Programs to improve soil quality, investments in practical on the ground projects and a new network of facilitators to help farmers improve sustainability in agriculture
Australian agriculture is striving to become more sustainable and adapt to climate change. Programs to improve soil quality, investments in practical on the ground projects and a new network of facilitators to help farmers improve sustainability on their properties are just some of the programs set to roll out across Australia.
Australia has now committed more than $302 million through the Natural Heritage Trust to create the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program. The Natural Heritage Trust is Australia’s key investment platform for achieving its natural resource management, sustainable agriculture and environment protection outcomes. Programs will also facilitate industry adoption of climate-smart practices to help reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Murray Watt announced the specifics of how that funding will be rolled out on the ground. He added, “This program draws from the strengths of past Natural Heritage Trust investment and brings a heightened focus on the contemporary challenges our farmers are facing. Chief among them is the challenge of adapting to climate change and the new phase of the NHT will have a stronger focus on climate adaptation than before. This Climate-Smart Agriculture Program also continues the enduring investment into sustainability and natural resource management.
The Climate-Smart Agriculture Program is being delivered through a series of integrated investment streams over 5 years including:
- $45 million for Partnerships and Innovation grants
- $15 million for Capacity Building grants
- $36 million in soil measures
- $13 million for small grants
- $35.7 million towards operational capacity of Regional Delivery Partners and national Landcare organisations
- $85.6 million towards on-ground sustainable agriculture and natural resource management projects lead by our Regional Delivery Partners
- $40.7 million for a network of Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators.
