Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture This program will deliver targets identified with the 2009-2010 Caring for our Country Business Plan, identifying the Avon region as a priority area to reduce the risk of wind erosion through increased adoption of sustainable farm practices.

This project devolves seventy-percent of funds for local, on-ground activities to instigate the voluntary adoption by 800* land managers of the following current recommended practices by 2013:

recommended management practices to retain crop residues;

recommended grazing management practices to maintain at least 40% ground cover;

integration of perennial plants into agricultural systems; and

soil quality maintenance, amelioration and monitoring.

Soil Conservations Incentives Program

The Soil Conservation Incentives Program offers farmers or farming groups grants of between $5000 and $50,000.

To be eligible for a grant, landholders must trial or demonstrate farm management practices that protect the soil from wind erosion.

The three main categories are;

Integrating tree crops into farm systems
Recommended grazing management practices
Recommended cropping management practices

The scheme will run until 2013 and is worth $4.4 million, funded through the Commonwealth government's Caring for our Country program.

Further Information

The project is underpinned by the Farm Practice Change Model which supports the practical decision making processes of land managers in progressing from motivation, exploration to adoption of an alternative agricultural system. Proposed activities adhere to the rationale that broad-scale soil management issues on agricultural land necessitate low-cost per hectare initiatives that maximise participation of targeted stakeholders.

Land used for agriculture currently constitutes 7.4 M ha (Avon NRM Strategy, 2005) or 63% of the ARB. Traditional agricultural enterprises (cropping, mixed sheep / cropping) in the region are known to contribute to degradation of the soil resource and therefore represent a priority land use to support the further adoption of sustainable land management practices.

While the Wheatbelt NRM contributes to the protection of discrete, high priority biodiversity and water assets, this project is aimed at the widespread adoption of farm practices that enhance the protection of the dispersed soil asset, which forms the basis of the varied and highly valued productive and ecological landscapes found within the region. The proposal recommends an extension program that brings about the quality adoption of sustainable farm practices.

The soils of the ARB can be generally described as being of low fertility and most commonly have duplex textured profiles in which sub-soils have low hydraulic conductivity (Avon NRM Strategy, 2005). Areas susceptible to wind erosion include those with dry soils and a high proportion of fine sands (State of the Environment Report, 2007). Soils with weak structure and water repellent properties may also be susceptible. Soil erosion leads to land degradation and may also contribute to problems in inland waters and the atmosphere. It results in a loss of topsoil, often resulting in reduced soil fertility and structure and poor soil health.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI)

For information on this program's monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement strategy and activities, view the MERI and/or Monitoring Plan:

WNRM Wind Erosion MERI Plan v1.3

Wind Erosion Program Monitoring Plan v1.5

2010 Wind Erosion Knowledge, Skills and Engagement Report

Project Support Officers

SCIP is aimed at the widespread adoption of farm practices that maintain and improve soil quality, which forms the basis of the diverse and highly valued productive landscapes of the Wheatbelt region. Over 100 on-ground projects have been funded by this program and the role of project support officers (PSO) is vital in ensuring the successful completion of these projects.

This page provides key resources for Project Support Officers.