Healthy soil is essential for sustainable agriculture. It supports productive farms, resilient environments and healthy natural resources for future generations.
The Climate-Smart Agriculture Program invests in soil health and information through two main streams:
- Soil Capacity Building
- Soil Information.
Soil Capacity Building
The Soil Capacity Building grants are comprised of two grant rounds:
- $5.94 million for a team of Regional Soil Coordinators (closed non-competitive).
- $2.06 million for a National Soil Community of Practice (restricted-competitive).
These targeted grant opportunities opened on 7 February 2024 and closed on 5 March 2024.
The grants aim to:
- support networks for researchers, primary producers, and community groups to work together
- provide a forum for soil practitioners to share the latest soil science information and tools.
Soil Information
The Natural Heritage Trust soil health investments include two national programs.
National Soil Monitoring Program
$21.6 million has been invested to help understand the condition and trends of soils nationally.
This data will help land managers, researchers and government make informed decisions to improve soil health. Data will also be made publicly available through the Australian National Soil Information System.
Australian National Soil Information System (ANSIS) Phase 2
$6 million has been invested to help improve access, sharing, and use of nationally consistent soil data and information to help sustainably manage our soil. This will also help to support decision-making and policy outcomes.
In addition to dedicated soils initiatives, projects focused on soil health were also funded through other Climate-Smart Agriculture Program investment streams.
Contact us
For more information contact soilprograms@aff.gov.au.