The document discusses how fragmented peri-urban agricultural systems can be reconfigured to achieve integrated social, economic, and environmental outcomes. A 2006 forum found that a sustainable future was unlikely with a "business as usual" approach, but over 60% likely if an integrated extension program provided incentives for best practices. By 2010, 73% of mid-scale farms feared the region's farming future. The document advocates a collaborative service delivery model involving government, universities, and industry to support farmers through business development, training, and regional branding.

3. How can fragmented peri-urban agricultural systems which
currently adversely influence the health of catchments and
receiving waters be reconfigured to achieve integrated social,
economic and environmental outcomes in coastal catchments?

4. In 2006, 54% of midscale producers, natural resource
managers and scientists participating in a best management
practice forum thought there was less than 15% likelihood
that adopting a ‘business as usual’ approach would achieve
sustainable co-existence between agricultural, the
community and downstream fisheries in the region

5. However, 83% of those participants considered that there
was a greater than 60% chance of achieving a sustainable
future for farmers and fisherman in a scenario involving an
integrated area-wide sustainable agriculture extension
program was delivered in conjunction with incentives for the
adoption of the best management practices that all those
present had agreed to at the forum.

6. Seventy-three percent of the mid-scale farming enterprises
interviewed in 2010 stated that they feared farming, as it
stood in the region, did not have a viable future.
“ It is not the strongest species that
survive, nor the most intelligent,
but the ones most responsive to
change. ”
Charles Darwin

7. Systems Reconfig

8. Key Message
To reconfigure peri-urban
landscapes, collaborative
initiatives between industry, local
councils and regional
government must deliberately
rearrange the social, economic
and ecological connectivity of the
agricultural system to adapt to
new circumstances, perform new
tasks, and recover from damage.

9. New Rural Development
• A new rural development paradigm has emerged
globally over the last decade,
• Connecting practices of landscape management, agritourism, organic and sustainable farming, and value
chain analysis and management.
• Questions remain as to the extent to which peri-urban
agri-food systems will be self-reconfiguring and to
what extent government intervention is required to
effectively facilitate the transition.

10. • Lifestyle driven population change;
• increasing consumer demand for local, healthy and
sustainable food
• Lerner and Eaken (2011) suggest there is increasing
evidence that the growing middle-class demand for
healthy, more sustainable foods can potentially
reverse the trend of dwindling agricultural
production in peri-urban areas of the developed
world.

11. Sunshine Coast Food Futures
• A series of projects spanned the agri-food value-chain
• Featured a high level of collaboration with industry, local
government, university and other researchers.
• Led by the Queensland Government as part of a pilot
‘networked government’ service delivery model
• Involved research, planning, extension and business
development activities as part of ongoing sustainable
agriculture extension networks and regional economic
development programs.

12. Participatory Action Research
• Participatory rapid rural appraisal
• Scenario analysis involving 102 primary producers and
peri-urban residents;
• Semi-structured interviews with 34 traditional mid-scale
farmers;
• Face to face questionnaire surveys delivered to 180 micro
to small primary producers and food artisans, and food
manufacturers
• Internet Surveys of 100 Restaurateurs & Chefs, and
853 Local Food Consumers

13. A collaborative service delivery model that involved:
• the state government allocating business development
officers and agricultural extension officers to support
farmers and food artisans;
• contracting specialist presenters to lead targeted training
workshops, followed by one-on-one mentoring;
• local government program support to create and market a
collective regional brand (Seasons of the Sun).
• Research projects were embedded within service delivery
projects and distributed between academics, local food
social enterprises and local food champions with results
rapidly communicated to stakeholders.

14. Fragmentation is Advanced
Lots >0.2 and < =20ha
Lots >100 ha

15. Gross Output by Primary and Resource
Industries SEQ 2001-2026 ($Millions)
Horticulture
1000
900
800
$Million
700
Horticulture
600
Intensive animal
Cropping
500
Grazing
400
Other agriculture
Forestry, fishing, mining
300
200
Intensive Animal
100
0
2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026

17. 48 Different Types of Produce

18. 20 Classes of Artisanal Food
Products

19. Estimated Value of Agricultural Holdings
•
$200K - $349K
9%
$350K - $999K
6%
>$1000K
2%
<$22.5K
31%
$100K - $199K
13%
$50K - $99K
16%
Median
Income
$22.5K - $49K
23%
Source ABS (2008)
Sunshine Coast & Cooloola

20. Changing Face of Supply Chains
60
Percentage of Sales
50
40
30
20
10
0
Central Wholesale
Markets
Direct to National
Retailer
Local Retailer or
Wholesaler
Direct to Public,
Farmgate or Market
Restuarants Direct
Destination of Product
Mid-Scale Farm Survey
Micro-Small Farm Surveys
Food Processor
Export

22. Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO

23. Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO

24. Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO

25. Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO

26. Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO

28. Most Preferred Future
45
No of Respondents
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Increased
Production
from
Monoculture
and Cane
Mid-scale
Diversified Subtropical
Agriculture,
Cooperative
Agriculture
Small
ScaleEnviroFriendly and
Organic
Systems
Controlled
Residential
Rural Lifestyle Development of
Blocks with
Caneland
Patches of
Agriculture
Scenario
Intensive Eco
tech

29. EXPECTED FUTURE
Do Nothing More
50%
45%
Percentage of Respondents
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
1. Increased production 2. Mid scale diversified 3. Small scale enviro4. Controlled Rural
from monoculture & sub tropical agriculture,
friendly & organic
Lifestyle bocks with
grazing
cooperative farming
systems
patches of Agriculture
Scenario
5. Residential
development of
caneland and similar
farmland
6. Intensive Eco-tech
Production in managed
landscapes

30. OPPORTUNITY
Transitioning to a Sustainable Value Chain

31. Supply chains push products from upstream
Value chains’ products are pulled by consumers

36. Manufacturers &
Food Service

37. • Almost 60% of mid-scale farmers agreed they would
explore their options for entering a local food supply
chain if there was more support available to learn
how to adapt their enterprise to profit from this
transition.

38. Micro-Small Primary Producers
Overwhelming interest (76%) in
exploring opportunities in the
local food value chain
70% were able to supply a local
distribution system
64% would increase production
to supply a local distribution
system

39. CONSTRAINTS
•
•
•
•
•
•
Inadequate Distribution Systems
Market Failure – duopolisation, incomplete market knowledge
Inadequate Branding and Marketing
Insufficient Production Knowledge, Training and Support
Inadequate price signals in the market for local sustainable food
A perception that changes in government priorities had led to a
significant reduction in government agricultural extension
Photo: C. Nickerson USDA 2009

40. Influence that an efficient
local distribution system
would have on local
supply
25
20
Great
influence
No
influence
15
10
5
0
A great influence
Somewhat of an influence
Of very little influence
No influence

42. Support development of a web-based information
portal and distribution system for local food?

43. Barriers to Consumption
Both residents and tourists suggest the five most
significant barriers to consumption of local food were :
• its lack of promotion;
• lack of information on where to find it;
• it is not clearly branded as local;
• it is not readily available; and
• it is not well labelled.

44. Integrated Area-Wide Extension
In 5 years after 2006 forum 80% of producers in the pilot
area had substantially adopted the BMP recommended

45. Peri-Urban Service Delivery
• The networked government
delivery model received strong
support from industry,
• One food enterprise owner
suggested “I have been involved in
a long list of government private
sector collaborations – this one is
by far the most productive, useful
and meaningful.”

46. Conclusion
Without further investment in place-based
collaborative research, planning, capacity building
and economic development the local food
movement in these peri-urban areas is likely to
continue to occupy only a narrow ‘alternative’
cultural and economic space.