Profiting from adversity - Meeting the challenge of salinity through new industry development

Authors

Andrew Quinn, Agriculture Western Australia
Tamara Law, Agriculture Western Australia
Peter Rowe, Agriculture Western Australia

Publication Date

11-2000

Series Number

Miscellaneous Publication 21/2000

Publisher

Agriculture Western Australia

City

Perth

ISSN

1326-4168

Abstract

Salinity in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia is one of the most significant challenges facing the State's agricultural sector.

Efforts to manage the increasing effect of salt influenced and threatened farming land requires not only the implementation of new farming systems, but a new way of thinking and attitude to production more in tune with environmental and technological limitations.

While past environment lobby pressures have significantly focused on other production activities such as mining and forestry, the future is likely to see increased community interest in agricultural production systems.

Consumers World wide are becoming more environmentally sensitive, with global media able to focus attention effectively upon those impacting the environment. For producers the salinity issue runs deeper than purely the influence on production returns, consumer perception is also at stake.

It is the belief of the writers that alternative environmental management options are unlikely to gain full acceptance until a direct economic, as well as environmental benefit is available to producers. This report therefore seeks to highlight, given the current available knowledge, those production options with the promise to hold future financial return. The report should act as a focus document and basis for a series of more in-depth analysis projects and development activities.

In compiling this report the Centre For New Industries Development assessed over three hundred alternative production choices for the Wheatbelt.

With several exceptions, the alternatives chosen meet the following criteria:

• Definable and significant World markets, or assist in production for these market;
• Relatively low up-front opportunity and establishment cost,
• A measure of salt or waterlogging tolerance and/or are suited to specific parts of the Wheatbelt, either due to climate or soil conditions.

Every production system and especially those of less proven tradition carry associated risks. In the Wheatbelt of today however, there is an equal risk in doing nothing. It is important to note that a combination of agricultural practices, engineering options and technological development will hold the key to better land management in the Wheatbelt.

Most agricultural industries gain viability through the breeding of plant varieties specifically suited to a particular production area. The introduction of crops new to the Wheatbelt will be no exception. This report highlights some of those plant industries warranting further variety work to improve performance under Wheatbelt conditions.

Many of the recommended products are in the early development stages in Western Australia and therefore require the gaining of market share from established international competitors. In most cases only limited production knowledge under Wheatbelt conditions is known, and the added influence of salinity and waterlogging on yields are unknown. The financial risks in regard to the recommendations should be self evident.

Today there are many success stories highlighting the ability to reclaim and make productive salt influenced land. As usual necessity is the mother of invention. It is likely that the Wheatbelt will develop an increasingly diversified economic structure in future, one that is not only less reliant on a relatively limited number of markets but more in tune with environmental limitations and opportunities.

Number of Pages

96

Keywords

Salinity, Wheatbelt, Environmental management, Farm economics, Alternative crops, Salt affected land, Western Australia

Disciplines

Agribusiness | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Science | Agriculture | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring | Hydrology | Natural Resource Economics | Plant Sciences | Soil Science | Sustainability | Water Resource Management

Comments

An introduction to:

Sustainable New Industry Alternatives for the Western Australian Wheatbelt

Recommended Citation

Quinn, A, Law, T, and Rowe, P. (2000), Profiting from adversity - Meeting the challenge of salinity through new industry development. Agriculture Western Australia, Perth. Report Miscellaneous Publication 21/2000.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/lr_publishedrpts/96

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