More than one million hectares of broadacre farmland are estimated to be affected by dryland salinity in Western Australia, causing significant production losses.

In this episode, Dr Richard George from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) reflects on four decades of work tackling dryland salinity across Western Australia.

He unpacks the complexity of salinity in the Wheatbelt, tracing its historical roots and examining the pressures of land clearing, climate, and agricultural practices on salinity levels, and outlines practical management strategies that have emerged from years of research.

The conversation also looks ahead, highlighting the potential of water‑smart farming approaches to better manage water in a drying climate and support more resilient agricultural systems.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.

• Sandy soils series: Re-engineering sandy soils into productive land - SW WA Hub
• Drought Resilience in Action webinar series: Making the most of salinity - Facey Group
• Managing soils - DPIRD
• WaterSmart Farms – water security and resilience in a drying climate - DPIRD
• Hub news - Drought Hub

Declining rainfall and reduced water availability since the 1970s have made efficient water use in food production more important than ever.

In this episode, Dr Julia Easton and Professor Mark Gibberd from the Centre for Crop Disease Management at Curtin University discuss the 'On Farm Water Demand' project, funded through the WA Node of Food Agility CRC.

On Farm Water Demand is a regional project that began with a community meeting and grew into a multi-farm trial using soil moisture sensors and irrigation monitoring to better understand water use in high-value crops like avocados, truffles, apples, wine grapes, and potatoes.

With 27 farms involved, data was collected year-round to track irrigation and soil moisture. Farmers used this to fine-tune decisions, whether daily or seasonally, and to back up choices with evidence rather than just instinct. The project highlights how structured data supports business planning, water efficiency, and even climate adaptation modelling at a catchment scale.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

• Curtin 4 Agribusiness Profitability (C4AP) - CCDM
• Southern Forests Drought Node - Southern Forests Food Council
• On-Farm Water Demand - Food Agility CRC
• Hub news - Drought Hub

In this episode, we’re joined by Jethro Sercombe, Director of Innovation Practice at Third Story, and Tanya Kilminster, SW WA Hub Knowledge Broker, for a deep dive into co-design in agriculture.

Together, they unpack what co-design really means and explore how it can be applied to agriculture-related projects to achieve stronger outcomes. They highlight why intent matters: true co-design is about making decisions with stakeholders, not steering them toward a pre-determined solution. Done well, co-design strengthens projects, builds trust, and fosters lasting relationships rather than burning bridges.

Whether you’re working with a grower group, leading an on-farm team, or involved in broader agricultural projects, this episode offers practical insights into the essential elements of co-design, and how to make it work effectively.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.

• ThirdStory
• Co-design in agriculture takes centre stage at SW WA Hub Breakfast - SW WA Hub
• Hub news - Drought Hub