Announcing the winners of “Your research in one photo” competition – 2026
We’re excited to announce the winners of the 2026 RAID Network photo competition, “Your research in one photo”!
Once again, our members have captured the people, places and challenges at the heart of their research through some fantastic and thought-provoking photographs. This year’s entries took us from farms and forests to research fields, markets and rural communities across Australia, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Together, the photographs captured the diversity of agricultural research and the people, places and challenges behind it, from climate resilience and food security to sustainable production, environmental stewardship and livelihoods.
Bimo Dwi Satrio took out the top prize with his photo capturing the complex livelihood landscape of a riverine village in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
“Swiftlet towers, rows of drying salted fish, a home with a small roadside stall, and stacks of fuel drums for gold mining. This vignette captures the complex matrix of local livelihoods supporting life in a riverine village adjacent to the forest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. On the ground, forest restoration initiatives must navigate these economic realities, working to add value to local practices. My PhD research investigates this delicate tension, exploring how restoration frameworks negotiate these rural landscapes, at times complementing local survival strategies while simultaneously confronting the entrenched drivers of illegal gold mining.”
The photograph provides a powerful snapshot of the competing economic, social and environmental realities that shape forest restoration. It highlights how conservation cannot be separated from the livelihoods that sustain communities living alongside forests.
Congratulations to our runner-up, Seth Opoku Mensah, with his photo documenting illegal small-scale mining in Ghana’s semi-arid Talensi District.
“This photograph documents illegal small-scale mining on already stressed farmland in Ghana’s semi-arid Talensi District. The scene brings together environmental degradation, livelihood activity and competing claims over land needed for agriculture. Women, men, young people and children share the same disturbed landscape, showing how exposure to environmental and livelihood pressures intersects with gender and age. My PhD examined how livelihood capitals, social identities and institutional support shape smallholder farmers’ capacity to adapt to climate change. The image raises a central question: what happens when the land on which farming and adaptation depend is itself being lost?”
The image captures the difficult choices communities can face when environmental pressures, livelihood needs and competition for land collide, while highlighting the importance of considering social and institutional factors in understanding climate adaptation.
Our People’s Choice Award went to Jemma Restall for her photo tracing the journey of taro from the markets of Lae, Papua New Guinea, to the world’s largest taro genebank at CePaCT in Fiji.
“From the bustling markets of Lae, Papua New Guinea, where taro fuels Pacific diets and livelihoods, to the world’s largest taro genebank at CePaCT in Fiji, my research follows the journey of a regional icon. While central to food security, taro’s genetic diversity remains underexplored and increasingly threatened by climate change. My PhD investigates this hidden diversity: characterising global germplasm, building representative collections, and screening accessions for salinity and drought tolerance. Partnering with Pacific researchers, we bridge traditional knowledge and modern pre-breeding tools to safeguard taro’s future, regional food security, and enduring cultural heritage.”
The photograph brings together the everyday importance of taro and the scientific work underway to protect its future, showing how crop diversity, climate resilience, food security and cultural heritage are deeply connected.
A huge congratulations to all three winners, and a big thank you to everyone who entered this year’s competition. We loved seeing the diversity of research represented through your photographs and learning more about the work being undertaken across the RAID Network.
And thank you to everyone who helped judge the competition and voted for their favourite in the People’s Choice Award!
We look forward to seeing where your research takes you, and what you capture through your lens, in next year’s competition.
Until then, keep snapping!
