Northern Australia Food Futures Conference, Darwin NT
L-R: Fiona McBean (Eva Valley Meats), Carolyn Hall (Mulloon Institute) and Tahna Jackson (NT Farmers and Stockdale Farm, QLD).
CEO & Managing Director Carolyn Hall spent a great week in late May representing the Mulloon Institute at the Northern Australia Food Futures Conference in Darwin, NT.
Presented on Larrakia Country by the Northern Territory Farmers Association, it was a great opportunity to share the work that TMI’s Lance Mudgway and Erin Healy have been doing with producers in Central Australia, and what TMI’s Peter Hazell has done with Fiona McBean from Eva Valley Meats at Batchelor, south of Darwin.
It was an amazing conference with a great lineup of speakers, including Anika Molesworth, PhD whose inspiring presentation looked at the climate change actions that can be taken in the North. The AgriFutures Australia Horizon Scholarship winners were also highlighted at the conference and the future is bright is for them.
Carolyn enjoyed catching up with Fiona McBean from Eva Valley Meats where TMI are helping demonstrate landscape rehydration at Old Cameron Downs near Batchelor, NT. She also met up with Emily Hinds who helped organise TMI’s first NT workshop at Eva Valley Meats while she was working at Territory NRM. We will always be grateful for both of their support.
It was a great opportunity to make more connections in the Top End for the future expansion of landscape rehydration and repair, including: David Gallacher (Northern Hub, Knowledge Broker), Angus Duguid (Arid Zone Research Institute, Regional Director Southern), Stu Adams and John Blanch (Agronomeye), and our partners at the Northern Drought and Innovation Hub, including Mike Clark and Charles Darwin University.
Message: There is a huge opportunity for agriculture in the North and its all about the people!
Key issues: Biosecurity, labour, remoteness, access to capital, indigenous enterprises, water and the role of Agtech.
Surprises: The local horticultural industry has grown immensely, which is testament to and typical of, the grit and determination of producers across the North. There is work to be done to break down the regenerative agriculture cringe by building understanding of land management that works with nature, and celebrating it.
Hats off to everyone at NT Farmers for this wonderful event, including Simone Cameron for the invitation to present on our work in the Territory.
The week was rounded off with the National Farmers Federation Towards 2030 Forum, where it is was lovely to catch up with Georgie Aley Partner at KPMG Australia who was launching the ‘Realising the Opportunity Report’ with the National Farmers' Federation in Darwin. This report considers and provides practical recommendations around how we can enhance and strengthen Indigenous engagement as part of the growth of Australian agriculture. Meeting Natalie Sommerville (President, Australian Women in Agriculture) was also a highlight. The future of agriculture in the North is a story of growth and collaboration.