In A Nutshell Spring 2024 | Page 44

RESEARCH & EVENTS

Irrigation decision making and innovation

At the launch of the Irrigation Decision Making and Innovation Report were , from left , Paul McClure , the ABA ' s Deidre Jaensch , and Chair of the Mallee Regional Innovation Centre Strategic Advisory Panel Leonie Burrows .
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INVESTMENT in smart farms and
the role of demonstration sites as
demonstration sites to trial and
sites of unbiased knowledge sharing ,
provide horticulture growers with
and an opportunity to really engage
opportunities to interact with irrigation
with some of these new technologies
support technologies is one of the
– see them in the region , play with
recommendations from a new report
them the way you would kind of test
from the Mallee Regional Innovation
drive a new car – and also issues
Centre ( MRIC ) and La Trobe
around labour management and skills
University .
management and development ,” Dr
Launched in Mildura in July , the
Araújo said .
Irrigation Decision Making and
“ Sometimes there is perception that
Innovation Report is now available to
technology is going to replace the
read on MRIC ’ s website .
role of boots on the ground and that
The report looks to understand how
just isn ’ t the case at all .
Sunraysia irrigators ’ experiences
“ An unexpected issue that emerged
of new technologies and changes
was the challenges of managing
in government water policy and
all of the cascading uncertainties
the environment can help prepare
in the region and how that affects
the region for the impacts of future
people ’ s mental health and
drought .
opportunities for the creation of
Lead author , La Trobe researcher Dr
what we call mental wealth or
Natalie Araújo , spoke to ABC Mildura-
resilience in wellbeing .”
Swan Hill at the 17 July launch about
Dr Araújo said it emerged quickly
the research project .
during the study that the Sunraysia
“ A number of key findings emerged
region has a very different history and
around issues of water availability
experience of irrigation management
and water policy , the experiences of
and water management in general .
growers in the region around new
“ In some other parts of the country ,
technologies , some of the barriers
discussions are still really focused
to those new technologies , but also
around water efficiency and how we
opportunities for knowledge sharing ,
improve efficiency ,” she said .
In A Nutshell - Spring 2025 Vol 25 Issue 3
In response to the Millennium Drought , this region adopted step changes – widescale step changes like drip irrigation – and so the question here is not so much about water efficiency it ’ s about water availability . Download the Irrigation Decision Making and Innovation Report here . Three case studies are also available , detailing key themes that emerged from the research – irrigation futures and water availability , knowledge sharing through demonstration and engagement , and skills and labour management .
This study was an extension of research conducted as part of the Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub project , Modern Drought Management for the Health and Longevity of Perennial Horticulture Plants .
The Hub project was funded by the Australian Government ’ s Future Drought Fund and involved four drought hubs – South Australia , Victoria , Tasmania and Southern NSW . The Mallee Regional Innovation Centre leads the North-West Irrigated Horticulture Node of the Vic Hub .
Article supplied by the Mallee Regional Innovation Centre .