Project lead: University of Adelaide through the SA Drought Hub
Project overview
This project will assist pastoralists and land managers throughout Australia’s Southern Rangelands to adopt proven climate-smart decision support tools and technologies to improve grazing management and ecosystem health.
Despite large investments in tool development, adoption has been slow due to time constraints, lack of confidence in technology use, and the need for hands-on support.
This project brings together Regional NRM, grower group, and community organisations to deliver tailored, locally driven support through training, peer-to-peer learning, and expert guidance.
Demonstration sites will build confidence and capacity, showcasing real-world application of tools and technologies. Covering 1.5m square kms of Australia’s Southern Rangelands, the project builds the capacity of Regional NRM, grower group, and community organisations and facilitates pastoralist and land manager adoption of proven rangelands grazing and land management tools and technologies.
This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.
Expected outcomes
- Installation of solar panels above, and soil and climate sensors in, viticultural operations across Australia
- Data collection of solar outputs, micro-climate measurements, vine measurements and grape yields and quantities
- Modelling of economic feasibility of agrivoltaics installations in viticultural and horticultural operations across Australia
- Industry education about the opportunities and challenges of agrivoltaics
- Industry engagement to co-design the next research, development and extension projects.
News
Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project funded to boost rangeland resilience
Pastoralists and land managers across Australia’s Southern Rangelands will soon benefit from a major new initiative designed to improve grazing management and ecosystem health, with the launch of the Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project.
Resources
ABC Landline | Using the Sun Twice: Growing fruit and vegetables alongside solar
The footprint of the solar industry in rural Australia is changing. Some farmers are already running sheep in paddocks of panels and the next challenge is growing fruit and vegetable crops. Watch the video.
Collaborators
Contact
Tanya Kilminster
Knowledge Broker, South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
tkilminster@gga.org.au
