SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SERVICES
BUILDING RESILIENT FARMS IN TIMES OF CHANGE
Increasing farm viability and building the capacity of farmers to deal with changing environmental, economic and social climates to remain productive and sustainable in the long term, is the focus of this project.
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Funded by the Australian Government's Caring for Our Country - Landcare Sustainable Practices Grants, we are working with three farmer groups in Southern Tasmania:
- Coal Valley
- Upper Little Swanport Catchment
- Huon Valley
The groups span a diverse range of enterprises including cropping, grazing and fruit production.
The project is evaluating and implementing management options that will increase farmers’ resilience to change through activities including training workshops, on ground trials and monitoring programs.
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How do we go about it?
We assist the farmer groups to identify risks to long term sustainability for them and their industry and to improve their productivity through addressing these risks. Each group identified their key challenges and sustainable production issues through facilitated workshops and are now working with the project facilitator to develop action plans to address these issues.
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A range of practical activities are now underway, including :
- Reducing the degradation of soil and water resources by improving a broad range of land management practices.
- Optimizing the efficient use of on-farm inputs by improving fertilizer programs and pesticide application.
- Increasing the knowledge and capacity of growers to react to changing climates (environmental, social & economic)
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Training workshops and monitoring programs complement the on-ground activities to enhance learning and foster long-term commitment to improved land and farm management practices. Project outcomes are communicated amongst the groups and to the wider agricultural sector through newsletters and field days.
What Will Be The Project Outcomes?
Maintained or improved environmental, economic and social resilience of farms, farmers and farming communities. The project will particularly focus on areas including;
- Environmental - soil quality, water management, salinity & sodicity, drought/ climate change, biodiversity
- Economic – risk management, profitability, decision making and meeting markets needs
- Social – building capacity of farmers to anticipate and deal with change, networking and working together to address sustainable production issues.
Further Information
Sophie Folder is facilitating this project, and can be contacted at ph. 6233 5522 or email sfolder@serve-ag.com.au
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