A new era of climate-smart farming has arrived for South Australia in the form of long-term research trials.
These trials will help livestock, cropping and mixed farmers prepare for and respond to future climate challenges, including dry times and droughts through innovative and applied research solutions.
The SA Discovery Farms project is led by Flinders University and delivered by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) – the research division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) – and 40 partners.
It is an $8 million program investigating innovative and transformational cropping, grazing and mixed farming practices to improve drought resilience. Funding is from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
The SA Discovery Farms project has brought together 40 research partners in its first year, including farming systems groups, advisers, rural research and development corporations, Landscape Boards, plant breeding companies, researchers and agribusinesses.
Flinders University affiliate Associate Professor and SARDI Agronomy Program Leader, Dr Rhiannon Schilling, who heads the new program, says a network of long-term research trials have been established throughout 2024 to test applied science and climate-resilient solutions.
“In the first season of the SA Discovery Farms project, we’ve established 4 SA Discovery Farms – located at Minnipa Agricultural Centre, Loxton Research Centre, Struan Research Centre and Turretfield Research Centre – to test new climate resilience innovations,” said associate professor Schilling.
“We have also established 35 innovator sites on commercial farming properties across SA to directly engage with local farmers and advisers.
“The long-term trial sites have been driven from the ground up with co-design meetings held with farmers, advisers, and researchers.”
The co-design process identified 4 key innovation themes:
- Tailor made climate smart grain and feed.
- Soil improvement practices to advance soil health.
- Use of precision livestock strategies for healthier livestock.
- Increasing landscape diversification.
Meanwhile, Zoe Starkey has been appointed as the Long-Term Trials Coordinator and brings extensive experience in facilitation and engagement in the agricultural industry.
As a mixed farmer, Mrs Starkey has first-hand experience in managing a farming operation in dry conditions.
“This project is all about long-term on-ground trialling of innovations. We’re testing new climate resilience practices to give farmers the confidence to adopt these practices on their own properties,” said Starkey.
The SA Discovery Farms and innovator sites link the project to farming systems in pastoral, low, medium, and high-rainfall zones across SA.
“In the first year of the project, we have set up long-term trials investigating soil amelioration and additives, modifying the soil microbiome, virtual fencing, adapting pastures to dry conditions, moisture sensing seeding systems, herbicide safety and efficacy in varying rainfall, as well as using plant genetics to build resilience,” said Starkey.
“This year we’ll also be starting trials that look at landscape hydrology and remnant vegetation monitoring.”
Project stakeholders are kept informed through newsletters, social media posts, website content updates, crop walks and presentations.
“Research innovations will align with key seasonal decisions that farmers have to make leading into and out of drought so they can make those decisions based on scientific data and rainfall decile,” Mrs Starkey said.
“We also aim to establish and strengthen networks between all our stakeholders to improve the ways we share knowledge and implement drought resilient practices and systems.”
“Ultimately, the aim is to increase uptake of drought resilient innovations on-farm to improve economic, environmental and social resilience to drought.”