Integrating local knowledge to boost farm productivity and resilience

This project, Climate-Smart Agriculture: Integrating local knowledge for improved decision-making and resilience, is focused on supporting farmers in the South East Local Land Services region to adapt agricultural practices in changing climatic conditions.

The project helps farmers to optimise productivity and adopt sustainable natural resource management practices that conserve natural capital and biodiversity.

Project background

South East NSW has a diverse range of landscapes, climatic conditions and production industry. This means farmers require varying methods to respond to the threats in their areas so they can be prepared for future productivity and natural resource management challenges.

Threats to agriculture that are supported by this project in the South East Local Land Services region include:

• low soil fertility
• soil erosion and soil limitations
• ineffective land management practices
• unsuitable fertiliser practices
• climate change, especially changing rainfall patterns.

Project objectives

This project supports farmers in the South East Local Land Services region to:  

• improve soil health and land management practices
• adopt farming practices that reduce carbon emissions and build resilience to climate change
• implement industry sustainability methods
• access carbon and biodiversity incentives to increase farm sustainability
• recognise and protect natural capital on their property.

Project delivery

Work includes:

• soil testing
• community and farmer education events
• skills and knowledge surveys
• circulating information resources
• sharing locally relevant climate data to inform decision making.

Project timeline

2024–26:  

• Carry out baseline skills and knowledge surveys.  
• Deliver community and farmer workshops.
• Establish contracts with community and industry partners to deliver advisory activities.

2026–28:  

• Continue soil testing and dataset monitoring.
• Carry out skills and knowledge surveys after each event.
• Deliver community and farmer workshops.
• Publish and circulate information products.
• Project close (30 June 2028) and outcomes reporting.

Work underway

• Delivering community and farmer workshops – seasonal outlooks.
• Soil testing.
• Carrying out skills and knowledge survey (baseline).   

Funding and partnerships

Key delivery partners are:

• farmers
• Landcare Groups within the South East Landcare network
• local industry groups. 

This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program and delivered by South East Local Land Services, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel. All outcomes for this project are recorded in MERIT.