The National Soil Strategy is Australia’s first national policy on soil. It sets out how Australia will value, manage and improve its soil for the next 20 years. It was released in May 2021.
Photo Credit: James Cook University
The Strategy prioritises soil health, empowers soil innovation and stewards, and strengthens soil knowledge and capability.
These priorities have been identified through research and practical examples, government policies and programs, and by consulting with governments, industry, researchers, farmers and other land managers across Australia.
Collaboration is a key feature in the development of the National Soil Strategy, It has been developed by the Australian Government, state and territory governments, the National Soils Advocate and the soil community to secure and protect Australia’s soil for the future.
It will enable farmers to increase their ability to build farm resilience by planning and maintaining environmental plantings to protect soil.
The National Soil Strategy will also support Australia’s domestic and international commitments towards a more sustainable future, such as the Australian agriculture sector’s goal of being a $100 billion industry by 2030, and the Australian Government’s priority of building resilience in our communities and adapting to a changing climate.
To learn more about the National Soils Strategy, visit the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Regional Soils coordinator
Dhiraj is an experienced Agronomist with a demonstrated history of working in the farming industry. Dhiraj is highly skilled in Negotiation, Business Planning, Sales, Agronomy, product innovation and Food Safety and Quality management. Dhiraj has a Bachelor degree in Agricultural Science, Majoring in Entomology and Plant Pathology from Gujarat Agricultural University, India. As the Regional Soils Coordinator, Dhiraj will provide networks for researchers, primary producers and community groups to work together to enhance drought resilience practices, as well as work with service providers to deliver more integrated and targeted soils services to communities, broker partnerships with industry and stakeholders to build capability, and to coordinate service delivery and share the latest soil science and tools to support the Smart Farms Small Grants: Soil Extension Activities program and the Communities of Practice (CoP).
We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of this country and pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and Elders, past and present, of the land on which we stand today, the Djabugay (pronounced Jap-ur-kai), Yirrganydji (pronounced Irri-kan-dji) and the Gimuy Yidinji (pronounced Goom-eye Yidinji) people (and all other country/people joining us today).
In the spirit of reconciliation, we also acknowledge the valuable contribution that Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to make to James Cook University and the broader community.