Integrated Engagement and Capacity Building

The Integrated Engagement and Capacity Building Project aims to:

• build capacity of extension services and farmer peer-to-peer groups and networks
• build confidence and capability in farming communities
• enable changes that will achieve financial, social, and environmental sustainability and improve Reef water quality outcomes.

Our activities

To reach these goals, we:

• provide information, resources, training and networking opportunities for farmer peer-to-peer groups in the sugarcane, grazing, horticulture, bananas and grains industries in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchment area
• provide resources and advice to help farmers start up new peer-to-peer groups
• support regional and cross-regional events for farmers to learn about improved practices from other farmers
• provide funding for farming peer-to-peer group activities
• improve the skills of extension and advisory staff by providing information, training and development workshops, subsidised training courses and a comprehensive professional development training program
• facilitate cross-regional events for extension staff to network, share and learn together.

Local farmer groups can give farmers the opportunity to:

• discuss how new practices and technologies worked for them
• help each other understand innovative technologies and solve related practical issues.

What’s next?

We:

• will offer a range of extension training workshops (face to face and online) and training-course subsidies every year
• are developing eLearning modules to supplement face-to-face and online training
• will provide funding to support eligible projects for farmer groups (1 funding round per year). Email RP84Admin@daf.qld.gov.au for copies of the funding guideline, application form and further information
• will hold Reef extension think tanks in 2024 and 2026 to promote networking and cross-regional learning amongst extension and advisory staff. The first Reef think tank was held in Townsville in 2019 and was a great success, attracting over 100 extension staff working across industries in the GBR catchments
• will support regional events hosted by farmer peer-to-peer groups across the GBR catchments
• will hold a cross-regional event for farmer peer-to-peer groups in 2025 to promote networking and learning between farmer groups.