Kelly
31-10-2010, 09:03 AM
The Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) Conference in Townsville last week heard the CSIRO's Dr Peter Stone identify a wide range of opportunities for agricultural expansion in the north.
Dr Stone summarised results from the Northern Australia Land and Water Science Review.
The science review provides the best available quantitative estimate of the amount, distribution and use of water in the northern Australian landscape.
It also estimates how much land may be suitable for further development, given the constraints of available water.
The science review estimates there may be about 600 gigalitres of groundwater across northern Australia that could support new consumptive use.
This volume could irrigate more than 60,000 hectares of new intensive agriculture, at least double the current area.
That's about half to three quarters the area under cultivation in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area.
Irrigation infrastructure to support development needn't be large in scale.
Small scale irrigation, scattered throughout the landscape (termed mosaic irrigation), may be the best way to grow irrigated agriculture in the north.
Mosaic irrigation could support a range of new industries or help to transform existing ones.
Several options exist for further development of the northern beef industry.
The clearest opportunity is for the industry to produce both finished animals and meat for domestic and international markets, as well as store stock. This would require access to water for production of fodder and crops to sustain animals during the northern protein drought.
Irrigation may also provide the opportunity for the beef industry to diversify, producing grain crops (like maize) and high value horticultural crops for export to Asia, as part of a mixed crop, livestock farming system.
This type of farming would reduce market and production risks by moving away from reliance on a single commodity and more effectively using existing labour and capital in the beef industry.
Irrigation may also help the northern beef industry to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint.
The northern cattle industry produces about four per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions (measured according to equivalent levels of carbon dioxide emissions).
Access to higher quality feed, grown under irrigation, may help to reduce methane emissions from cattle.
Unlocking the potential of irrigated agriculture would boost the north's economy.
If the industry realised its potential to double in size, it could create an additional 1400 jobs and would add about $180 million to the economy.
The impact on the beef industry may be even greater.
Importantly, the science review outlines a framework that can help communities and industries to balance competing demands for water.
The proposed framework is designed to ensure water use by one sector doesn't unduly limit the potential of other water uses, such as those required to grow other industries or to maintain healthy habitats, cultures and communities.
Dr Stone summarised results from the Northern Australia Land and Water Science Review.
The science review provides the best available quantitative estimate of the amount, distribution and use of water in the northern Australian landscape.
It also estimates how much land may be suitable for further development, given the constraints of available water.
The science review estimates there may be about 600 gigalitres of groundwater across northern Australia that could support new consumptive use.
This volume could irrigate more than 60,000 hectares of new intensive agriculture, at least double the current area.
That's about half to three quarters the area under cultivation in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area.
Irrigation infrastructure to support development needn't be large in scale.
Small scale irrigation, scattered throughout the landscape (termed mosaic irrigation), may be the best way to grow irrigated agriculture in the north.
Mosaic irrigation could support a range of new industries or help to transform existing ones.
Several options exist for further development of the northern beef industry.
The clearest opportunity is for the industry to produce both finished animals and meat for domestic and international markets, as well as store stock. This would require access to water for production of fodder and crops to sustain animals during the northern protein drought.
Irrigation may also provide the opportunity for the beef industry to diversify, producing grain crops (like maize) and high value horticultural crops for export to Asia, as part of a mixed crop, livestock farming system.
This type of farming would reduce market and production risks by moving away from reliance on a single commodity and more effectively using existing labour and capital in the beef industry.
Irrigation may also help the northern beef industry to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint.
The northern cattle industry produces about four per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions (measured according to equivalent levels of carbon dioxide emissions).
Access to higher quality feed, grown under irrigation, may help to reduce methane emissions from cattle.
Unlocking the potential of irrigated agriculture would boost the north's economy.
If the industry realised its potential to double in size, it could create an additional 1400 jobs and would add about $180 million to the economy.
The impact on the beef industry may be even greater.
Importantly, the science review outlines a framework that can help communities and industries to balance competing demands for water.
The proposed framework is designed to ensure water use by one sector doesn't unduly limit the potential of other water uses, such as those required to grow other industries or to maintain healthy habitats, cultures and communities.