Agricultural production is highly dependent on water and in a drying climate testing water quality is essential to preserve and procure water for a continuing and profitable industry. The South-West Western Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SWWA Hub) has identified water quality testing improvements as a priority through extensive consultation with its panel of industry experts and leading producers.

 

Water quality monitoring is an essential activity to maximise efficient water use in crop and livestock production yet is not routinely executed nor are outputs necessarily well understood. This project will provide producers with a multipurpose tool to inform water quality management decisions across multiple sectors and regions. Improved water quality monitoring will increase water availability to producers by identifying water sources of poor quality that are limiting production efficiencies and also for validating new water sources. At a landscape scale water quality monitoring provides critical information to assist farmers in preserving ecosystem health.

 

This project involves a “Land Lite” pilot leveraging preliminary work (undertaken by the SWWA Hub, current Hub staffing expertise, the Grower Group Alliance (GGA) network, strong partnerships with agricultural technology and landing pad specialist Beanstalk AgTech) to undertake a global technology scouting initiative, develop networks with national and international providers, and encourage producer adoption of improved water quality testing technology and practices.

 

The piloting of this program is intended to establish a model of scouting for global technologies that can be developed into a comprehensive landing pad. The foundations of this type of program can be expanded to include landing technology enterprises rather than just the technology in Australia with supported market entry programs; other producers challenges; and other states throughout Australia.