Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council has been awarded a grant under the Natural Heritage Trust Climate-Smart Agriculture Program to develop a large demonstration of local native food and other culturally significant plants.
Planting started on May 15, with 1000 food and medicine plants from 30 local species.
Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive officer Lynn Trindall said this project has made a big difference to the community.
“People are already talking about how evident the first property of Narrabri LALC is progressing,” she said.
“Developing this land will be an asset. It will start the process of teaching our younger generation how to protect our plants for use with medicine and food. As we move forward, we are working with the whole community to protect what we have started.”
Mrs Trindall said another parcel of land has now been identified for the project.
“I would like to state it’s not every day that our first big achievement has been successful, over the next three years further progression on country will be noticeable,” she said.
“I would like to say big thanks to all that contributed on the days of planting in the wet conditions, but it is now an asset. And say thanks to the mining industry which also helped with planting.”
This project differs from conventional revegetation, where the goal is rapid tree growth. This climate-smart project will demonstrate local fruits, herbs, tubers, fibres and grains planted using a variety of water-wise techniques, so they do not require irrigation.
Each one has a story from the past, but also potentially a role in food, fibre and other production in the future.
As many of the species and techniques can be used in similar climates in NSW and southern Queensland, it is expected the demonstration will attract significant interest from further afield.
This space will demonstrate climate-smart agriculture techniques, help locals engage in the rapidly growing native food industry, teach young people how to work on-country, and connect locals and tourists to the stories of this land.
Once the plants are established, stage two will begin and includes building a cultural education centre adjacent to the plantation. This will expand the relevance of the site to people of all ages and backgrounds, plus facilitate education programs for those struggling to engage in the classroom or workforce.
The Narrabri project is among 13 Capacity Building Grants, as part of the Commonwealth government’s $302.1 million Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.
At the time of announcing the recipients, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins said sustainability is a key focus for the Albanese government.
“There is no one way to approach sustainability in agriculture, especially in a country with diverse landscapes and ecosystems like Australia. As a result, the way we tackle climate change in the sector needs to be flexible and adaptable for agribusinesses,” she said.
“Australian produce has a global reputation for being high quality and sustainable, and initiatives like this spur on even more take-up of practices that will cement this reputation among our trading partners and international consumers.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the outcome of these projects, including the strengthened engagement with indigenous people, and how this might be replicated across the sector.”
