Developed by NRM WA, this brochure describes opportunities to improve the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices1 in Western Australia and to detail effective and efficient programs to enhance the long-term productivity and profitability of the agriculture sector. The following programs work across all 7 WA Regional NRM Strategies. Supported by a sound and established commitment to cross-regional cooperation for sustainable agriculture, this is underpinned by the strength and value of regional scale program delivery that capitalises on existing regional capacity, knowledge and community relationships provided by Regional NRM Organisations. The programs build on a strong track record across WA NRM Regional Groups in productive agriculture and sustainable resource management.

PO Box 650 Fremantle WA 6959

08 9219 5005 info@nrmwa.org.au

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Cross-regional cooperation

Regional scale delivery

www.nrmwa.org.au

Strong track record

1Sustainable agriculture is the efficient production of safe, high quality agricultural products, in a way that protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers, their employees and local communities, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed species (Sustainable Agriculture Initiative –http://www.saiplatformaust.org/).

Supporting Sustainable Agriculture in WARegional NRM Work

Stand-alone Programs

1. “Resilience in an unstable environment” will enhance the ability of landholders to remain productive under changing climatic conditions and help secure future water supplies. Its underlying principle is “Help farmers implement new systems and technologies to adapt and reduce vulnerability to a changing climate”.

2. “Soil Health and Fertility” will enable landholders to improve the health and resilience of their soils, which will improve the water and nutrient use efficiency of production and reduce costs to ensure the long-term sustainability of agricultural systems. Its underlying principle is “Support farmers to improve soil health to reverse the trends of declining crop health and productivity”.

3. “Biodiversity and Productive Agriculture” will build on the links between biodiversity and profitable agriculture, improving on-farm productivity by enhancing biodiversity-based ecosystem services, such as improved biosecurity and integrated pest management, diversified production and carbon storage. Conversely, it also enables production-based agriculture to improve biodiversity outcomes in privately-owned natural vegetation. Its underlying principle is “Improve on-farm productivity through enhancing biodiversity”.

Over-arching programs

4. “Fostering Innovation through On-Farm Trials and Demonstrations” will dramatically expand the uptake of new technologies and systems on farm through locally relevant on-farm trials and demonstrations. It does this by supporting innovation networks that link farmers, community groups, industry and the R&D sector to break down the current silos of development within sectors and support the cross-sectoral diffusion of innovation across peer-to-peer and industry networks. Its underlying principle is “Test sustainable and profitable farming actions across NRM regions”.

5. “Innovating with Industry” improves market access, market share and returns for farmers through facilitating collaboration on supply-chains and environmental/sustainability certification. The program will foster a collaborative approach between farmers, post-harvest processors, researchers and other stakeholders to develop benchmarking for sustainable production practices, and the adoption of industry-appropriate certification for sustainable production systems. Its underlying principle is “Improve market access, share and returns for growers through supply-chain collaboration and environmental/sustainability certification”.

6. “Knowledge Brokering Services” will establish an independent information service that provides farmers with up-to-date information on advances and innovations that are locally relevant and can affect their systems. Its underlying principle is “Provide landholders and other stakeholders with independent information that improves the long term economic, social and environmental returns for farmers and the broader community”.

Six Key Programs are described that will provide landholders and other stakeholders with support to address the key issues faced by WA’s farmers (see next section for details on these). The first three programs are regarded as stand-alone programs, the remainder provide overarching support.

Photo courtesy: Bob Hingston

1. Western Australia’s harsh and unstable environment impacts on land and water use, and this is being exacerbated by the changing climate. The agriculture sector has to adapt to remain competitive, particularly in the south west of WA where some of the most extreme changes in climate have already occurred. This has resulted in a declining availability of water, deteriorating soil health, wind and water erosion, fire risk, and changes in rainfall and temperature. These changes have rendered many traditional farming practices and crops unsuitable, driving dramatic changes in some sectors.

2. Declining soil health is a key issue nationally and globally, but is also an area in which Australia is a recognised leader. Despite this, broad-scale changes in farming practices are needed to overcome existing soil constraints and reduce the inappropriate use of chemicals and fertilisers that limits production. The deterioration in a number of soil health indicators suggests that current management practices are decreasing the natural capital value of our soils, whilst also causing inefficiencies and over-use of nutrients. Addressing soil health issues will support increased productivity in the short and long term, improve nutrient and water use efficiency, and underwrite Australia’s “Clean & Green” image in our export markets.

3. Declining farm productivity and biodiversity values is related to the loss of ecosystem services, arising through intensive farming practices, conflicts over land use (e.g. urban sprawl) and land clearing. These losses have resulted in biosecurity issues, rising levels of salinity, soil acidity and wind/water erosion coupled with reductions in soil carbon, and the ever-rising costs of chemically-based pest and weed management. Although farmers value being able to contribute to regional-scale biodiversity outcomes, significant opportunities remain to link biodiversity outcomes more closely with economically-sound production-based revegetation activities. Strategically placed revegetation can positively affect farm profitability and sustainability, whilst also providing broader benefits for local rural communities.

4. A lack of a common focus and cooperation in sustainable agriculture and resource management at a cross-sectoral scale exists, particularly between agencies, RDCs, grower groups, researchers, regional NRM groups and the education sector (including higher education, VET and schools). This has led to duplication, unnecessary barriers in the community and inefficiencies in R, D & E in sustainable resource management. Embedding of, and giving prominence to Regional NRM Planning across the sector will support cooperation and is a key recommendation of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists. Enhanced cooperation will also foster improved development and adoption of innovation in sustainable agriculture, building on the strengths of different organisations.

Key issues facing Sustainable Agriculture in WA

5. Fragmented markets exist in most agricultural industries in Australia. In WA, this is exacerbated by the immense scale of different sectors, resulting in farmers working in isolation. This impacts on their marketing capability and competitiveness, particularly where market advantages can be derived from sustainable resource management. Certification schemes and agricultural cooperatives are two programs that show potential through their success here and elsewhere (Eastern Australia, USA, Europe). For example, established agriculture cooperatives in the USA are sound multi-billion dollar businesses (the top five with $5.6-44.4 billion revenue in 2013) that provide multiple benefits for members. Similarly, the natural capital declaration program is supported by leading agri-financiers (NAB & Rabobank), which highlights the growing importance of sustainable resource management in agribusiness

6. The lack of an independent advisory service is being exacerbated as many government agencies in WA and across Australia are reducing their engagement in this field to almost zero, and agronomists and other professional services are commonly aligned to commercial interests. Landholders, however, require up-to-date independent information on matters of concern to them. Additionally, general awareness raising programs are being neglected. The regional NRM groups in WA are ideally placed to offer such services having regionally-based extension capacity, relationships with growers, grower groups and agricultural consultants and key links with the R&D sector.

Cost saving outcomes

1. Resilience in an unstable environment Landholders can make their farming systems more adaptable and sustainable in the face of an unstable and changing environment.

2. Soil Health and Fertility Landholders have the ability to improve their soil health and long term productivity.

3. Biodiversity and Productive Agriculture Landholders maximise the benefits from ecosystem services provided by biodiversity on farm and their production systems add value to regional scale biodiversity outcomes.

4. Fostering Innovation through Trials and Demonstrations Innovative sustainable agriculture on-farm trial and demonstration network established across WA, linking landholders, agencies, RDCs, regional NRM groups, grower groups and universities/CSIRO .

5. Innovating with Industry Landholders have increased profitability by establishing one or more agricultural cooperatives and/or existing cooperatives strengthened to provide useful support to landholders in sustainable agriculture. Market opportunities for farmers are increased by ensuring certification schemes that value natural capital are available for all major agricultural industries in WA.

6. Knowledge Brokering Services Landholders have access to respected, “honest” and independent knowledge in sustainable resource management in WA.

1. Resilience in an unstable environment• Training for landholders and other stakeholders on how to adapt to, and manage for a changing

climate, particularly with reference to water use and availability and support of a diversified agricultural sector.

• Support for projects that enhance the landholder’s ability to cope with an unstable environment while also serving as a demonstration to others of what can be done.

• Supporting documents developed and distributed through online systems and traditional media.

2. Soil Health and Fertility• Training for landholders on locally-suited methods to improve soil health, preferably with on-

ground demonstrations.• Support for projects that enhance the landholder’s ability to improve soil health and fertility,

while also serving as a demonstration to others of what can be done.• Supporting documents developed and distributed through online systems and traditional media.

3. Biodiversity and Productive Agriculture• Training for landholders on locally appropriate approaches to improving productivity and/

or profitability by incorporating ecosystem services provided by biodiversity in agricultural production

• Support for on-farm projects that enhance the landholder’s ability and understanding of biodiversity in agricultural production, while also serving as a demonstration to others of what can be done.

• Supporting documents and communication materials developed and distributed through online systems and traditional media.

4. Fostering Innovation through Trials and Demonstrations, • Support for key groups to implement priority trials and demonstrations on topical issues, but

prioritising the three key program areas. Key collaborators include Federal and State agencies, relevant RDCs, grower groups, universities/CSIRO and landholders.

• Supporting documents developed and distributed through online systems.• Program to be coordinated by a cross-regional group made up of representatives from the

seven regional NRM organisations.

5. Innovating with Industry• Training for landholders to build their capacity to establish and manage alternative business

models such as co-operative enterprises.• Work with Agricultural Industry and R&D sectors to develop and support the uptake of industry-

appropriate benchmarking and certification schemes.• Support for individual landholders and grower groups to adopt sustainability practices that are

aligned with industry best practice.• Supporting documents developed and distributed through online systems and traditional media.

6. Knowledge Brokering Services• Annual horizon scanning implemented by seven regional groups cooperatively.• Technical steering committees set up to advise key information requirements and priorities

across industry groups.• Develop information materials on basis of 1) identified issues, and 2) new technologies and

systems that have potential to either be of relevance, or to impact on current farming systems.• Training and continued professional develop of NRM regional staff in extension delivery and

sustainable resource management• Set up and support for a schools and VET program that would involve young people in

sustainable resource management.• Online systems set up to disseminate information, with ability to provide direct support when

required.

PO Box 650 Fremantle WA 6959

08 9219 5005 info@nrmwa.org.au

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p e

www.nrmwa.org.au

The following is a list of the preferred delivery methods that have been identified as being key to achieving the above outcomes. If you would like more information please contact us on info@nrmwa.org.au

How regional delivery can make the difference