John Leake

John Leake is an Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics and the Centre for Global Food and Resources within the Faculty of Professions. His academic work is deeply rooted in development studies, natural resource management, and climate change resilience, with over 30 years of international experience across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia.

• School: School of Economics and Public Policy
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics
• Research Unit: Centre for Global Food and Resources (Faculty of Professions)

His research interests focus on salinity management, halophyte-based agriculture, land rehabilitation, and sustainable water use in the context of climate change. He advocates for a Global Halophyte Strategy to utilize salt-tolerant plants for food, fiber, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem repair. His interdisciplinary work integrates biophysical and social sciences to improve resource use in degraded environments.

The available publications highlight a strong trend toward climate-resilient agriculture, particularly in saline and arid regions. His 2022 review paper emphasizes innovative rehabilitation techniques and the role of halophytes in sustainable development, reflecting a broader research agenda on ecosystem services and climate adaptation.

John Leake has consulted for major international bodies including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, FAO, GEF, and AusAID, and has contributed to policy development in water and natural resource management. He has also mentored PhD and Master’s students, particularly those conducting field research in Asia, Africa, and Australia.

He has been instrumental in founding research and consulting enterprises such as MPW Rural Development (later Coffey International), Institute for International Development Limited, and Environmental Risk Science and Audit. He also spun off companies focused on saline agronomy (NyPa Australia Ltd) and land rehabilitation (Land Repair Australia).

His current strategic initiative involves developing a Global Halophyte Strategy in collaboration with experts like Dr. Victor Squires, Professor Mike Young, and NASA’s Dennis Bushnell. This initiative aims to map halophyte potential, develop economic models, and engage financial institutions in ecosystem restoration.