Knowledge about precision pastoralism for SMEs
The use of remote livestock management systems to manage sheep
and cattle from many hundreds of kilometres away is changing the
nature of pastoralism in Australia. Now station managers can
monitor waterpoints, weigh animals and draft them according to
their sale-readiness – all from the comfort of the homestead,
or, indeed, the beach.
This has already saved station owners thousands of dollars in
travel costs and time in five properties across Queensland, South
Australian and the Northern Territory.
It has also created a new product for a desert business, CAWD
Livestock, which is currently based on Napperby station in the
Northern Territory. In partnership with the DKCRC, CAWD Livestock
has developed the Remote Livestock Management System (RLMS). Two
RLMS units have been sold to the Northern Territory
Government’s Department of Resources, for use on its research
farms. As a result of this endorsement, more sales are being
negotiated to commercial enterprises and animal research
organisations. It is hoped that sales will continue to grow as
producers and researchers alike recognise the benefits of having
more information about their animals.
Desert Biz™ - Directory of Grants and Initiatives for
Desert Businesses
The DKCRC has produced a unique guide to help desert businesses
quickly find support, advice or funding from all levels of
government.
This Directory of Grants and Initiatives for Desert Businesses
is the first-ever nationwide guide to grants, assistance programs
and other initiatives of government, industry and organisations
that are available to support businesses operating in
Australia’s desert regions. It describes the type of grant or
initiative, eligibility rules and cut-off dates, and provides
contact details and other useful information.
The directory’s three sections cover grants or funding,
training or mentoring schemes, and other programs. The first
section of the directory lists grants available to business
entities, regardless of location. This is followed by the list of
grants and initiatives available to businesses operating in New
South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia,
Victoria and Western Australia.
The directory can be
downloaded in full or in part.
Staff attraction and retention
Understanding what makes people stay in a community is good
knowledge for a small business to have. Our report
Attracting and retaining skilled and professional staff in remote
locations says that remote communities that acknowledge
and deal with skilled labour shortages are more likely to thrive;
if they don’t deal with labour issues, they are likely to
wither on the vine.
Remote area towns have less difficulty attracting and retaining
skilled staff where there is pride in the community, the residents
support each other and the people have a ‘can do’
attitude. The realities of remote living such as harsh climate,
isolation, poor services and facilities can exaggerate the effects
of economic rationalism. Investing in a community on the basis of
efficiency rather than equity can put people off working in remote
communities. The financial incentives, such as housing and rent
relief, pay an important role, as does introducing people to remote
communities through training.
Knowledge about camels for SMEs
The comprehensive study (see reports 47–54 through this
link) into the impact of feral camels in desert Australia has
revealed a number of opportunities for small- to medium-sized
businesses in the region. Recommendations of the report included
expanding the broadscale aerial survey database, developing
infrastructure such as export-accredited abattoirs to support
commercial activities and using business models that foster the
involvement of local people through training (including mentoring
in business management) and flexible employment.
The reports state that both commercial and non-commercial
approaches to the management of feral camel impacts provide
opportunities for local economic development, employment, capacity
building, and empowerment. The overwhelming benefits of employing
land managers, especially Aboriginal people and pastoralists in
Caring for our Country type initiatives, should be recognised as an
activity that has national significance and is in need of sustained
investment.
Knowledge about bush products for SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises in the business of growing,
harvesting, processing, wholesaling and retailing bush products
have not, until now, had good information about what is happening
further up or down the supply chain from their own section. Like
many emergent industries, there is a high level of fragmentation
and isolation within the bush foods industry, which has made it
difficult for businesses to work together. The project area
‘Information flow along value chains’ has enabled
different groups to cooperate more, allowing critical mass to grow.
Another benefit of the research in this area is increased business
skills for individuals, which means that SMEs will have more
knowledge about how bush tomatoes can be used more widely in the
market, how to match these uses to supply sources (e.g. to bush
harvest and horticulture), and how to brand different sources to
attract buyers. For example, some discerning consumers in niche
markets are interested in the socio-cultural values of Aboriginal
people associated with bush harvest activities, so products can be
branded accordingly.
