South Australian irrigators say they are pleased to have finally accessed some Federal Government funding for irrigation infrastructure projects.
The Government yesterday announced it would provide $1.2 million for new proposals to improve irrigation efficiency in the state.
The funding will be spent on a business case which will aim to unlock about $200 million for South Australian irrigators.
The Central Irrigation Trust’s CEO, Gavin McMahon, says the case will propose to recover 40 gigalitres of water, which would benefit local irrigators.
“You could actually use the revenue that you get from the water for projects for re-configuration in farms,” he said.
“So you … might be able to buy the block next door, make some efficiency gains, hand some of the water back to the Commonwealth for the environment but also other things like [the] purchase of plant and equipment to help make you more efficient.”
Mr McMahon says there will be huge benefits for local irrigators if the business case is successful.
“It gives people the opportunity to purchase neighbouring blocks beside them, get the economies on their farms and convert them over and get much more efficient runs on that, so we think that there are some really good things in this project that can help our region,” he said.
