SA Discovery Farms
The SA Discovery Farms project is led by Flinders University and delivered by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI).
It brings together 40 partners who will operate over 4 SA Discovery Farms and 35 innovator sites, linking to farming systems in different rainfall zones. The team will deliver applied research solutions to improve climate resilience for South Australian cropping, livestock, and mixed farms.
Funding and collaboration
The Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Grants is a program within the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund. A total of $38 million was invested into 6 national projects to conduct trials working with farmers, focused on establishing better practices.
In South Australia, a successful bid by Flinders University was awarded in August 2023. The project, titled South Australian Climate Resilience Discovery Farms and Innovator Sites, formally commenced in October the same year.
Over a 5-year investment term, this project has received:
- $8 million funding from Future Drought Funds
- $3.7 million cash and in-kind, including $1 million from the SA State Government.
Partners
- Ag Innovation and Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP)
- MacKillop Farm Management Group (MFMG)
- Agronomy Solutions
- Grain Producers SA (GPSA)
- Mallee Sustainable Farming
- Hart Field Site Group
- Elders
- Livestock SA
- Murray Plains Farmers
- Agricultural Bureau of South Australia
- Nutrien Ag Solutions
- South Australian Dairyfarmers’ Association (SADA)
- Intergrain
- Upper North Farming Systems
- EPAG Research
- LongReach Plant Breeders
- South Australian No-Till Farmers Association (SANTFA)
- Mid North High Rainfall Zone
- Landscape South Australia
- Ag Communicators (AGC)
- Buckleboo Farm Improvement Group (BFIG)
- Northern Sustainable Soils Grower Group (NSS)
- Eurofins | Australian Precision Ag Laboratory (APAL)
- Coorong District Council
- Agriculture Kangaroo Island (AGKI)
- Barossa Improved Grazing Group (BIGG)
- Fleurieu Beef Group Inc.
- MPT.ag – semi autonomous seeding AgTech
- University of South Australia
- Talking Livestock
- CIMMYT – International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
- Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
- Meat and Livestock Australia
Project implementation
SA Discovery Farms involves a range of participants such as leading state farmers, farming systems groups, agribusinesses, Rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs), landscape boards, advocacy groups, plant breeding companies, and university and State Government researchers.
Long-term trials will be established across the project sites in South Australia’s pastoral (less than 200 mm), low (200 to 300 mm), medium (300 to 400 mm), and high (more than 500 mm) rainfall zones. These will transect across farming systems, soil types, and climates.
The SA Discovery Farms will host innovative trials located at the Minnipa Agricultural Centre, Loxton Research Centre, Struan Research Centre, and Turretfield Research Centre to engage with local growers and their advisers.
The innovator sites will involve a network of commercial farming properties across the state. Trials will include either full or split paddock trials, field trial plots, or strip trials.
Site conditions
| Growing season rainfall | Major soil groups | Soil constraints | Land use |
|---|---|---|---|
| less than 200 mm (pastoral) | Calcareous soils, red-brown earths | Erosion, carbonate, low fertility | Sheep and cattle |
| 200 to 300 mm (low) | Calcareous soils, red-brown earths | Boron, sodium toxicity, subsoil carbonate | Mixed farming, cropping, sheep |
| 300 to 400 mm (medium) | Red-brown earths with alkaline subsoil Deep sands, leached sands, shallow soils over calcrete | Salinity, surface acidity, subsoil sodicity, compaction Water repellent sands, low fertility, erosion | Mixed farming, Mixed farming, |
| more than 500 mm (high) | Sands over clay, calcareous soils | Low fertility, water repellent soils, acidity, aluminium toxicity | Mixed farming, cropping, cattle, dairy |
Co-design
Co-design meetings were held in February 2023 with farmers, consultants, and researchers, to make sure the SA Discovery Farms and innovator sites were driven from the ground-up.
Ongoing meetings are continuing to gain insight from local farmers, so that the trials consider local farming system needs, environmental nuances and knowledge, and relevant practice changes required.
Farmers will also be involved in testing, refining, and delivering drought resilience innovations for dryland broadacre cropping, livestock, and mixed farms. Their input will be delivered through action groups and local farming system groups – all are welcome to be involved.
Innovations
The following key innovation themes have been identified for successful long-term research trials:
- tailored climate-smart grain and feed
- soil health improvement practices
- precision livestock health strategies
- increased landscape diversification.
We will integrate cross-sector grains, livestock, soils, pasture, climate, water, genetics, and technology innovations. These will align with seasonal farming decisions that are made leading into and out of drought. The developments will provide scientific data to support farmers, based on rainfall decile.
Each long-term trial involves knowledge sharing to help with on-ground adoption of the innovations.
We will keep project stakeholders informed by newsletters, social posts, and website content updates. Please contact us to be added to our communication lists.
Outcomes
The program’s objective is to investigate transformational cropping, grazing, and mixed farming practices through the lens of drought resilience and risk management. The long-term trials have the following outcomes:
- Increase the capacity of farmers to prepare for, and respond to, future droughts and climate change.
- Enable farmers and other land managers to experiment with adopting drought-related innovations.
- Establish and strengthen stakeholder networks for better knowledge sharing and translating drought resilience practices, systems, and approaches.
- Deliver extension activities that increase uptake of drought resilience innovations on farms.
- Reduce exposure to drought risks and improve economic, environmental, and social resilience to drought.
We also have an infographic ( )highlighting the first year of achievements.
Contact
Dr Rhiannon Schilling – Program Leader, Agronomy
Email: pirsa.sadiscoveryfarms@sa.gov.au
Zoe Starkey – Long Term Trial Coordinator
South Australian Climate Resilience Discovery Farms and Innovator Sites
Email: pirsa.sadiscoveryfarms@sa.gov.au