UWA Farm Ridgefield is a 1600-hectare mixed-enterprise farm near Pingelly in Western Australia’s grain belt, which experiences a Mediterranean climate and an annual rainfall of 425mm. The farm supports agricultural research at UWA including the Best Practice Farming Systems (BPFS) Project, which aims to find best practice solutions for resilient farming systems, environmental stewardship and community engagement.

Previously known as the Future Farm 2050 Project, the BPFS Project facilitates multidisciplinary research and innovation to deliver robust farming systems that are economically viable, environmentally credible and create tangible social benefits. The BPFS Project is guided by the following strategic priorities.

Mitigation of on-farm greenhouse gas emissions: Substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant livestock, cropping activities and promote widespread adoption of renewable energy in regional WA.

  • Adaptations for the changing climate: Implement climate adaptation innovations that protect the viability of livestock and cropping enterprises.
  • Profitable, ethical production systems: Profitable dryland farming systems that deliver clean, green and ethical products and outcomes that meet consumer and community expectations and underpin our social license.
  • Restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity: At landscape scale, use native plant species to restore biodiversity and soil functions to provide ecosystem services such as water availability, carbon capture and erosion prevention. Learn about the Multiple Ecosystems Services Experiment [PDF 7MB].
  • Education, community engagement and capacity building: Build partnerships with regional communities in targeted educational initiatives, capacity-building and outreach projects with triple bottom line outcomes and societal benefits.
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