Land management support

Kangaroo Island’s economy is built on primary production, tourism and a range of supporting services such as health, education and retail. The Board recognises that farmers are the key land managers on KI. Since its inception the Board has worked to support farmers endeavours to benefit KI’s landscapes through technical support, mentoring from sustainable agriculture leaders, demonstrations and trials, assistance with soil monitoring, workshops and field days, presentations and courses, webinars, and social and print media. Topics covered include regenerative agriculture, Integrated Pest Management, soil health monitoring and treatment, rapid pH mapping, confinement feeding, new tools and technologies, long-range weather forecasting, adapting to climate change predictions on KI, reducing wind and water erosion, sheep benchmarking, low stress stock handling, rotational grazing and cover cropping.

The Board has developed effective relationships with, and supports, key local agriculture industry organisations and agencies, such as the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, and acts as a conduit of information between international, national and state agencies and organisations and the local farming community.

The Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator (RALF) is central to these relationships and provides an important contact point for farmers and farming groups within the region.

The RALF supports agricultural groups to develop new projects and seek grant funding, for example through the NLP Smart Farms Small Grants, Smart Farm Partnership rounds or other possible funding opportunities. They also support collaboration between the agricultural sector and other industry or community sectors so they can work together to address common issues.

Venetia Bolwell is the RALF on Kangaroo Island. Please contact her by phone on 0437 172 877, or via email.

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