The SuniTAFE SMART Farm is partnering with nursery Agromillora to host a high-density planting trial ( above ). It ' s just one of the industry developments being tested at the farm , which also includes the Metos operating system ( inset ).
Smart farming in Sunraysia
By Ella Henson ABA Sustainability Officer
HORTICULTURE is sometimes perceived as a stagnant or slowchanging industry . While traditional farming methods are still used , recent years have seen the rise of new technologies , emerging crops , and new ways of growing traditional crops . The Australian almond industry alone has boomed in the last 20 years , growing from 3546 hectares in 2000 to 58,523ha in 2021 . Similarly , horticulture in the Sunraysia region is expanding at a rapid rate , and is expected to double within the next decade . With over 50 percent of Australia ’ s almonds already grown in Sunraysia , as the industry expands , so does the demand for skilled workers . With campuses at Mildura and Swan Hill , as well as an operational farm at Cardross just outside of Mildura , SuniTAFE provides vocational education to students in the Sunraysia region . SuniTAFE ’ s Horticulture and Agriculture courses range from short courses to Certificate II , III , IV , and Diploma to give students access to
state-of-the-art learning technologies and equipment , including their 24ha SMART Farm at Cardross . The SuniTAFE SMART Farm provides horticulture students hands-on experience with the latest water-saving and irrigation techniques , as well as exposure to new technology . SuniTAFE ’ s goal is to train an efficient and skilled farming workforce who will not only be able to meet current demands but can contribute to the future requirements of the horticulture industry . While traditional farming methods are still required to operate farms today , the need for new technology is steadily increasing . SuniTAFE supports the Australian almond industry in several ways . In addition to preparing students to enter the industry , the almond industry frequently utilises SuniTAFE to provide chemical training to industry personnel . SuniTAFE ' s SMART Farm also hosts industry trials , which by testing new varieties , products , and innovative ways of growing , providing valuable insight to growers . The SuniTAFE SMART Farm is currently hosting a trial of highdensity plantings of almonds , with multinational plant nursery Agromillora . As early adopters of technology , SuniTAFE seeks to facilitate a move away from industrial-era practices towards a SMART farming model that utilises automation and technology . SuniTAFE ’ s exemplars of technology drives industry adoption and provide students with experience in emerging technologies . In 2019 , SuniTAFE trialled and implemented one of the first John Deere precision agriculture systems in a horticulture setting . The John Deere 5085GF Tractor has RTK , auto steer , rate controllers , and mapping on multiple platforms . Other technologies adopted by SuniTAFE include Metos operating systems which encompasses a weather station , soil moisture monitoring , leaf wetness sensor , iScout for insect monitoring , and Crop View for crop growth monitoring . In addition , SuniTAFE showcases Rapid Aim fruit fly traps , Drone Technology with NDVI , Phytech monitoring systems , and a Priva Nursery control system .
industry . australianalmonds . com . au
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