Transition from phosphate mining to an economically, environmentally and socially viable agricultural industry on Christmas Island

圣诞岛的主要产业是磷矿开采，但供应将在2025年至2030年之间耗尽。因此，到采矿停止时，迫切需要发展其他经济产业来支持岛上居民。该项目旨在利用项目团队在豆类、固氮菌和植物生长促进菌方面的广泛知识，为岛上可行的农业奠定基础。该项目旨在为当地人口提供可靠和可持续的食物来源；向东南亚提供潜在的粮食出口机会；改善土壤带来的环境效益；以及联合农业产业的经济发展。

The main industry on Christmas Island is mining of rock phosphate, but supplies will run out between 2025 and 2030. Consequently, there is an urgent and compelling need to develop other economic industries to support the resident island population by the time mining ceases. This project aims to utilise the project team’s extensive knowledge on legumes, nitrogen fixing bacteria and plant growth promoting bacteria to establish the basis for a viable agricultural industry on the Island. The project aims to provide: reliable and sustainable food sources for the local population; potential food export opportunities to southeast Asia; environmental benefits from the improvement of soils; and economic development of allied agricultural industries.