Seeking farmers interested in intercropping
Farmer-led project to fast-track intercropping and multi-species cropping in southern Australia: MSF, AIR EP and UNFS invite growers to help shape practical, low-risk options for low-rainfall mixed farming systems
Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF), Agricultural Innovation & Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP) and Upper North Farming Systems (UNFS) are inviting farmers and advisers to take part in a new Future Drought Fund project focused on intercropping and multi-species cropping in southern Australia’s low-rainfall farming systems.
The project, Accelerating the Adoption of Farmer-Led Intercropping and Multi-Species Innovations in Southern Australia’s Fragile Low-Rainfall Environments, will work with growers across the Mallee, Eyre Peninsula and Upper North to test practical ways to improve drought resilience, maintain groundcover, diversify outputs, improve soil function and manage seasonal risk.
The project will combine a core Innovation Hub Research Sites with several farmer-operated demonstration sites in each of the three farming systems group regions. Research hubs will test cereal, pulse, canola, and native-based blends, while demonstration sites will explore practical configurations using farmer equipment and local management approaches.
Growers already testing intercropping, mixed-species, cover-crop, pasture-crop, or related practices are encouraged to register their interest. The project team is particularly eager to identify existing paddock work that could be connected to the project in 2026, considering the late start to the cropping season and the need for practical, inventive approaches to field research and demonstrations.
Project outputs will include field walks, peer-to-peer learning, adviser discussions, case studies, podcasts, videos, digital updates, risk-based economics, and decision-support resources. A practical Intercropping Decision Tree Matrix will also be used to assist growers and advisers in working through species selection, paddock suitability, plant populations, sowing logistics, in-crop management, harvest options, and economics before deciding whether to proceed, trial first, redesign, or stop.
| “Farmers are interested in intercropping and multi-species systems, but they need local evidence that fits their soils, machinery, rotations and markets. This project is about testing what is practical, what reduces risk and what delivers real value in low-rainfall mixed farming systems.”
– Dr Penny Roberts, Project Leader, Mallee Sustainable Farming |
Farmers can participate by:
- hosting or helping identify a demonstration or linked learning paddock
- sharing existing intercropping, mixed-species or cover-crop fieldwork
- joining co-design discussions, field walks or seasonal review sessions
- helping test practical decision tools and extension resources
- contributing to farmer-led discussion about machinery fit, moisture competition, grazing value, harvest logistics and economics
The project working with farmers across SA’s low rainfall cropping zones is designed to provide practical approaches to identifying best management practices that will lead to successful adoption of intercropping and multi-species systems, from proof-of-concept to adoption-ready practice. It will generate agronomic, environmental, and economic evidence, including risk-adjusted analyses across seasonal conditions, and translate the findings into practical resources for farmers and advisers.
Please contact Naomi Scholz, AIR EP for more information and to register your interest at [email protected] or 0428 540 670.
This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Future Drought Fund.
