Call for carbon farming insights

Charles Sturt School of Business PhD candidate Emily Webster is leading the project.

Ms Webster’s PhD is looking at drought preparation of farmers across Australia.

She started her PhD in January 2019 and is also collaborating with carbon farming organisation Climate Friendly.

She said drought could have a devastating impact on farmers’ lives, business, family and community.

“Understanding how farmers prepare for droughts and where they may need help can be used to inform government policy and industry,” Ms Webster said.

“Support for farmers is essential to maintaining high-quality agriculture that has been established.

“In the changing conditions we find ourselves, farmers of this country are continuing to innovate and show their resilience.”

She said carbon-farming activities created positive environmental impacts generally and it was believed that a positive link between carbon farming and drought-resilience existed.

Ms Webster is aiming to prove the biophysical benefits of carbon-farming activities can build drought resilience through regenerative-grazing practices to maximise pasture productivity, increasing soil carbon resulting in landscape rehydration and providing shade and shelter for livestock.

She said carbon farming provided a diversified income for farmers, helping them to maintain their financial stability during drought and allowed them to prepare for drought financially.

Ms Webster is seeking participants from all levels of engagement with carbon farming, from landholders not engaged in carbon-farming-like activities, through to those with a registered carbon-farming project.

The research covers land-based and the financial effects of carbon farming, as well as the business planning that goes into drought preparation.

The survey is open until Monday, February 28. For more information, email Ms Webster at emwebster@csu.edu.au