Water - key to food potential of northern Australia

Australia: Access to water resources is the key to realising the potential of northern Australia to sustainably increase its current area of crop and significantly increase beef production, delegates at the ABARE Outlook conference in Canberra were told today.

CSIRO Deputy Chief of Sustainable Ecosystems, Dr Peter Stone, presented his analysis of sustainable agricultural development in northern Australia.

“Northern Australia is already a significant food producer on a global scale, yet it can produce more. Currently, it produces more than $1 billion worth of cattle and about $200 million worth of crops each year,” Dr Stone said.

“Water, despite its large volume in the area, is limiting some agricultural development. However, water planning will be required to ensure that new water consumption is sustainable.”

Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce Chair, Joe Ross, said the development of groundwater resources provides the best prospect to support new consumptive uses of water.

Mr Ross said that smaller scale and more widely distributed irrigation systems offer significant potential and the taskforce supports these as an achievable and sustainable development option for northern agriculture.

Noeline Gross, General Manager of Northern Gulf Resource Management Group, said work is being undertaken to ensure that northern Australia’s untapped natural wealth is managed and developed in a way that secures resources, lifestyles, culture and natural capital for future generations.

Ned McCord from Banuba Pastoral Company talked about constraints and the way forward for independent cattle businesses in northern Australia.

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