Reef Alliance Growing a GREAT Barrier Reef

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1 Reef Trust Phase III Reef Alliance Proposal Reef Alliance Growing a GREAT Barrier Reef In late December 2015, the Australian Government called for applicants to deliver the Reef Trust Phase III $56M programme. To be delivered by June 2019, the Programme has three components: Improving grazing land management to reduce erosion losses to the Reef Supporting Cane farmers to move beyond industry best practice for nutrient, irrigation, pesticide and soil management Maintaining water quality improvement momentum in Reef catchment grains, dairy and horticulture industries. The Reef Alliance (RA) consisting industry, Regional NRM bodies and WWF have been collaborating for more than eight years to help design and mentor deliver collaborative water quality improvement programs in agriculture. This successful model has now been transformed to a whole of reef delivery model to deliver the Reef Trust Phase III and more. A summary of the Reef Trust project proposal is provided below: Reef Alliance Project Summary Enabling farmers and graziers All industries - All catchments Transforming Reef Wide Delivery Integrated project Delivery This project will improve water quality across the Great Barrier Reef by enabling landholders to change practices in cane, grazing, dairy, horticulture, bananas, grains and cropping Delivered, for the first time, by an integrated GBR wide consortium of farmers, graziers, NRMs and industry groups, this project will redefine delivery of Reef 2050 Plan. Transforming links between GBR programs, regions and BMP by transcending geographic and administrative boundaries. The Reef Alliance project will deliver the whole Reef Trust III project The Reef Alliance will maximise GBR outcomes while ensuring profitable productive agricultural landscapes. Page 1 of 7

2 Reef Alliance Project Outcomes 1,441 famers and graziers across 2,118,770 ha Pollutant Load Reductions 10% DIN 5 % TSS The project will deliver a legacy beyond the 3.5 years of funding including: Cane A Reef-wide integrated extension network A reef wide and cross industry approach to innovation An framework for supporting strategic and aligned practice and engagement innovation Better systems for the consistent and comprehensive capture, management and analysis of practice change data across the GBR and the industry Strengthened regional governance frameworks Strengthened ownership and engagement by industry in driving improved practice change A greater level of community confidence in the industry and its environmental performance. 1,000 farmers across 150,000 to reduce DIN by 493 tonnes Project will also contribute to sediment and pesticide reductions Grazing 180 graziers across 1,707,500 ha to reduce sediment by 5%, 191,000 tonnes Project will also contribute to nutrient and pesticide reduction Grains 80 growers across 240,000 ha to contribute to 18,000 tonne reduction in sediment Project will also contribute to particulate nutrient reductions Horticulture 121 growers across 9270 ha contributing to 10% reduction in DIN and 5% in TSS Project will also contribute pesticide reductions Dairy Work with 100 dairy farmers and improve practices of 60 dairy farms across 12,000 ha Project activities will be split as follows: 51% Extension and training 13% for innovation 21% to incentives 10% administration, 4% Monitoring and Evaluation Page 2 of 7

3 Reef Alliance Project Description The Reef Alliance project is a balanced and integrated GBR wide approach to advance farmer practices beyond industry BMP and fast track the implementation of innovative practices. The Reef Alliance will deliver the next level of sustainable land use in all GBR catchments through an integrated Governance framework. This defines clear, concise roles and responsibilities for industry and NRMs and supports prioritisation and decision making at local, regional and GBR wide levels. To meet Reef Trust III outcomes, the project will coordinate, align and integrate delivery to capitalise on existing program investment, provide value for money, improve efficiency, enhance GBR sharing and avoid duplication. Its objectives are: To maintain and increase momentum towards water quality targets through continued practice improvement To target activity in priority locations based on GBR wide and regional tools such as the Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIPs) To build on the success of Reef Rescue & Reef Programme To broaden engagement and voluntary adoption of improved land use practices through innovative industry engagement and on-ground activities To provide a legacy of adaptive industry and community best management practice systems To deliver flexible commodity programs that take into account industry and regional capacity To provide GBR wide support services for consistent data management, MERI, reporting, liaison, science linkages and Paddock to Reef (P2R) coordination, streamlining administration and costs The project will ensure decisions are based on the best available science, transparency and accountability, and underpinned by strong partnerships. The success of the past 8 years of GBR delivery has been due to excellent reef wide, regional and local partnerships, which is the foundation of achieving the Reef Trust III outcomes. This will continue to increase the health and resilience of the GBR by improving water quality entering the GBR from broad-scale land use. Reef Alliance Principles The RA project will be delivered on the following principles: A MOU to be signed between all RA project members An inclusive management committee will oversee delivery, initial members will include industry, NRM regional bodies and conservation sector nominees Delivery will be through flexible single and/or multi-industry delivery plans that take into consideration Reef Trust, Reef 2050 targets, WQIPs and capacity across industries and regions QFF will report directly to the Australian Government and subcontract delivery at the local industry and NRM level for training and extension, incentives, innovation and partnerships RA members will be responsible for leadership of program delivery, accountability and communication There will be clear roles, responsibilities, transparent management and accountability for RA members and local delivery partners Ambitious targets and performance standards will be defined clearly, commensurate with the funds available, articulated to all stakeholders and adapted as the program is rolled out Delivery will be a mix of extension, incentives and innovation with an average across industries of 51% of funding for extension,13% for innovation and 21% to incentives Incentives will only be provided in high priority locations, based on clear action plans that eliminate a significant barrier to change. They must accommodate justifiable regional/industry differences and ensure efficient and consistent delivery of funds across the whole GBR Page 3 of 7

4 There will be clear links between specific on-farm or cross-farm actions and sub-catchment NRM and WQIP targets and reef water quality outcomes reported through P2R The project will include reasonable costs for central and efficient management, administration, monitoring and project coordination for RA members The project will be flexible to maximise the investment return on extension activities as highlighted through BMP programs Reef Alliance Governance The RA project governance framework, developed and endorsed by project members, has appointed QFF to act on their behalf for this application. QFF s appointment as a lead agency to administer the project on behalf of the RA would have a direct contract with the Australian Government and will report directly to Government. QFF is well placed to deliver this project; and has developed the core capacity, networks and alliances across industry, regional bodies and government to coordinate the delivery of outcomes crucial for the future sustainability and viability of Queensland s intensive agriculture sectors. The QFF lead agency role will ensure efficiency and significant cost savings for Government and a strong integrated governance model. The governance framework puts landholders at the centre of Reef Trust Phase III and recognises that RA members and delivery partners are the ENABLERS of practice change. A Memorandum of Understanding will bind RA members to the project delivery principles. A Reef-wide management committee will provide oversight. Coordination across the reef for each industry will be led by a nominated NRM and the relevant key industry body. This coordination level ensures consistency against high level reef wide delivery principles. Page 4 of 7

5 Delivery of the program will occur at the local level with NRM and industry delivery partners based on decisions made through regional working groups. Underpinning the RA Project will be GBR wide support services that will maximise the efficiency gains an integrated approach can deliver. These support services include data management, M& E, reporting and P2R coordination.. Each industry group and NRM body has extensive experience and capacity to deliver on-ground outcomes, for further information refer to the commodity specific section of the application. Reef Alliance Experience and Skills The RA members collectively have decades of skills, experience and knowledge across all industries, GBR catchments, Reef science and water quality and practice change programs. The members have collectively delivered 8 years of successful reef water quality programs. The RA project members are: Queensland Farmers Federation, Cape York NRM, Terrain NRM, NQ Dry Tropics, Burnett Mary Regional Group, Fitzroy Basin Association, CANEGROWERS, Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation, AgForce, Growcom, Australian Banana Growers Council, Regional Groups Collective, and WWF. In addition, details of delivery partners are included in each industry section of this application. The RA project governance framework, developed and endorsed by members of the project, has appointed QFF to act on their behalf for this application. The collective skills in QFF and the RA members are uniquely placed to ensure that this large and complex program rolls out successfully and efficiently across all regions and industries. Existing funded QFF and industry partnership staff will be used to support the project. Industry organisations and NRM bodies have: Strong relationships with farmer and graziers Regional level WQ and NRM planning Facilitation of local level industry partnerships for project delivery Extensive experience in delivery, support, trials and validation of innovation projects Administration of grants, training and extension Paddock to Reef reporting and coordination Experience in development and delivery of BMP programs Development and delivery of training and extension programs Linkages to industry research and development, researchers and scientists MERI, data management, reporting and synthesis of practice and WQ outcomes Communications Quality assurance Collaborations The RA project is supported by landholders, community and stakeholders based on existing enduring GBR wide and local partnerships that have already achieved water quality and on-farm practice improvements. The Project design has approval of peak and local industry bodies and stakeholders. The RA is made up of industry and NRM bodies with a common view to improving water quality and the health and resilience of the GBR. The RA builds on a 10 year partnership of regionally based NRM bodies, who work across the whole community for improved resource management outcomes, together with peak industry bodies who work with their members to sustain profitable sustainable farmers and graziers. The development of WQIP s and industry wide BMP has already included extensive landholder and stakeholder input. The project will implement priority actions identified by communities, agencies and partners through these plans and programs World Wildlife Fund were involved in the establishment of the project delivery model and have provided support for the application. Page 5 of 7

6 This project will be guided and delivered at the regional and local level via well-established networks and industry/nrm working groups. Monitoring and Reporting The RA will develop ONE collaborative GBR wide MERI Plan for the project covering all regions and industries. This will provide a consistent approach to evaluation, monitoring, reporting and measurement of targets and outcomes. This approach will be ground breaking in GBR wide delivery, this reflects recommendations by the QLD Audit Office to improve integration of GBR WQ delivery. The GBR wide MERI will facilitate learnings and adaptation within and across industries and catchments for better project outcomes. This approach is particularly critical for evaluation of water quality outcomes from one-on-one extension. By pooling experience, knowledge and resources, a consistent reef wide methodology can be developed for this task. The MERI will align with Reef Trust KPIs. Monitoring & reporting will occur through the Australian Government s MERIT system and Paddock to Reef. The primary focus of the MERI is to demonstrate that the key targets of farm area, land managers and pollutant load reductions are met by the project. Critical KPIs are: Land area managed under priority water quality practices for each industry The number of farmers that have changed to priority practices Cost effectiveness of activities as measured by reduction of pollutants Effectiveness of training and extension for achieving water quality outcomes Evaluation and learning of successful and unsuccessful innovation projects Translation and integration of validated innovations into accepted priority practices Integration and expansion of successful innovative engagement methods across the industry Legacy of improved practice management adoption Collation and analysis of programme data for integration into monitoring and evaluation frameworks (MERIT and P2R) to quantify water quality outcomes and inform adaptive management of the project Project deliverables will be tracked by central data support systems and funds audited in accordance with government guidelines. Linkages to other Reef Programs and Projects The RA project will integrate delivery by industry, regional NRM bodies and delivery agents to provide direct linkages with the source of NRM Plans, WQIPs, industry projects and initiatives. The RA project will integrate with other GBR, government, industry and relevant NRM programs including, but not limited to the following: 1. Reef 2050 and Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 The project will deliver against the key water quality actions in Reef 2050 and Reef Plan, which aim to reduce nutrient, sediment and pesticide pollutant loads entering the GBR. 2. Reef Programme -The project will build on the past eight years achievements in the current Reef Programme and the previous Reef Rescue program. The learnings and data from these programmes will assist with improved delivery methods that will see a greater return on investment. 3. Qld Water Quality Taskforce The project will integrate upcoming Qld investments as guided by the taskforce recommendations. 4. WQIPs - The project activities will deliver against the priority locations and practices recommended in the regional WQIPs. 5. Paddock to Reef - This project will target priority management practices identified by the Water Quality Risk Framework. Where necessary this will require moving farmers beyond industry best practice. The Page 6 of 7

7 project will provide practice change data to the P2R program ensuring accurate input to WQ modelling and delivery of the annual reef report card. 6. Industry BMP the Project will complement industry delivered BMP, by supporting the implementation of action plans, and assisting with interpretation of newly validated practices. 7. NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub and Qld Water Quality and Reef Research The project will link to research projects to enhance project and research outcomes. 8. National and state initiatives such as the Northern Australia White Paper. 9. Other projects details for each industry describes other local and industry specific linkages. Reef Alliance Project Legacy This project brings together the most critical organisations capable of influencing landholder and industry practices, enabling continuous improvement and supporting innovation. Project design elements to ensure longer term legacy are: Demonstrate proven water quality standard improvements Industry and NRM organisations, are best placed to consolidate and adapt BMP based on learnings from this project. BMP is critical to ongoing implementation and benchmarking of practice change, continuous improvement and integration of new validated practices. BMP will be an ongoing foundation for water quality and industry sustainability during and beyond Reef Trust III Extension is the major activity in this project which will deliver personally relevant direction and support most suited to individual and business circumstances, thereby maximising impact now and into the future The RA project governance arrangements will enable integration of a wide range of other initiatives, funds and opportunities, creating seamless delivery to farmers and enabling a wider range of interventions for longer term impact The RA will work with and seek to partner with all possible existing and future delivery agents building connections into a range of ongoing and future projects Coordination with government will help ensure influence of future policy and funding The core of the project is to support Reef-wide and cross industry learning ensuring to help target and achieve sustained behaviour change Maximum funding has been allocated to innovation in the project to test, validate and integrate practices beyond BMP and for longer term integration into and across BMPs A strengthened integrated extension network will continue to function beyond the project Systems support and streamlined data storage and management will ensure ongoing efficiencies The strength of RA partnerships will see the governance arrangements exist beyond Reef Trust III Page 7 of 7