Drought resilience tackled in national online forum

The project was among many drought-related activities and innovations showcased during a national online forum this week, which included a live cross to SA's new Drought Hub headquarters at Roseworthy.

SA Drought Hub director Stephen Lee said the federal government's Future Drought Fund Science to Practice Forum - livestreamed across Australia on Tuesday and Wednesday - provided an unique opportunity for South Australians to come together to learn about the various initiatives being undertaken nationally and within SA to prepare for drought.

"A large suite of projects and activities is now underway through the Future Drought Fund - many with SA Drought Hub involvement and support - to strengthen the drought resilience of our farmers and regional communities," he said.

On Tuesday, the jam-packed online program ended at the Roseworthy campus, where participants were introduced to some of the people and partners behind the SA Drought Hub - one of eight hubs established across the nation in 2021 through the Future Drought Fund.

NYLB sustainable agricultural officer Taryn Mangelsdorf also outlined how the Board had been working collaboratively with the community and farming sector to develop meaningful projects that build resilience to drought, particularly in the Robertstown district, where a lack of services had been identified.

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She outlined the interesting approaches they took in trying to get farmers to take on more drought resilient measures within their operations.

"In the NY Landscapes region, 91pc of the land is under agricultural production," she said.

"Agriculture, forestry and fishing are the greatest employers and these industries provide an economic output of more than $1.9 billion (in the 2019-20 financial year).

"The region is also highly variable in the types of ag produced, soil types, degrees of water security and average amount of rainfall and with these climate changes, we have two predictions for our region - less reliable rainfall during the grain season and an expected decrease in average annual rainfall along Goyder's Line (the line traditionally between grazing and cropping country).

"This will make more of our region marginally and pastoral in nature requiring the need for our ag industries to change and adapt."

Ms Mangelsdorf said while the FDF grant the NYLB received was for future drought mitigation, the Board was already working with farmers experiencing dry times and drought-like conditions.

"Some of our farmers now haven't had a cash crop for up to five years," she said.

In designing the Goyder's Line Project, Ms Mangelsdorf said they would normally work in with local ag bureaus, but realised there was a lack of groups in the Robertstown footprint, "which has resulted in a lower baseline of resilience".

"We had to start from scratch...so instead I got in contact with every farming group in that footprint, from farming system groups, benchmarking groups, agtech groups, sheep producer groups, and statewide organisations and we were able to get a high response and participation from these groups," she said.

"All were aware that we were planning this project under our FDF grant."

Ms Mangelsdorf said they also spoke with farmers directly at a range of drought-related events.

"At these meetings, we made sure to dig deeper into what they learned and whether they planned to implement anything on-farm from those learnings," she said.

"We often would address any issues or barriers at the next activity to keep engagement in timely and meaningful topics.

"From all of this knowledge, input and experience from our farming community, we were able to design a meaningful collaborative project to address future drought in the NY landscape region that our farmers were seeking."

In the past 12 months, Ms Mangelsdorf said they had engaged over 300 farmers at a variety of events, including workshops, soil pit days, sit down sessions, crop walks and financial literacy courses.

"While the funds we were provided for on-ground works have enabled farmers to complete priorities in their property plans," she said.

"All of the participants that received funding really appreciated the extra support as it made them feel like they were actually moving forward in their business."

Some of the on-ground works included 30 containment areas, at least 15 drought mitigation plans and native revegetation projects.

"Almost 50 farmers along Goyder's Line covering more than 100,000ha have become more drought resilient through tangible on-ground activities as a direct result of this project," Ms Mangelsdorf said.

"Our goal at the NYLB is to have adaptive, resilient and healthy landscapes for sustainable primary production for the generations to come, and with the help of the FDF, the collaborative approach from both the NYLB and the farming systems groups and communities we work with, we are certainly on our way to achieving that goal."

Tomorrow (Thursday), a local field trip is also being held across the Mid North and Barossa Valley as part of the drought resilience forum program.

Attendees will visit local drought resilience initiatives such as commercial hay and fodder production and drought storage at Ezy Bale in Freeling; the use of mulches and composts to benefit soils and wine grape production at Pindarie winery; and a variety of sheep management tools to increase ewe and ram fertility and weaning rates at Turretfield Research Centre.