Project Catalyst is a pioneering partnership between more than 70 innovative Queensland cane growers and major program partners. One of the key focuses of Project Catalyst is the improvement of water quality from agricultural catchments that flows into the Great Barrier Reef. Working directly with innovative farmers to trial and validate their farm management practices, Project Catalyst is able to support and promote practical solutions to increase water use efficiency, prevention of runoff, reduced application of nutrients and pesticides as well as better management of soils. The reduced pollution loads from the work of the Project Catalyst farmers entering the Great Barrier Reef are a testament to the value of the program. This program supports a growers forum to showcase innovation in sugarcane.
Project catalyst has helped to reduce runoff by 190 tonnes by reducing pesticides, soil analysis and improving fertiliser. There were 78 more farmers involved in Project Catalyst at the end of 2016 FY compared to 2009. It is estimated that the farmer-led innovation from Project Catalyst has improved the quality of 150 billion litres of water flowing into the reef.
Monitoring Organisation Reef Catchments
Name Katrina Dent
Phone 4968 4207
Email katrina.dent@reefcatchments.com
Position in organisation General Manager
Activity Type science and research (e.g. monitoring activities, trials of innovative practices or new equipment)
Activity Indicators water quality in freshwater river basins
Activity location Don catchment, O'Connell catchment, Pioneer catchment, Plane catchment, Proserpine catchment
Frequency of monitoring
Monitoring Start Date 01/07/2010
30/06/2018Location of monitoring data
Date quality / confidence
Website URL http://reefcatchments.com.au/land/project-catalyst/
Collaborators Terrain Natural Resource Management, NQ Dry Tropics, the Australian Government, WWF and The Coca-Cola Foundation.
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