Are you interested in looking into alternative income sources for your farm?
Kiewa Catchment Landcare groups and Wodonga Urban Landcare Network are looking for 10 pilot farmers to participate in our New Futures Project. In this project, we will develop a landscape plan to understand alternative investment markets for our region.
Project overview
Income diversity can reduce risk and create opportunities for our farming community.
Environmental markets (carbon and biodiversity), supply chain (sustainability requirements over time), or other investment markets may lead to new or diversified funding streams for our farming community.
Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups (KCLG) and Wodonga Urban Landcare Network (WULN) have been successful in a new program called ‘New Futures’. Through this program, we will prepare a plan for the Kiewa-Wodonga Landscape (see attached map) over the next 9 months, from April to December 2025. The plan development process will explore new and emerging investment markets that may be possible for our region.
- We are seeking 10 farms to be ‘pilot farmers’ to support us in understanding landscape opportunities for our region.
- Participants will complete a farm-scale assessment using the Regen Farmers Mutual (RFM) model to explore options for their property, landscape interventions, and investment opportunities.
- Individual farm information will be collated to identify patterns and options for investment across our region.
- ANU Sustainable Farms will lead an evaluation survey as part of this process and Landscape Finance Lab will support the process around financial modelling.
If you are interested in being part of this exciting opportunity please submit an Expression of Interest via the form linked below.
By becoming a pilot farmer, you will:
- Receive a carbon emissions estimate for your property
- Receive a one-year membership to Regen Farmers Mutual, which will include access to the Biodiversity and Carbon Opportunity Finder tools
- Build relationships with 10 other farmers and the project partners
- Receive a report for your farm, including landscape intervention options and investment opportunities based on your management goals and aspirations. At the end of the 9 months you will have the option to pursue any identified opportunities, based on your own management and productivity goals.
- Be able to contribute to strategic thinking to determine big-picture opportunities that could assist our farming community become more resilient in the future.
Time commitment
- Pilot farmers will required to attend 2 workshops (half day) and 1 field day (full day)
- Pilot farmers will complete an on-farm assessment with an Advisor using the RFM model
- There is the option of attending 5 other co-design workshops to build your knowledge around this process.
- There will also be the option of attending 4 free training sessions to build your skills around different markets: 1) Environmental markets (face to face), 2) Understanding your land management units and management actions (online), 3) Theory of Change & Farm to landscape level practice (online) and, 4) Local economy, Finance, Banking & Supply chains (online).
Requirements:
- Need to participate in a farm assessment, including providing data for your carbon estimate in May 2025.
- Attend nominated workshops/field day (as outlined above)
- Come with an open mind and be willing to explore new avenues for your farm and the broader region
- We are looking for a range of farm enterprises and property sizes (min 20 ha) across our catchment.
More information
More information on the program can be found on Landcare Victoria’s website here.
If you want to delve deeper check out this webinar which outlines the New Futures Project and the first two pilot landscape action plans which were completed in 2024: New Futures webinar – learnings and opportunities Dec 2024.
For more information contact Shannon Brennan: facilitator@kclg.org.au or Jo Vincent WULN network-facilitator@wodongalandcare.org.au
Closing date
Expressions of interest are due no later than 5pm Sunday 11th May 2025
