From the Other Scientist - JP

At Cibo Labs, our mission is to support profitable farms and sustainable landscapes through cutting-edge science. One of the brilliant minds behind this mission is Dr. Juan Pablo Guerschman, a Senior Remote Sensing Scientist with deep expertise in satellite monitoring and land condition analysis.

Juan Pablo joined Cibo Labs in March 2022, bringing over a decade of experience in remote sensing. His passion lies in understanding and monitoring Australia’s vast agricultural landscapes, and Cibo Labs offered the ideal platform to apply his knowledge in a meaningful way. As part of the team, he develops new approaches to measure, model and monitor land condition by integrating satellite data with on-ground observations to deliver accurate, timely insights to producers.

A key focus of his work is the Food Agility Rangelands Carbon project, a collaboration with AACo, FLINTpro, CarbonLink and several universities. The project explores carbon dynamics in Australia’s rangelands — which span more than 75% of the continent. Even small gains in soil carbon per hectare could have massive implications. Their findings show a strong link between improved land condition and higher soil carbon levels — with up to 0.65 tonnes more carbon per hectare for every point of land condition improvement.

Juan Pablo’s work also delves into how we can better assess land condition from space. Traditionally, proxies like vegetation cover and biomass have been used, but there's much more to uncover. By comparing current conditions to a ‘reference state’ — or the best possible state under optimal management — the team is refining how we interpret land health using satellite data, unlocking new potential for producers.

For Juan Pablo, the real reward lies in seeing this science in action. "The opportunity to combine advanced science with practical applications that directly benefit producers is incredibly rewarding," he says. "Seeing our data and tools make a tangible difference on the ground is what drives me."