SANDRA Cesari de Maria, 28, has been in Griffith for the past nine months as part of her studies.
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She was awarded a scholarship by the Italian government and has been in discussions with the CSIRO as part of a PhD.
Sandra has a degree in Agro-Environmental Sciences from the University of Milan.
She is studying water management on rice farms and has looked at opportunities to improve water efficiency.
Sandra chose Australia because the CSIRO is recognised as a world leader in research.
She said Australia also had the highest rice production per hectare.
Sandra said farms were bigger in Griffith, with the average farm in Italy about 50 hectares.
“Soils here are very different, having a much higher clay content, which allows them to hold water,” she said.
She said a lot of growers were also using bankless channels.
“In Italy the more permeable soils and the smaller farms make it not efficient to adopt this method,” she said.
Sandra said the average water use in Italy per hectare was between 20 and 25 megalitres.
She said Italy had more than 100 different varieties of rice.
“Italians love risotto, so Aborio, Carnaroli and Vialone are probably the main ones,” Sandra said.
She said harvesting was similar in Italy, but done with smaller machinery.
Sandra said in Italy most farmers slash and ploughed rice stubble during autumn to protect the environment, while others burn it.
Sandra said her time in Griffith had helped her broaden her outlook.
She said she had enjoyed her time in Australia.
“I have found people so friendly and helpful,” Sandra said.
“They made me feel at home. I like the Aussie humour, the Australian landscapes and the unusual wildlife. But above all, I love your amazing sunsets.”
Sandra said she would miss Tim Tams, sweet potatoes and vegemite.
She said she would happily return to Griffith one day in the future.