Climate Smart Funding for Wet Tropics farmers

Climate Smart funding for Wet Tropics farmers

New farming technology will be put through its paces in the Far North as part of a $1.25 million project, announced this week.

Terrain NRM is working with farmers from across industries and the region to trial machinery and equipment and hold on-farm demonstrations and workshops as part of a larger program focused on helping farmers to adapt to changing conditions.

The Australian Government this week announced a $76 million investment in the Climate Smart Agriculture Program, funding 54 projects across Australia to help primary producers adopt climate-smart sustainable agriculture practices.

Trials in the Wet Tropics

Terrain NRM’s Maria Ribbeck said the projects in the Wet Tropics region included trialing a Cyclone multi-task sprayer for liquid compost application on grazing land, using a Soilkee Renovator to plant mixed species crops in pasture, and bringing an air seeder to the Mossman region for trials of alternative crops and revenue streams.

“The trials will cover 200 hectares of land, collectively, over five properties,’’ Maria said.

“We will be monitoring implementation and establishment costs and weighing this up against impacts on productivity and profitability to give the region’s farmers local case studies for climate-smart farming opportunities, as well as local farms to look at and farmers to hear from.

Workshops on sustainable farming practices

“We will also be holding workshops on sustainable farming practices with farmers across the cane, banana, grazing, dairy and tropical fruit sectors.”