Job-ready experience at its best: Farmlets help students prepare for future climates

Charles Sturt University has established nine drought-resilience farmlets as part of a program in Wagga Wagga, providing agriculture, animal science and veterinary students with hands-on experience in all-weather farming. The farmlets have been established with funding from the Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund.

Each farmlet is 6.5 hectares in size and has been set up with 50 per cent established pastures, while the other 50 per cent has been sown with dual-purpose crops. Each farmlet is stocked with 18 composite ewes and their offspring.

According to Senior Research Fellow Dr Shawn McGrath, the farmlets provide students studying relevant animal and agricultural science degrees with hands-on experience to ensure they are better prepared for future careers in a more challenging and variable climate. This innovative approach allows students to gain vital knowledge in managing livestock, pastures and crops through variable seasons, including periods of below-average rainfall.