FarmWise - a pathway to sustainable land use

An estimated $40 million has been invested by irrigators in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area since 1998 on capital works to improve on-farm water use and efficiency and benefit the environment, as a result of financial assistance form MIA EnviroWise and training from FarmWise.

FarmWise, an educational program developed by NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) and Murrumbidgee Irrigation as a component of MIA EnviroWise, aims to educate irrigators in best management practices and create awareness of environmental problems arising from poor land management.

NSW DPI FarmWise facilitator Rod Jackson said FarmWise was now in its fifth year of operation.

“473 irrigators representing 1154 farms had completed the Farmwise course and demand for the program remains strong,” he said.

The course consists of a number of workshops including irrigated soil management, irrigation systems, irrigation scheduling and whole farm planning. 

Each participant is encouraged to develop a whole farm plan using new skills and knowledge.

Mr Jackson said whole farm planning included establishing business goals, a natural resource stocktake using aerial photographs, collating information on soil types and current land use, and an audit of the current irrigation system.

“Professional assistance is also provided to develop farm vegetation management plans to encourage on-farm revegetation and remnant conservation,” he said.

“On completion of Farmwise training, participants are eligible to apply for financial assistance for whole family planning, irrigation system upgrades and vegetation management.

“National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality funding assistance is provided by the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority through MIA EnviroWise.

“The main regional objective of MIA EnviroWise are to reduce surface drainage volumes to minimise the impacts of flooding downstream, reduce groundwater assessions to minimise waterlogging and salinity, keep drainage water quality within agreed standards for downstream users, and protect the remaining natural resources.

For more information, contact Ron Jackson, NSW DPI, Hanwood (02) 6960 1321.