Rural Solutions SA’s operates from 30 regional service centres throughout South Australia.

Its activities have led to strong working relationships and an intimate knowledge of local challenges.

Land and water issues; escalating costs and competition; the cultural and economic limiters to innovation and industry restructuring – all are fundamental to our regional future. It is also one of Rural Solutions SA’s objectives to contribute to South Australia’s Strategic Plan that aims to enhance the rural economy, environment and society.

Here it can play an advocacy role, identifying and expressing local issues that enhance Government policy formation.

Rural Solutions SA can also help Governments and communities find opportunities and solutions and take these and actively implement them – via dedicated teams drawn from its 260 regional staff - delivering training, information and strategy to assist sustainable growth of regional business.

This is backed by technical on the ground consultancy to strengthen access to resources and business opportunities.

Such work has included managing State, Commonwealth and private sector projects in:

• Regional land management
• Environmental management systems
• Salt mapping
• Water use efficiency
• Water recycling and
• Property assessment and business planning.

Specific regional sector work has included:

• Market research work leading to value-adding opportunities for the potato industry;
• Setting up supply chain programs in the native foods industry;
• Identifying niche market segments for horticultural products;
• Assessing market intelligence on supply chains to assist industry segments on the Northern Adelaide Plains;
• Five-year project to assist developing olive oil industry with research on best crop varieties.

Laboratory testing services

Key regional services provided by Rural Solutions SA laboratories are fast analysis of seed germination, seed certification, crop yield analysis – plus plant tissue analysis for improved crop performance and land, water and soil monitoring.

Sustainable tree farming

In a project with a joint venture that involves two Japanese paper mills and five other Japanese partners, Rural Solutions SA helped establish and manage Adelaide Blue Gum (Pty Ltd).

Aimed at providing regional employment and a model for expansion, this innovative venture uses native plantation timber. Rural Solutions SA services include land acquisition, gaining necessary development approvals, establishing and maintaining individual tree farms, public relations and responsible and accountable land management.

The project will generate around 250 000 tonnes of woodchip worth some $25m exported annually.

Contact: Martyn England.

Targeting pest animal and plant management

How could the significant economic, social and natural resource impacts from pests to the SA Murray Darling Basin be managed?

By partnering with state and local authorities and groups, Rural Solutions SA has so far helped identify and prioritise the management of 140 weed species and 15 vertebrate pest species. In a climate of limited funding, the process has provided a more efficient allocation of mitigation and minimisation resources.

Contact: Adrian Harvey.

Efficient Irrigation Schemes

Rural Solutions SA has led collaborative activities, involving local irrigation communities and government agencies, has seen the collection of case studies of more than 70 irrigators from Bookpurnong Lock 4, Pike, Murtho and Taylorville irrigation districts.

The Intergrated Crop Management Service (ICMS) is developing a prototype Irrigation Record Keeping and Evaluation System (IRES) software. This allows irrigators to calculate irrigation volumes applied to planting patches and evaluate irrigation efficiency using the software. This is backed by training workshops and property visits and technical support.

Contact: Tony Adams