Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator

Approved Regional Landcare Partnership agencies including Perth NRM are required to have a Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator (RALF), through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

The RALF is an important role that helps local agricultural practitioners develop new programs and access funding for projects aligned with the Australian Government’s national agriculture strategy.

The current focus for RALFs is supporting Sustainable Agriculture, which strongly aligns with Perth NRM’s vision for the future.

RALFs have monthly teleconference meetings that ensure that information flows to and from the sector to the experts, agencies and departments involved in setting the direction for the industry.

The key roles for a RALF include:

1. Engaging and informing farmers, community groups and agricultural industries within
   their management unit about emerging ideas, climate change activities, on‐farm
   biosecurity and chemicals management, innovative practices and relevant new
   government policy to help improve the sustainability, productivity and profitability of
   agriculture.
2. Facilitating partnerships that will best deliver agriculture outcomes, such as connecting
   industry, grower and community groups so that they can work together to address
   common issues.
3. Assisting farmers, community groups and agricultural industries to develop new projects
   and seek new funding opportunities e.g. Smart Farms Small Grants and Smart Farming
   Partnerships Grants.
4. Supporting the delivery of National Landcare Program 2 Sustainable Agriculture projects.
   Reporting to the department annually on the delivery of RALF services.
5. Participating in ‘Communities of Practice’ to better understand complex issues, improve
   networks and help develop solutions for national priorities.
6. Attending the RALF Annual Conference in Canberra and participating in regular
   teleconferences with the department.
7. Providing information, as part of two way communication with the department, about
   emerging issues and events within their management unit (e.g. reporting on the impacts
   of natural disasters on farmers, emerging farm management issues affecting
   sustainability, examples of farming better practice, and organising field visits for
   ministers).

Partners

We acknowledge and appreciate the support of all our partners, supporters, funding bodies and sponsors.