on the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Hunger, as a Senior Expert with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and on a European Commission expert group. From 2018 to January 2023 he was the inaugural Professor in Residence at the University of Melbourne's Dookie campus.
Career
From field trials to global research leadership
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1967
Arrives in Australia
Graduate, University of Nottingham, UK
Migrated to Australia and began his career at the Rutherglen Research Institute. Source
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1967–1992
Agronomist, Rutherglen Research Institute
Victorian Department of Agriculture
Pioneered direct drilling and zero tillage with local farmers, and with colleagues introduced canola, lupins and faba beans into cereal rotations. Later Acting Chief Scientist, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Source Honours record
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1992–1995
Foundation Professor of Sustainable Agricultural Production
University of Adelaide
Established research and teaching programs combining agronomy, soil science and farm economics. Source
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1995–2002
Director General, CIMMYT
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico
Directed international breeding and agronomy programs at this CGIAR research centre, improving wheat and maize for farmers across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The only Australian to have led CIMMYT. Source
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2002 onwards
International advisory and policy work
United Nations, FAO, European Commission
Member of the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Hunger. Senior Expert with FAO, working on the Save and Grow framework. Member of the European Commission Expert Group evaluating Horizon 2020 projects. Led reviews for the Global Crop Diversity Trust and ACIAR. Honours record
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2018–2023
Professor in Residence
University of Melbourne, Dookie campus
Inaugural Professor in Residence, mentoring the next generation of agricultural scientists. Also played an integral role in establishing the Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub. Continues as Honorary Professorial Fellow, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences. Source Drought Hub
Honours and awards
Recognised at home and abroad
Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Queen's Birthday Honours
"For significant service to sustainable agriculture research and production."
View honours recordFarrer Memorial Medal
Farrer Memorial Trust
For distinguished service to agricultural science.
SourceCentenary Medal
Commonwealth of Australia
"For service to Australian society in agriculture."
SourceBoards, reviews and service
- Board Director, Grains Research and Development Corporation
- Board Director, The Crawford Fund
- Former President, Australian Society of Agronomy
- Review leader, Global Crop Diversity Trust and ACIAR
- Member, European Commission Expert Group, Horizon 2020 evaluations
- Oral history, archived at the National Library of Australia
Media and writing
In the news
Former director general Timothy Reeves included in Queen's Birthday Honours list
CIMMYT on his appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia.
Read article → GRDC GroundCover Aug 2022Global grains specialist honoured
His career, from Rutherglen to Mexico and the Drought Hub.
Read article → Country News Jun 2022Dookie professor receives AM
Shepparton's local paper on his Order of Australia.
Read article → Podcast Oct 2020How sustainable are Australian cropping systems?
A 50-minute conversation on Marcus Oldham AgTalk.
Listen → Crawford Fund Feb 2020The 'moving target' of sustainable agriculture
His GRDC Update talk in Wagga on mixing crops, pasture, livestock and trees.
Read article → Farrer Oration Jul 2019Sustainable intensification of agriculture for food and nutritional security
Full text of his 2019 Farrer Oration.
Read PDF → Grain Central Aug 2019Farrer Medal winner Tim Reeves calls for greater sustainability
Interview on receiving the Farrer Medal.
Read article → Grain Central Oct 2017Stellar career earns highest agronomic honour
Career profile on receiving the C.M. Donald Medal.
Read article → FAO book 2016Save and Grow in Practice: maize, rice, wheat
A guide to sustainable cereal production. Free to read.
Read book →Get in contact
Speaking invitations, media, advisory work and research collaboration.