Research
Improving phosphorus use efficiency and return on investment in high Phosphorus (P) fixing soils of the Southern and Western Regions
Aims to improve growers’ certainty about managing phosphorus (P) in high-fixing soils, which have chemical properties that bind applied P, making it unavailable to crops. The project outcome is that by 2030, growers in the Southern and Western regions will access improved P fertiliser application strategies to maximise return on investment (ROI) in high P…
Stress Testing Regenerative Agricultural Practices – STRAP
Drought resilience in novel emerging dryland farming practices – A scientific and economic basis (Stress Testing Regenerative Agricultural Practices – STRAP) The project aims to rigorously study regenerative cropping and pasture management to boost drought resilience in southern Australia’s dryland farming systems. It is farmer-led with scientific support from CSIRO, involving five long-term trials across…
Innovative Soil Technologies: Fostering Resilience and Climate-Smart Crop Production in Australia
This project will apply recent advances in Innovative Soil Technologies (IST) to improve water capture and retention and water use efficiency. Through field trials conducted in SA, NSW, TAS, WA, and VIC, in collaboration with grower groups, we aim to utilize soil re-engineering techniques to address physical, chemical, and biological constraints across various soil types…
Drought and climate resilient sheep farms and landscapes tailor-made for low rainfall farming regions
Sheep production underpins farming and rural communities in the low rainfall regions (200 to 400 mm) of southern Australia. With the profitability of sheep farmingdeclining rapidly due to the detrimental impacts of drought and extreme heat on pasture growth, soil stability and sheep performance. Mitigation strategies are urgentlyrequired to ensure the ongoing resilience and sustainability…
Climate-Ready Livestock: Building Resilient Farming Systems on Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula livestock producers are facing rapidly emerging challenges from climate change, including prolonged dry periods, declining water security, rising input costs, and increasing market pressures. This project will support producers to make informed management decisions in response to these challenges. Through a program of small group workshops and collaborative guidance from a newly formed…
Weed Management Initiative
Delivery of one herbicide trial on EP for 2025-2029 (5 trial years) On an annual basis, establish, conduct, analyse and report on field trials as agreed with the Lead Researcher and in line with Project Outputs detailed in the Head Agreement; Provide extension of results from WMI trials to growers within the AIR EP network…
Future Drought Fund Long Term Trials SA Discovery Farms – Sustainable phosphorous strategies for Eyre Peninsula
AIR EP has partnered with SA Discovery Farms, with co-investment by SAGIT, in a new project aimed at improving P fertiliser applications in variable paddocks/landscapes and refining long-term management strategies on highly P responsive soils. The overall aim of this project is to increase the profitability from phosphorus (P) fertiliser applications and determine sustainable P…
Young Farmer Peer to Peer Learning Lower EP 2025
AIR EP will establish a group comprised of Lower Eyre Peninsula young farmers (~18-35 years). This group will participate in three field events/workshops featuring speakers on topics that build agricultural, business and social skills to help them prepare and mitigate the risks of drought on themselves, their business, family and community. The sessions will build…
Building resilience – Break Crop Suitability Across Landscapes (Stage 2)
Upper North Farming Systems and AIR EP have worked to bring this common theme across the 3 farming groups and 4 Node regions together into the one project in 2024. It is proposed to continue the project work and establish several paddock scale demonstration sites, tailoring each to the needs of the group region. The…
Risky decisions and addressing soil constraints on EP
This project has two key objectives that address the priorities of the SA Drought Hub 1. Arming farmers and advisors with tools to assist in decision making that considers risk and reward, through two major extension events on Eyre Peninsula, directly addressing the SA Drought Hub theme: Farm planning and decision making to manage climate…