Advanced Irrigation
Technology Project

Growing Gippsland's drought resilience with technology and better soil

Advanced Irrigation Technology
This project centres around a demonstration of soil moisture sensors for Gippsland’s vegetable industry, providing an opportunity for vegetable growers to experiment with using soil moisture sensors in the context of short-cycle crops, a setting which has not seen much adoption of the technology.

Using soil moisture monitoring is likely to result in more efficient use of water and a decreased risk of nutrient and sediment runoff into waterways as a result of over or under watering.

The purpose of the project is to build drought resilience among Gippsland’s vegetable producers and concurrently work to reduce the risk of damaging nutrients and sediment finding their way into the Gippsland Lakes.

The project’s objectives are:

  1. To increase the water use efficiency of the host landholder over the peak vegetable growing season, between September 2021 and March 2022.

  2. To increase the adoption of soil moisture monitoring technology by Gippsland’s intensive vegetable growing industry by the end of the project (August 2022).

3. To increase engagement between Gippsland’s intensive vegetable growing industry, Agriculture Victoria and the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.

 The Project Reference Group is made up of representatives from –

  • Agriculture Victoria (Alexis Killoran, Billy Marshall, Scott Botten)

  • West Gippsland CMA (Anthony Goode)

  • Elders (Noel Jansz)

  • AUSVEG (EnviroVeg program: Danielle Park)

  • Tripod Farmers (Farm Manager: Walter Chadwick)  

This program is funded by a Natural Resource Management (NRM) Drought Resilience Program Grant, part of the Future Drought Fund.

View the online launch of program → it provides in depth detail of the program and introduces the industry stakeholders.

A Field Day was held at the Tripod Farms demonstration site in June 2022, where a representative from Ag Logic.
Download a copy of the presentation →

Resources for growers and agronomists

 

For more information about this project, contact:

Amanda Gould, VegNET Gippsland Regional Development Officer
e: info@foodandfibregippsland.com.au