As part of the Federal Government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture program, the Goulburn Broken CMA has received funding for a five-year project to deliver nature-based environmental services for sustainable agriculture in the catchment.

“Our project, titled ‘Nature Services for Ag’, will support farmers to drive agricultural growth, while adopting sustainable natural resource management practices that protect and conserve natural capital and biodiversity,” GBCMA chief executive officer Carl Walters said.

“Natural capital refers to the natural resources or environmental features of a farm or landscape that have economic value or provide services to people.

“This includes soil, water, remnant native vegetation, environmental plantings, pollinators or predators which can, for example, support production, shade and shelter for stock or climate modification.”

The project aims to build on local knowledge, targeting what the CMA is hearing communities need.

Priorities include improving soil condition to protect productivity, testing on-farm solutions for environmental and productive land management, and incentives for shade and shelter and farm dam enhancement through revegetation and fencing.

Planned actions include working one-on-one and with small groups, with community and farming groups to discuss soil management practices to improve soil condition to protect productivity, such as on-farm walks, soil testing and technical workshops.

The project will fund multiple demonstration trials to showcase improved land management practices through the application of test solutions by industry, farming, and Landcare groups.

Activities such as on-farm demonstrations and workshops will increase awareness and adoption of how to integrate natural capital and biodiversity, improve soil condition and climate risk mitigation options, by farmers and landholders into their farms and agricultural businesses.

Grants and extension to private landholders will enable on-ground implementation of grazing management change, revegetation of shade and shelterbelts, integrated pest management in viticultural properties and protection and improvement of farm dams.

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Thursday, 13th July 2023

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