Through 34 weeks of immersive learning, CREATE equips agroecological practitioners with the confidence, expertise and business foundations needed to meaningfully influence the agricultural sector to be more ecologically and regeneratively-minded.

“I was wanting to learn about what you do outside of my community because everything I’d learned had been in the safety of my own cultural background in my own family,” Madonna said.

Through the program she discovered the language of agricultural ecology and soil science.

“All of a sudden, I’ve got words,” Madonna said.

“I really loved the microbiology because it made sense to me culturally about why we then apply certain land practises, and how that often supports and enables what’s already in country to do its best.”

The 2025 CREATE program involved weekly learning forums with a cohort of farmers and land managers from Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Japan. Their online workshops covered topics including soil science, microbiology and behaviour change.

Each week the group delved deeper into how to navigate and influence the shift to holistic regenerative agriculture. Madonna describes the experience as “a bit like a tree because you see things above, but to really make the changes, where people get to see the growth and the nourishment you have to deal with the things below the surface.”

Her fellow students came from backgrounds ranging from large scale beef properties to small Indigenous-run farms. What they had in common were shared values and a desire for change. As a certified trainer herself, Madonna appreciated the course structure as it combined in-depth scientific training with live demonstrations and on-the-ground practice. The in-person events at the beginning and end of the program gave participants an opportunity to develop strong, supportive relationships.

The lightbulb moment for Madonna was the revelation that regenerative agriculture principles reinforce her traditional knowledge. As a result, she now has new ways to articulate the connections between the science of farming and her relationship with Country.

“It’s opened up a space for me to bring our perspective and approach into broader farming and regenerative agriculture but not lose the integrity of the First Nations philosophy and practice,” she said.

Madonna plans to use her new skills to keep developing awareness about the nutritional value of native foods. As part of the program, Madonna explored the commercial potential of native round limes, inspired by the wild groves that grow on her clan’s land. She wants to extend this work by linking her knowledge with academic research to build awareness and create demand for native foods.

CREATE has also given Madonna the confidence to assert her role as a leader in the native foods sector and consider how she might broaden her influence in agriculture more widely. Most recently, Madonna has begun working with the Gooliwana Bana People in the creation of a community garden and native forest food garden on their Country in Far North Queensland, teaching their young people about soil science and introducing the very same concepts and approaches she learnt through CREATE.

Madonna says achieving success outside her community requires building collaborations and relationships with non-First Nations people using a nuanced approach.

“I think that’s the future, not just growing, but how do we effectively influence others in our space? I’ve had to learn as a First Nations person, we’re such a small percentage of the population, that there’s no way we’re going to make massive shifts. But if we can have other people who align with the values and they want to help then the more they get involved, then we’ll see ground shift.”

“There’s a constant interpretation piece going on because we use English very differently to everybody else,” Madonna said.  “It’s subject to our cultural perspectives. So, whether I’m in the science space or I’m in the farming space, I’m thinking, how can I translate that into an indigenous perspective?”

It is not just Madonna who has benefitted from the program, the CREATE team say her First Nations perspective on landscapes and plant ecology has helped them to engage more deeply with Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

For Madonna, her newfound language is a gamechanger.