PIRSA's role in Natural Resource Management (NRM)

PIRSA is committed to a number of priority areas in sustainable primary industries:

• Access to natural resources of quality and quantity for sustainable primary industry development through land use and landscape planning
• Adaptation to and mitigation of climate change impacts through implementing the Climate Change Management Framework (PDF 716.8 KB)
• Integration of economic and environmental outcomes
• Facilitating industry innovation and industry level accreditation and recognition systems to enable response to broader community/market expectations of NRM.
• Growth of productive and internationally competitive primary industries through developing and making available sustainable systems technology
• Industry embracing development within established sustainable limits through facilitating industry development plans and State NRM Plan alignment
• Planning for integrated industry development and NRM through best practice planning policy on NRM, and development application assessment fully considering spatially and temporally cumulative impacts
• Industry and community have the capacity to deliver sustainable outcomes, through supporting development of skilled people, networks, information and programs
• Research and Development: delivering innovative NRM science and technology outcomes, through research responding to identified needs
• Contribution to coordination and integration mechanisms that strengthen working relationships across all sectors and industries and, at all levels
• Biosecurity risks that are well controlled and managed: through development of policy and legislation and implementation of the SA Biosecurity Strategy   

Climate change

The PIRSA Climate Change Management Framework (January 2011) (PDF 716.8 KB) identifies PIRSA’s strategy and action in South Australia’s primary industries (agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, minerals and energy resource sectors) to support ecologically and economically sustainable development under changing climatic conditions. During 2011, an Action Plan will be finalised and implemented.

The Climate Change Act 2007 provides measures to reduce greenhouse gases in SA and a Climate Change Adaptation Framework centred on regional and sectoral adaptation is being prepared (2011).

See Adapting to Climate Change for further discussion of climate change in primary industries.

Natural Resources Management

In 2004 the South Australian Government enacted legislation to promote sustainable use and management of the State's natural resources. The Natural Resources Management Act 2004 established an integrated management arrangement that:

• recognises and protects the intrinsic value of natural resources
• seeks to protect biological diversity and support the restoration of lost or degraded ecological systems and processes
• provides for the protection and management of catchments and the sustainable use of land and water resources and to restore water resources that have been degraded
• supports sustainable primary and other economic production systems with particular reference to the economic value of agriculture and mining activities
• aims to control impacts caused by pest species of animals and plants that may have an adverse effect on the environment, primary production or the community
• promotes educational initiatives and provides support mechanisms to increase the capacity of people to be involved in the management of natural resources

Administering the Act and achieving its aims are largely in the hands of the eight regional NRM Boards but the support of individuals and organisations, including farmers, is vital.

The guiding document for natural resources management is the State Natural Resources Management Plan 2012-2017 (PDF).

PIRSA works with other agencies and organisations in managing and utilising natural resources, including:

• Department for Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
• SA NRM Council
• NRM Boards
• Planning SA
• Rural Solutions SA (RSSA)
• The SA Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
• Commonwealth Dept. of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
• Commonwealth Dept. of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DCCEE), and others.

Environmental Legislation

The Summary of Environmental Legislation for Primary Production in SA provides a focus on the activities commonly carried out by farmers (for example: using chemicals, accessing water resources, managing wastes) and the State and Commonwealth legislation that regulates those activities. PIRSA updates details annually. For the latest version, go to Summary of Environmental Legislation.

The full range of South Australian legislation may be found at http://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/browseActs.aspx (external web site)

Sustainable Agriculture

Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) is 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' (WCED, 1987). Economic development in agriculture through ESD is one of PIRSA's major goals.

Farmers are 'stewards' of our natural resources. They not only utilise our soil, water and ecosystems to produce food and fibre but also manage, preserve and improve them for future generations. In this role they face a challenge - to balance use of natural resources for economic production while maintaining the value and productivity of land, water and ecological systems (ecosystems) and resources in the long term, both on and off-farm.

PIRSA aims to support sustainable agriculture by providing a holistic approach to natural resources management and sustainable development via:

• sponsored research in managing natural resources and climate change in agriculture
• education and training opportunities for primary producers
• advice to primary producers in addressing and adapting to climate change and its impacts on agriculture
• assistance in surviving drought conditions and accessing government drought relief
• coordination of primary industry advice to the State's Natural Resource Management Boards
• advice to government from an agriculture perspective on natural resources management, climate change and economic policy

Farming systems

A systematic approach to farm business adopted by many producers helps to improve efficiency, raise productivity and lessen the impact of farming on the environment. In principle, this is a simple cycle that provides for Planning, Operations, Monitoring (operations and results) and Review (of the system and its outcomes). In further detail, it involves analysing current activities and results of the business, setting objectives and targets, recording activities and conditions and subsequently reviewing and revising the process in light of experience.

Environmental Management Systems and farm or property management systems provide a valuable process to establish orderly procedures and improve efficiency and productivity while working to reduce environmental impacts of Agricultural operations. Further information on EMS is available from the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF external site).