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Welcome from the Director
As we face a hot, dry season the South-West WA Hub remains on the front foot. The Extension & Adoption (E&A) team has been hard at work building the Hub's Dry Seasons Resources library. Today, it welcomed its latest addition, the Dry Season Resources Podcast. Released in two parts, episodes 1 - 3 are now live. You can listen to key experts explore business decisions, soil management, water use efficiency, N considerations, life in the northern ag region and livestock operations in a dry season. here. There's an additional three episodes coming for season one, and more resources being gathered.
On the topic of dry season challenges. The Hub's knowledge broker Tanya Kilminster and adoption officer Maddison McNeil visited the Goldfields last week for the Goldfields Nullabor Rangelands Biosecurity Association's (GNRBA's) AGM and Forum. The pair also attended a Mt Vetters field day. It was an opportunity to hear about the realities producers are facing in WA's largest biosecurity region. The Hub also presented on the role of the Grower Group Alliance (GGA) and the Drought Hub, and updated pastoralists and supporting industry on the five drought resilience projects being implemented in the Southern Rangelands that have received funding through the Future Drought Fund.
In the water use efficiency space the WaterSmart Dams team attended Merredin and District's Farm Improvement Group's (MADFIG's) AGM to present water quality testing results to growers and the MADFIG committee. Project technical lead UWA Associate Professor Nik Callow was joined by his colleague Roberto Lujan-Rocha and Hub student bursary recipient Jane Brownlee.
Also on the road Adoption team members Julianne Hill and Maddison McNeil made a trip to the northern ag region. Insights gathered from their time with growers is helping to further build the Dry Season Resources library. Watch this space.
The pair will be off again next week, this time joined by E&A team members Theo Nabben, and Alison Lacey for the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) International Conference 2023. We look forward to the learnings they'll glean from this premier international event for rural and community advisory practitioners, researchers, policy makers, academics and others involved in extension and education.
The Hub team's time spent connecting with producers, industry, and other Hub partners is invaluable toward its mission to enhance drought resilient practices and accelerate innovation and adoption.
We look forward to continued engagement with stakeholders well into the new year. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to colleagues, friends or clients.
Mark Holland | Hub Director
South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
Dry Season Resources
South-West WA Drought Hub Dry Season Resources podcast is here!
Season one of the Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast is here. Released in two parts, key experts explore financial risk, soil management, and key agronomy tips for a dry season in episodes 1 - 3.
Throughout the season you'll hear from growers and industry experts on managing dry season responses, ranging from early planning to tactical decision-making throughout the year and setting up for the following season.
Topics cover business decisions, soil management, water use efficiency, N considerations, life in the northern ag region and livestock operations in a dry season.
The Hub is dedicated to sharing information that supports growers in preparing for and responding to a dry season. This podcast is just one of the extension tools in the works to provide value to growers facing dry season challenges.
The Dry Season Resources podcast is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, funded by the Future Drought Fund.
Hub project in focus
WaterSmart conversations activated around Merredin
Growers from Merredin and surrounds are rethinking water planning, management and quality after a presentation from the WaterSmart Dams project team at Merredin and Districts Farm Improvement Group’s (MADFIG's) recent AGM.
Project technical lead UWA Associate Professor Nik Callow was joined by his colleague Roberto Lujan - Rocha and SW WA Hub student bursary recipient Jane Brownlee in presenting water quality testing results to growers and the MADFIG committee members at Merredin. Colleague Roberto Busi Zoomed into the meeting to provide additional insights.
Transformational projects program grants closing soon
In September the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) opened a small grants program to its Hub Consortium Partners up to the value of $1m for transformational projects that lead to improved drought resilience within Western Australia’s agricultural systems.
Hub Consortium Partner submissions are being assessed by an independent panel. Recommended submissions will be notified shortly and invited to full submission. Successful projects will be announced in December.
Drought Hub Team Out and About
SW WA Hub in the Goldfields
The South-West WA Drought Hub knowledge broker Tanya Kilminster and adoption officer Maddison McNeil visited the Goldfields over two days last week for the GNRBA AGM and Forum in Kalgoorlie, along with a field day at Mt Vetters.
Some 90+ pastoralists and industry representatives attended a jam-packed program to hear the latest R&D initiatives and management practices in biosecurity, grazing management, rehydration, remote sensing, bush fire monitoring, animal care and more, with plenty of time for networking.
It was an opportunity for the Hub to present on the role of the Grower Group Alliance and the Drought Hub, and update pastoralists and supporting industry on the five drought resilience projects being implemented in the Southern Rangelands that have received funding through the Future Drought Fund. Also presenting in more detail were Richard Marver, Contour Consulting and Paul Buckman, Rangelands NRM, on two X-Hub projects. DPIRD's Fiona Brayshaw joined the lineup to present on the Southern Rangelands Revitalisation project.
GGA & Hub at the Western Australian Horticulture Update (WAHU) 2023
On October 31 and November 1, 2023 several Grower Group Alliance (GGA) and South-West Drought Hub team members attended the biennial WA Horticulture Update (WAHU) with over 250 people in attendance.
This year, updates focused on innovative technologies in horticulture with international speakers including futurist Mike Lee who spoke about AI in food production, new compounds, ingredients and recipes created, predictions vs forecasting, the potential for personalized nutrition and NORM - an AI Agriculture Advisor trained on farm data for the Farmers Business Network.
Other key topics included traceability, sustainability/environmental frameworks, carbon, the consumer landscape and trends, sustainable packaging and workforce updates. Attendees also heard about the Modern soil moisture monitoring to improve irrigation management project funded by the Hub. GGA was among close to 50 organisations that participated in the trade display for the Update.
WA College of Ag Drought Resilience and Innovation Challenge student awards
Impressive drought resilience innovations were presented by year 12's at the WA College of Agriculture - Harvey, last week. Hub adoption manager Julianne Hill awarded students with vouchers at their Valedictorian celebration.
Harvey is one of three WA Colleges of Agriculture that participated in the South-West WA Drought Hub's WA College of Ag Drought Resilience and Innovation Challenge during third term.
The winners will go on to the interschool competition where the winning school will be awarded $500 to go back into the school's funding.
Have Your Say
Have your say on the next phase of FDF funding
The Future Drought Fund (FDF) consultation draft of the FDF Investment Strategy 2024 to 2028 (Investment Strategy) has been released with consultation open until 6 December.
The FDF team will also be coming to WA - Perth on Tue 21 Nov at 3pm and Geraldton on Wed 22 Nov at 10:30am. More information on the
Complete survey to have your say on soils
A national survey to assess soil issues, knowledge gaps and research and extension opportunities across Australia is open.
The anonymous results will be summarised for the Regional Soil Coordinator project in a report to DAFF to ultimately help inform the design and delivery of targeted soil interventions to address priorities under the National Soil Strategy.
Grain traceability survey
Is grain traceability worthwhile or practical? What proportion of consumers will pay for traceability credentials?
UWA researchers are seeking to identify and represent farmers’ positions and views on potential traceability solutions, focusing on farm sustainability as part of the Investigating the economics of grain traceability investment decisions project.
Participate in Farm to Port survey
Grain growers are encouraged to complete a survey that will assist research aimed at optimising grain supply chains.
The ‘Farm to Port’ study is led by The University of WA and supported by the SW WA Hub through its student bursary program.
UWA PhD student Garima, who recently received an extension and adoption bursary from the SW WA Hub, said the aim of the study was to produce a framework, based on simulations, that could assist growers to optimise decisions during and after harvest.
“This could include decisions relating to transportation, storage, packaging and marketing of crops,” she said.
Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative – Small Networks Grants
Small Network Grants are now available to community organisations in regional and rural Australia to develop and deliver one-off events or initiatives to strengthen community networks and capabilities that build drought preparedness.
Funding is through the Future Drought Fund and there are streams of $20k and $50k available, subject to location.
New name and website for climate tool
The Climate Services for Agriculture (CSA) program has a new name and website for its farmer-focused climate information tool.
My Climate View is a free online climate information tool helping farmers understand what the future climate might mean for their location, down to a 5km2 resolution, to inform decision-making and build climate resilience.
It presents agriculturally relevant historical and future climate information in one place so farmers can explore climate trends for specific commodities at a local scale.
Along with the new name and website, other updates to the My Climate View tool include the addition of climate information for avocados, cherries and chickpeas, significant improvements to how users can access and view their local and commodity-specific climate information, and insight into how climate information is calculated.
CSA is a collaboration between CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology and part of the FDF's investment in better climate information for Australia's agriculture sector.
Find out about Future Drought Fund
The Future Drought Fund (FDF) provides secure, continuous funding for drought resilience initiatives and will help Australian farmers and communities prepare for the impacts of drought.
