Grow NTMagazine -NT Farmers - December 2021

+ Grow NT
2021
30
Developing sustainable and diversified
farming systems for the
Northern Territory
The department is preparing for an
agave trial from Central Australia
to Katherine with planting to begin
early next year.
Through the Australian Government’s
Future Drought Fund, Northern
Territory farmers from Central
Australia to Katherine are being
invited to take part in trials of a
drought resilient crop. The department
is managing the 12-month
trial, which will investigate the potential
for agave as a low or no irrigation
crop across the regions.
Agave is a crop that has the potential
to be used for syrups, spirits, fibre
and fodder which takes 6 to 8
years to mature.
This trial marks the first stage of
an investigation into the possibility
of agave as a commercially viable
crop in the Territory. The 3 varieties
of agave will be grown on the department’s
research farms as part
of the project into water usage and
farm income diversification. The
trial will test their growth potential
and identify the varieties best suited
to the Territory. It will also examine
if it could become a commercially
viable crop for farmers looking to
diversify.
Territory farmers from Central Australia
and Katherine are encouraged
to participate in the small
scale trials which are due to begin
early next year. The growers will be
supplied with 30 free plants to trial
on-farm as part of the project
This project is a collaborative effort,
looking at building resilience
to droughts and changing rainfall
patterns in NT agriculture through
efficient water use. The work is
funded by the Federal Government
through the Future Drought Fund,
with project partners Charles Darwin
University (CDU).
To find out more about this project
in the Northern Territory, contact:
Plant Industries Horticulture Team
Leader - Chelsea Moore.
E: chelsea.moore@nt.gov.au
East Arnhem Aboriginal commercial
forestry opportunities
A 3-year sustainable forestry project
is underway in the Northern
Territory with local, Territory and
national agencies involved.
The research and development
project is investigating the potential
for commercial Indigenous
forestry in northern Australia, with
a focus on the Territory’s East Arnhem
Land.
The project will facilitate sustainable
forest-based livelihood benefits
for Yolngu Traditional Owners
and is supported and funded by
Forest and Wood Products Australia
(FWPA), Developing East
Arnhem Limited (DEAL), University
of the Sunshine Coast (USC), the
National Indigenous Australians
Agency (NIAA), Gumatj Corporation,
Northern Land Council (NLC),
and the Northern Territory Government.
This forestry research and development
project has 4 concurrent
phases:
1. Forest Product Development
Pilot, involving harvesting, product
identification, manufacturing, performance
testing and market assessment
pilot. To support market
entry, the focus will be on supplying
local markets, including consideration
of Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) certification options.
2. Traditional Owner Engagement,
involving consulting with Indigenous
communities interested
in commercial forestry and informing
them of industry opportunities
and practicalities.
3. Forest Resource Assessment,
involving comprehensive inventory
(desktop analysis and fieldbased
surveys) of the forests of
East Arnhem Land.
4. Indigenous Capacity Building,
involving working with the Indigenous
communities with the
identified potential to operate forestry
enterprises to develop their
forestry workforce and business
opportunities.
To find out more about this project
in the Northern Territory, contact:
The Department of Industry, Tourism
and Trade’s Plant Industries
Forestry Group Leader – Dallas Anson.
E: Dallas.Anson@nt.gov.au
2021