Overview

This project helps farmers to improve soil health and farm sustainability by addressing issues ranging from soil acidification to declining carbon. Our innovative agricultural extension program builds technical knowledge in soil management.

Background

The agricultural industry generates over $1 billion a year for our rural communities. The Wet Tropics is known for its sugar cane, banana and grazing land but crops also range from tropical fruits and root vegetables to corn, peanuts, coffee, cocoa and tea.

This project is helping our important primary industries adapt to the changing climate and build resilience to extreme droughts and floods.

Solutions

Terrain NRM’s ‘Digging Deeper Plus’ soil health program is led by our biological agronomist Sally Fields with expert facilitators including agricultural-ecologist David Hardwick and North Queensland regenerative farmer Simon Mattsson. The course includes:

• Skills training with expert facilitators to learn how to read soil tests, identify root causes of poor soil health and implement solutions
• Peer-to-peer networking and learning opportunities
• Free soil tests and individual support to develop soil management plans customised to each participant’s farm.

Funders

This five-year project is supported by Terrain NRM through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.