The Government continues to invest in farm sustainability, this time backing two new research projects to investigate the impacts of regenerative farming practices, Agriculture Minister
Soil health and regenerative agriculture
"We're contributing
The announcement coincides with World Soil Day, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.
"We simply cannot take soil health for granted. It's the basis of our food systems, and also
"AgResearch will work with
"In each region the farms will be paired for comparison based on location, soil type, and farm performance. Soil health will be measured within each farm, with one paddock in each managed conventionally, and another using regenerative farming practices."
Native plantings to boost farm yields
The second project sees the Government contributing
"By looking at the relationship that specific native plants have with insects, the researchers will be able to see which ones increase pollination and tackle pests most effectively."
Based in the
Forty-five
"By increasing the number of pollinating insects, the project team expects to see increased yields across the farms, which will lead to improved economic and environmental outcomes for the farmers involved.
"Increasing the number of predator insects to tackle pests could also reduce the use of pesticides and insecticides."
Both projects are being funded through the
"To date we've co-invested more than
"There's a surge of interest in regenerative agriculture in high-value markets overseas. These projects are just two of a portfolio of 'regen' projects we are backing through the fund.
"Collectively they're contributing to growing our evidence-base on the effectiveness of applying regenerative agriculture practices in
"They align with the environmental goals of Fit for a Better World, our food and fibre sector roadmap that's driving
"Through Fit for a Better World we aim to strengthen the environmental credentials of our food and fibre products and drive further value growth,"
To read more about World Soil Day 2021 visit the
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(C) 2021 M2 COMMUNICATIONS, source