Projects
Major projects in which Growing Solutions has delivered or had a significant involvement include:
Current projects
SANTFA Communications
Growing Solutions delivers a range of communication services for the South Australian No-Till Farmers Association (SANTFA). SANTFA is a non-profit organisation with around 500 members.
The organisation produces a quarterly journal, “The Cutting Edge” and has an annual conference as well as a range of other activities including farm tours and crop walks throughout the year. Growing Solutions works with graphic designer Jeannie Wilksch from Cultivate Design, and several journalists in coordinating “The Cutting Edge”. In addition to maintaining and delivering a database of members, assisting with story development, finding leads for interviews and sourcing photographs, Growing Solutions is responsible for securing advertisements from sponsors and proofreading the final document.
As well as working with the journal, Growing Solutions coordinates SANTFA’s annual conference, usually attended by around 200 delegates, and delivering a range of local, interstate and international speakers. Growing Solutions is also responsible for organising other SANTFA events, including crop walks, local field days and farm tours, and interstate and overseas study tours. In addition, Growing Solutions updates SANTFA’s website, Facebook and Twitter accounts and manages sponsors.
Production and Environment Partnerships
Growing Solutions is working with Mallee Sustainable Farming Systems to deliver this project to the Mallee region. This is an Ag Excellence Alliance Inc project, which aims to bring together grains industry and natural resources management (NRM) people to work together in extending sustainable farm practices on key production issues that have clear environmental outcomes. As part of this project, Growing Solutions produced a compendium of recent projects in the area, and sourced and distributed a range of related stories. In addition to the involvement with MSF, services were also delivered direct to Ag Excellence – Leighton facilitated workshops aimed at identifying and priorities issues significant to both agriculture and NRM across Victoria and NSW. The project is funded by the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC). Further details here
Building Farmer & Advisor Knowledge in Carbon Farming
Leighton was chosen to participate in this project, which aims to support at least 600 broad acre farmers plus up to 24 grower groups through working with 30 independent farm advisers across South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. It will deliver relevant and timely messages on:
- The Emissions Reduction Fund and the risks and opportunities for farm businesses to participate in the ERF
- Greenhouse gas management and practices to reduce emissions
- Opportunities to sequester carbon and improve carbon management in farming systems
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government. Further details here.
Extension and Adoption Training and Support (EATS)
Leighton has been selected to participate in this project, which will provide a training and development program which builds on the skills currently utilised by experienced agronomists and extension personnel in information delivery processes. The project is delivered by Ag Consulting Co and funded by the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC). Further details here.
Completed projects
Investigating the application of unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture in the SAMDB region
The purpose of this project was to investigate the use and application of UAVs in three different farming industries: agriculture, livestock & horticulture. Three different flight controllers were tested and a set of principles and learnings were documented. The project was funded by Natural Resources SAMDB through the NRM Agricultural and Fishing Innovation Grants, and generated two publications:
Demonstrating the use of UAVs to Eyre Peninsula farmers
Growing Solutions delivered this project on behalf of SANTFA. The project involved delivery of two demonstrations/workshops, delivering information on innovative practices in farming using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Participants were exposed to the regulations governing the use of UAVs, along with practical demonstration of autonomous flight missions in identifying issues in paddocks. The project was funded by Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula.
Technology, Tablets and Tips: Managing Your Business on the go
Leighton has delivered presentations to technology workshops for Partners in Grain (SA) . See a story in the May/June edition of GRDC’s “Ground Cover” about the workshops here
“Smartphone Apps for Smart Farmers”
In 2012, Ag Excellence Alliance produced the publication “Smartphone Apps for Smart Farmers”. This publication was responsible for many farmers recognising the value of smartphone technology to their farming systems, and embracing the technology. In 2014, Growing Solutions was contracted to deliver an updated version of the booklet through funding Ag Excellence received from Natural Resources SA Murray-Darling Basin.
Social Media in Agriculture
The Ag Excellence project “Social Media in Agriculture” was an innovative project which ran from 2011 – 2013 and explored the use of social media (You Tube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, RSS, etc.) as an extension tool. Growing Solutions was a valued partner in this project, producing a number of the videos which were generated through the project.
Snail Monitoring
Growing Solutions was sub-contracted to deliver some communications services to the Ag Excellence project “Innovative Monitoring To Improve Snail Control And Increase Soil Protection”. The project objective was to provide farmers with better information to assist them manage snail populations that are damaging newly emerging crops. Growing Solutions assisted with setting up and maintaining a blog and a Facebook page, aiming to be one stop shop for snail and slug information.
Showcasing Technology Workshops
Through funding from Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, in conjunction with SANTFA, Leighton presented at workshops presenting cutting edge information, demonstrating how new technologies can benefit both farmers and natural resource management (NRM), and support conservation messages. Workshop flyer here: Showcasing Technology flyer
2014 Irrigation Infrastructure Report – SAMDB
Growing Solutions was contracted by Natural Resources South Australian Murray Darling Basin to deliver a 2014 project, in which 114 growers were surveyed to explore the impact of irrigation infrastructure grants they received from the federal government. After liaising with Natural Resources South Australian Murray Darling Basin to determine their needs, Growing Solutions staff designed the survey then contacted irrigators to make appointments to undertake the survey. After gathering and entering all data, a comprehensive report was generated for Natural Resources South Australian Murray Darling Basin.
Improved Management of retired irrigation land to reduce risks to horticulture
In another 2014 project delivered on behalf of the Berri Barmera Local Action Planning Committee, “Improved management of retired irrigation land to reduce risks to horticulture”, Growing Solutions was contracted to identify exit grant recipients, conduct an extensive, face-to-face survey of these growers to gather information relating to land use following receipt of the exit grant, facilitate workshops to identify options for these growers, and undertake a mapping exercise. At the conclusion of this project, a comprehensive report was generated. Media coverage included:
The Murray Pioneer October 2014