Resilient Soils Project - supporting farmers through Practice changes
Resilient Soils Project - supporting farmers through Practice changes
Farmers getting together to support each other through the trials and tribulations of practice change
Local Links - Stronger Communities -
LLCI022-012
The issue
There are an increasing number of landholders looking to make their properties both more profitable and more resilient to climate extremes. The challenge is in making the changeover as smooth and hassle free as possible. Landholders were telling us they needed support and guidance from more experienced practitioners.
The solution
In order to support these landholders, small farmer groups were formed to provide a source of support and mentoring to each other and therefore increase the landholders' chances of successful implementation of change.
Through funding secured by Northern Slopes Landcare and the Green Triangle and Future Farmers groups from North West Local Land Services, renowned presenters Charles Massy and Colin Seis were engaged to carry out a series of workshops across the North West to further support and encourage the rapidly growing number of landholders turning to Regenerative farming practice
In addition, "Cuppa Chats" were held on farm, rotating around the group members' properties. This provided the opportunity for group members to see what their peers were achieving, and also the opportunity of having a "chat" around the table where challenges and successes could be discussed, and advice sought from more experienced members of the group.
The impact
The Massy/Seis workshops were very successful, with 83 landholders attending the Bingara event and 71 attendees at North Star. Attendees were very positive, with many indicating their willingness to form further groups of like minded producers.
The "cuppa chats" are ongoing, and in particular the Green Triangle farmer group are forming a very close knit and supportive group, with all members very giving of their time, experience and knowledge.
Having these support channels in place will ensure that those wanting to become more regenerative will find the transition much smoother and more profitable through learning from the experiences of others in their groups.
Key facts
- Mentoring has been identified by farmers in our region as a specific need in order to help them transition to Regenerative practices
- With the current challenging conditions in NSW, rapidly increasing numbers of landholders are looking to transition to more Regenerative farming practices such as Multi-Species cover cropping and Controlled grazing to improve their soil quality and therefore produce healthier and more resilient plants and pastures
- "Agricultural practices need to function closer to how Nature had it originally designed" - Colin Seis