Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator

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The Australian Government has invested in programs to help the agriculture industry transition to a more climate-smart, productive and sustainable sector. A network of Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator (SAFs) is available to provide extension services to improve farmers’ knowledge and uptake of climate-smart agricultural practices. It is a free service. NQ Dry Tropics’ Peter Arthofer is ...

Start Date: July 3, 2017

End Date: June 28, 2030

Support available for climate-smart sustainable agriculture practices

The Australian Government has invested in programs to help the agriculture industry transition to a more climate-smart, productive and sustainable sector.

A network of Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator (SAFs) is available to provide extension services to improve farmers’ knowledge and uptake of climate-smart agricultural practices.

It is a free service.

NQ Dry Tropics’ Peter Arthofer is the SAF for the Burdekin NRM region.

The role includes:

1. Engaging and informing farmers, landholders, community groups, and agriculture industries within the Burdekin region about climate-smart agriculture practices that are sustainable – including best practice natural resource management, biodiversity and carbon markets, and practices that support emissions reduction and build climate resilience on-farm – to help achieve climate-smart sustainable agriculture practice outcomes.

2. Helping farmers, landholders, community groups and agriculture industries build connections and work together to achieve sustainable agricultural outcomes.

3. Supporting the delivery of climate-smart agriculture projects sustainable in the Burdekin region.

This is achieved through a range of activities:

sharing relevant government information, policies, programs, and tools, advising of upcoming funding opportunities;
sharing relevant training opportunities; and
engaging with First Nations peoples and organisations.

These activities are geared to help the agriculture sector:

adopt practices to reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change;
harness carbon and biodiversity incentives and implement industry sustainability frameworks; and
to drive agricultural growth, while adopting sustainable natural resource management practices that protect and conserve natural capital and biodiversity.
To find out more, contact Peter Arthofer on 0488 675 033 or peter.arthofer@nqdrytropics.com.au.

Group of four men at a workshop — *Landcare Facilitator Peter Arthofer, and host Robert Hollingsworth at the Ulcanbah Station Regrarians Workshop*

Attendees at an update on the trial composting of aquatic weeds are (from left): JCU TropWATER Research Scientist Adam Canning, grower Glenn Pirrone, grazier and cane grower Richard Colls, Ayr grower Heath Salter, NQ Dry Tropics Waterways, Wetlands and Coasts Team Leader Scott Fry, Soil Land Food Regenerative Farming Consultant Simon Mattsson, NQ Dry Tropics’ Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator Peter Arthofer, St Margarets Creek farmers Peter and John Le Feuvre and NQ Dry Tropics Sugar Project Officer Michael Hobbs.

The Government has invested more than $40m into the SAF network through the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program, funded by the Natural Heritage Trust.

SAFs play a key role in delivering sustainable agriculture initiatives regionally, building on the success of the Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator network (2017-2023).