BCG: Indigenous project ‘exciting’
Regional agricultural research leaders believe a project to explore the potential of Indigenous dryland food plants in the Wimmera-mallee might ultimately lead to greater cropping diversity and seasonal security.
Birchip Cropping Group, BCG, chief executive Fiona Best said a collaborative project involving researchers, landowners and the Indigenous community also represented a unique opportunity.
“What we’re looking at could act as a model for other Indigenous agricultural engagement,” she said.
Not-for-profit BCG, at the forefront of broadacre farming innovation in the region, is in partnership with lead agency Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Wimmera Development Association and Wimmera Catchment Management Authority in analysing the bushfoods concept.
The plan is to also bring private landowners and farmers into the mix.
BCG’S role in the partnership is to investigate ways of how a regional bush-food industry might operate based on growing and harvesting produce.
The organisation has applied for Agrifutures Australia funding to launch a research workshop to bring together regional, state and national stakeholders such as the First Nations Bush Food and Botanical Alliance, Greening Australia and relevant industry and government representatives.
Much will depend on validating differing scales of national and international market opportunities.
Ms Best said a long-term goal would be to establish a network of growers and processors producing a range of bush-food produce that would generate ‘integrated social, economic and environmental benefits’.
“Initially the project focus would need to be on meeting supply and demand,” she said.
“Ultimately it could help in providing alternative income streams through conventional enterprises and new or existing businesses across the region. A workshop would have various objectives to identify economic, social and environmental values, consider existing markets and market-access strategies, operational and resource constraints, existing research and examples of similar projects.
“Getting to the workshop stage will be dependent on funding.”
Exciting
Ms Best said BCG had always been at the cutting edge in agricultural research and extension on behalf of growers across the Wimmera and southern Mallee.
“We’ve been undertaking valuable independent research for 30 years and this is the first time we’ve looked at the bush-food industry, as alternatives in cropping,” she said.
“It’s also a great opportunity to work and be partners with the Indigenous community as well as private landowners to scale up something that has cross-cultural benefits and is really quite exciting.
“From a farmer perspective it provides a chance to explore alternative crops when considering sustainability and risk-management plans.
“It might also help bolster the region’s agricultural ability to withstand climatic variability.”
Barengi Gadjin Land Council economic development manager Tim Mccartney announced earlier this month the land council was examining domestic and export opportunities of bush-food production.
Mr Mccartney, a Wotjobaluk man, said considering the potential of what types of bush food could be developed, cultivated and produced on various scales for domestic and international markets was a ‘no-brainer’.
He said the land council had been busy working, especially at its wholesale plant-production site at Wail Nursery, on identifying key market-demand species and various propagating, growing and harvesting techniques based on establishing commercial quantities.
Australian native food plants under analysis include saltbush, quandong, yam daisy, chocolate lilies, native thyme, kangaroo grass and river mint.
Mr Mccartney said for the project to work there would need to be significant buy-in from various stakeholders, clear directives and processes, identification of market potential and demand and even alterations to some laws.
“We can clearly see this as something with growth potential, not only for an industry, but also for the region and a pragmatic business approach to recognition, protection and respect of Wotjobaluk people’s knowledge and culture.”