Funding opportunities

BY DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

THE objective of the program is to deliver productivity benefits by increasing water use efficiency.

Do you have a commercial horticultural business in North Wanneroo or the Swan Valley? Do you rely on the ground water and are facing a 10% cut in your allocation in 2028?

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), together with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), currently has funding available under the Gnangara Horticulture Water Use Efficiency Grant Program (formerly the North Wanneroo Water Use Efficiency Scheme, which has now been expanded to include the Swan Valley).

There are 3 grant types within the program:

• Grants to implement water use efficiency infrastructure with up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $50,000, claimable.

• Grants to implement soil amelioration with up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $30,000, claimable.

• Vouchers of up to $5,000 to enable you to seek advice and planning from a professional irrigation consultant or soil health specialist.

Objectives of the program

The objective of the program is to deliver productivity benefits by increasing water use efficiency, by eligible horticultural businesses obtaining written advice on any or all of the following technologies including:

• Modifications to irrigation systems that increase the application of water uniformity

• Changing from sprinkler to drip irrigation

• Purchase and implementation of soil and/or crop sensor technology; crop monitoring equipment and annual data hosting fees

• Installation of protected cropping options, which may include greenhouses, glasshouses, shade houses, windbreaks, or permanent netting

• Soil amelioration strategies and inputs.

If you are unsure of improvements you should make, there are also grants available to enable you to seek expert advice and planning from professional irrigation and soil health consultants under the program.

Local growers in the defined area can access vouchers of up to $5,000 to engage qualified professionals to audit their properties, design efficient irrigation systems, and provide written advice on technologies, soil amendments and cropping strategies to improve water use efficiency within their enterprise.

FIGURE 1. MAP OF ELIGIBLE SUBAREAS.

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible to apply, you will need to demonstrate you:

• Own, share farm or lease property that you use for horticultural production in the eligible areas

• Conduct the majority of your primary production business in WA

• Operate as a sole trader, partnership, trust or private company

• Hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and are registered for GST

• Are a commercial primary production business (as defined in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997)

• Hold a water licence from DWER and your business in based in the eligible areas.

Applications will be assessed in the order they are submitted.

How to apply

Your application will need to be submitted online via the DPIRD website at — agric.smartygrants. com.au/WUEgrants or agric.smartygrants.com.au/waterusescheme

As funds are limited, applications will be assessed in the order they are submitted.

If you are interested in applying and need assistance with your application, email gnangaragrants@dpird.wa.gov.au