Dr Valeria Lima & Dr Ben Cole

Growing up in Brazil’s semiarid region, drought was a constant presence in Valeria Lima’s (RG: Valeria Lima) life. Being exposed to the devastating impacts of drought on communities meant that Valeria was always fascinated by water and how the essential resource is managed. During her degree in Agricultural and Environmental Engineering at Brazil’s Federal University of the Semiarid Region, Valeria focused on wastewater recycling for irrigation, and her interest in agriculture continued as she began her PhD at UNSW’s UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology. Today, Valeria works as a researcher for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in Carnarvon, Western Australia.

With a PhD in environmental engineering, Ben Cole (T: @WideOpenAg) has a passion for start-up and growth companies. He believes that for profit, for purpose enterprises play a vital role in building an equitable economy and healthy planet.  Between 2008 and 2013 he founded, managed and sold a profitable, social enterprise – Karibon - in Vietnam. Ben has been a leader in the design and implementation of market-based, water supply and sanitation projects in countries with developing economies, totalling up to A$45 million. Today, Ben is the Managing Director of Wide Open Agriculture, A regenerative food & farming company, engaged in the development and marketing of delicious, healthy, and sustainably produced through its farmland portfolio and Dirty Clean FoodTM brand.