Farm food for thought

RESTORING habitat on marginal farming land would fight climate change, prevent species loss and put money in farmers’ pockets, according to a team of scientists.

The University of Queensland team says the proposal would lead to 30 per cent native vegetation cover of almost all of Australia’s degraded terrestrial ecosystems on marginal farming land.

The program would cost 0.1 per cent of GDP each year and would meet one-sixth of Australia’s contributions to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Farmers could continue to produce valuable crops on prime land while also rebuilding the environment.