$3.6m grant for SW water security
A $3.6 million grant has kick-started a proposed irrigation network aimed at adding 12 gigalitres of water a year to the Warren-Donnelly region to increase production.
Water Minister Mia Davies and Regional Development Minister Terry Redman announced the Royalties for Regions program funding in Manjimup last week.
The Water for Food project will assess the viability of constructing strategic community dams with capacities of up to 2GL each.
"The most viable options for local water supplies will be identified - along with related infrastructure - to support expanded agriculture activity," Ms Davies said.
The dams would harvest and store water in high rainfall years and provide for a reticulated system to multiple properties.
Ms Davies said the project would improve water use efficiency to benefit growers.
"We're here today to try and strengthen what you do down here. We want to find ways to lift production to provide private sector investment opportunities to improve grower confidence," she said.
An advisory group to be set up to work alongside the project will include representatives of local growers, the Southern Forests Food Council, South West Development Commission, Manjimup Shire Council, the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Water.
SFFC chairman and local grower Bevan Eatts said if all growers put in an effort, the region would be among world leaders.
"This is the opportunity we have here - get involved, have your say and we can make this work and the outcomes will benefit everyone," he said.
"It benefits not just the farmers but the region as a whole."
Mr Redman said there were 11 Water for Food projects across the State, including $5.7 million worth in the Myalup-Wellington area.
"For years there has been talk of a network to secure water, which is fundamental to what you do in this area," Mr Redman said.
"There's $100 million dollars of produce coming out of this area and you've now got a new water minister who is right behind it and making sure we can do the work to see what we can do."
To increase the value of horticultural production in the region by 50 per cent in the next 15 years, water constraints would need to be addressed, Mr Redman said
