This project was a partnership between Wheatbelt NRM, CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship, and AvonGro. The Farming Landscapes for the Future Tool (FLFT) was developed by CSIRO and AvonGro. The tool tests the economic outcomes of growing perennial plants against traditional cropping and livestock systems and different climate scenarios. This was a recognised knowledge gap for people wanting to add agroforestry to their farms.

However, to increase its use by landholders and agricultural professionals, the FLFT needed review and refinement. Better guidance on using the tool was needed, and flaws needed to be corrected. The tool also needed economic and tree growth modelling data from the University of Western Australia, the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, and CSIRO.

Prior to this project and redevelopment of the FLFT, there were no tools available that provided information on introducing and planning agroforestry onto Wheatbelt farms.

What can the tool do?

• Using today’s climate information, compare a farming enterprise’s economics with productivity at a different rainfall level
• Compare the economics of tree crops, sheep and cropping options at the paddock scale
• Calculates Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) of each scenario chosen

How to use:

• Select the average rainfall or rainfall year you want to compare
• Select the paddock soil type
• Select the land use you want to compare – e.g. crops, sheep enterprises, tree crops
• Adjust input costs if required (provided benchmark figures are based on 2012/13 numbers)
• Compare the different scenarios against each other