Project Title:
Providing opportunities for growers to lift no till adoption levels.
Aim:
The purpose of the project is to address current knowledge gaps of growers that have made the move to mixed production or sole cropping enterprises in the Great Southern area (between Albany and Katanning, WA). To create resilience in the agricultural resource base WANTFA aims to provide training and support to enable successful transition to a no-till system.
Background:
WANTFA was contacted by growers in the Great Southern area of Western Australia seeking information on how to set up no-tillage cropping equipment as they moved from livestock only, to mixed farming or sole cropping operations. WANTFA saw this as an opportunity to ensure that the principles of sustainable farming were communicated and adopted to avoid costly mistakes that may threaten the long term productivity of these enterprises and the environment.
Objectives:
- To review the current farming system practices being used in the Great Southern area to target sustainable agriculture information to be delivered to these growers.
- To ensure that growers in the identified locations get the best available practical advice regarding conservation farming systems.
- To encourage broad scale adoption of conservation farming systems by sharing of current technology and farmer experiences.
Activities:
- Scoping exercise using a survey method to identify issues, benchmark farming practices and help geographically target information sharing activities.
- Extension of conservation agriculture information from no-till growers, advisors, agronomists and scientists to small farmer groups via field days, workshops, publications and fact sheets.
- Grower interviews to examine different farm management systems and to record associated environmental and economic benefits in the form of case studies.
Length of the project: 2 years
Funding body: Australian Government (Caring for our Country funds)
Contact:
Jade Dempster (WANTFA), jade.dempster@wantfa.com.au
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