TOPOCLIMATE LAND RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

FARMING SMARTER PROGRAMME INFORMATION

Introduction to the FARMING SMARTER System

This book outlines what is contained in the Nine Module programme and tells the stories of farmers who have benefited from the practical Topoclimate farm planning process.

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Knowing your farm - Knowing yourself

• Discover the power of a written statement of a vision for your property
• Improve your effectiveness by committing to a written set of Aims and Objectives for your farm.
• Set targets for where you want to be with your farm in two, five and ten years time
• Produce a properly scaled aerial photograph of your farm as a basis for accurate application of resources.
• Identify the infrastructural features of your farm that will not change to take into account these factors when writing your vision.
• Identify infrastructural features for which change could be considered to give you a basis for planning changes.
• Map your current land use as a starting point for change.
• Develop a land use capability overlay for your property to determine opportunities and restraints.
• Produce a contour map covering your farm to use as the basis for microclimate analysis and other land use planning aspects.
• Create a number of copies of your base infrastructure maps which you can use for mapping your land resources and planning your farm development.

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Understanding MICROCLIMATES

• Understand what a microclimate is and the power of this information.
• Learn how to measure and identify microclimates so you can harness this power.
• Know how to measure temperature variants to obtain accurate information to identify microclimates.
• Know how to analyse temperature data so you can identify the cold and hot spots on your farm.
• Be able to produce a microclimate map to show the spatial temperature information in a simple, understandable way.
• Understand the significance of other factors (eg: humidity) on microclimates and how they can affect your farming systems.
• Discover through case studies how farmers have used microclimate data in farm planning.

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Understanding your SOILS

• Identify the critical soil factors (soil structure and horizons, soil chemistry, moisture holding capacity, salinity etc) affecting your property.
• Develop an understanding of the Soil Mapping process to assist with your understanding of soil processes on your property.
• Be able to collate data on the identified critical soil factors to make better farming decisions.
• Know how to apply soil data to farming practices to improve profitability.
• Understand tools such as the Soil Structural Vulnerability Index (SVI) to prevent soil damage, particularly structural collapse. 

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Understanding your WATER RESOURCES

• Be able to identify the critical water resources factors affecting your property.
• Understand water resources mapping processes to better understand the trends and patterns of water resource quality and quantity on your property.
• Be able to collate data on identified critical water resources factors relating to quality and quantity as part of overall risk management.
• Be able to measure the impact of climate change on water resources in order to protect your property against these trends. 
• Understand tools for physical resource data analysis including concepts such as Readily Available Water (RAW) content. 

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Understanding SALINITY

• Be able to identify the critical salinity factors affecting your property so you can learn how to manage these factors. 
• Understand the salinity mapping process including the terminology and methodology of the mapping process so that you can interprete salinity maps of your property.
• Know how to collate data on identified critical salinity factors relating to land quality and rates of salinisation.
• Be able to identify trends and patterns so that you can effectively manage your salinity issues.
• Understand how to use the tools for physical resource data analysis including tools such as salinity Index, EM31 and EM38 processes and radiometrics. 

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Environmental Values

• Be able to identify how environmental values impact on your property so that you can manage these impacts.
• Understand the environmental values mapping process including the terminology and methodology of the mapping process so that you can identify environmental values on a spatial basis.
• Be able to collate data on the identified critical environmental values relating to quality and quantity so that you can make value judgements on the importance of these values in your farming system.
• Know how to analyse environmental data using statistical tools that identify trends and patterns so that you can effectively managing the environmental assets of your property.
• Have an understanding of tools for physical resource data analysis including tools such as native vegetation plans and wildlife surveys and how these can be useful on your farm.

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Choosing the right PASTURES AND CROPS

• Be able to identify the crops and pastures most suitable for your property based on analysis of your physical resource data so you can improve the profitability of your farming system.
• Know how to collate production data on your identified crops and pastures to help you make decisions based on facts rather than guesses.
• Understand how to analyse crop and pasture options using economic tools to assist in the decision process.
• Be aware of tools such as Plantgro for selection of suitable crops and pastures to help you establish the most suitable selections for your property.
• Have an understanding of the need for critical mass in development of new crops and how to involve your neighbours and community in your new crop choices.
• Appreciate the need for and importance of complementary facilities for processing and marketing of produce to make the whole process of land use change work.

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FARM PLANNING - putting it all together

• Know how to assemble your physical resource data into a Farm Plan for your property in order to Farm Smarter. 
• Possess the skills to collate base production data on your property to measure and monitor change in order to manage and benefit from the change process on your farm.
• Be able to analyse farm management options using economic tools to make rational decisions between farming options. 
• Identify and be able to use tools for selection of suitable farm management options to maximise the sustainable profitability of your farm. 
• Appreciate the need for community co-operation to address farm management issues beyond the farm gate to support change and learn the skills to catalyse community change.

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