Northern Australia: the new frontier for dryland broadacre cropping

A new project co-funded by the CRC NA and the GRDC is helping Northern Australia farmers diversify primarily beef activities into rainfed broadacre cropping.

In Northern Australia multiple constraints create complex problems requiring multidisciplinary teams and private-public partnerships to build farmers’ skills, and adapt profitable and low risk broad acre cropping practices. This project aims to identify best crop and management options that bridge gaps between present and potential yields. This will be achieved through a participatory on-farm research program to identify relevant RD&E activities, and support growers adopt proven technologies and practices, in collaboration with Northern Australia growers, Radicle Seeds Australia, Elders, Northern Gulf Resource Management Group, and AgForce.

Farmers will benefit by having a better understanding of the best combinations of agronomy and cultivars of cereals to the growing conditions and markets of Northern Australia. The private sector will benefit by increasing the efficiency of crop improvement programs for Northern Australia, a higher demand of agricultural inputs, and by an improved availability of locally developed technical information. Northern Australia will benefit from an expected increase in economic activity, employment opportunities and diversification of livelihoods that protect existing businesses from external shocks such as loss of live-export markets. Click here to learn more.