A new Northern and Yorke Landscape Board (NYLB) project funded by SA’s Landscape Priorities Fund (LPF) aims to help the region’s primary producers prepare for and adapt to dry times.
The Waterwise Farming project will support primary producers to improve on-farm water security and storage and make informed water use decisions through the development of a farm-based water audit tool.
It is one of eight sub-projects within the Climate Resilient Landscapes project, which was awarded $1.6 million through LPF to improve landscapes and natural ecosystems in regional areas.
NYLB sustainable agriculture facilitator Brianna Guidera said the announcement came at a great time for the region, especially off the back of the 2024 season, which produced some of the driest months on record.
“For many, the 2024 season was just another devastating blow on top of past dry seasons, so it’s safe to say water storage has been at the forefront of many primary producers’ minds,” she said.
The Waterwise Farming project is set to develop an on-farm water audit calculator to help primary producers decide the best ways to manage and secure water on their properties.
This online calculator will be tailored to help address specific water issues and support primary producers to explore opportunities to better utilise and capture more rainfall.
Demonstration sites and trials will be delivered to investigate practical water security and efficiency solutions, as well as weather stations and soil probes.
A field day is also set to go ahead early next year, giving those impacted by the drought an opportunity to see new technologies and equipment first-hand that will help future-proof their properties.
“We are really excited to use this project to explore new ideas,” Ms Guidera said.
“We’ll also look at regions like ours to see how they are tackling the issues we have in Northern and Yorke.
“It’s great to make water storage and security a priority. Now, more than ever.”
For more information regarding the Waterwise Farming project, email Brianna Guidera at brianna.guidera2@sa.gov.au
Visit landscape.sa.gov.au for more information about the 2025-26 round of Landscape Priorities Fund projects.
