The north of Australia is not as ripe for agricultural development as it would first appear…

With conversation growing louder on ideas to develop Northern Australia into a new agricultural power house or ‘foodbowl’, it is important to consider all the facts. CPD research director and co-author of 2012 landmark CPD report Farming Smarter, Not Harder  Laura Eadie has produced a fact sheet outlining key points which must be addressed before agricultural expansion can be sustainable:

Until adequate policies, plans and controls are in place, agricultural development should be kept to a small scale. Individual farm based irrigation development with capacity to utilise smaller isolated pockets of better soils may be appropriate. Crops supporting the established grazing industry (i.e. fodder crops) may be appropriate as there is an accessible local market. This could stabilise beef production during drought periods

Developing the North Factsheet Read the Developing the North factsheet

Read Farming smarter not harder, and watch this space for more research on sustainable food production

Change can happen faster than you think – help us seize the moment and point to the alternatives. Add your voice to ours!