RSA supporting GrownOnCountry

GrownOnCountry is an Indigenous gardening and farming project in the Northern Territory aiming to build capacity in different communities. It is an NT Government initiative and Dave Wilkes (RSA Northern Territory) has had a strong role in establishing the program with the NT Department of Resources. He is now discussing possible avenues for providing future funding through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
GrownOnCountry is an ambitious program with a 20-year time horizon aimed at building capacity in communities for growing basic crops at home as well developing commercial agribusiness opportunities.
The department will work with registered training organisations to provide technical training for Indigenous people to conduct their own operations or become competent for employment by commercial agribusiness entities that have entered into arrangements to produce food or forestry crops on Indigenous lands.

• GrownOnCountry
  
• Grow it at home

For more information on GrownOnCountry please contact the program at: grownoncountry.dor@nt.gov.au

Goals of GrownOnCountry

To develop the capacity of willing indigenous communities to enter into self-reliant and resilient agribusiness:

• Foster the development of a gardening culture and facilitate opportunities for either traditional owners or external partners in creating agribusiness enterprises on indigenous lands   
• Increase skills amongst indigenous people for engagement in their own local economies, and in agribusiness   
• Support/assist diversification

GrownOnCountry will build capacity for:

• Self-reliant  indigenous community farms and gardens
• Traditional owners undertaking commercial agribusiness
• Commercial farming developments on indigenous lands

The NT Department of Resources will work with willing indigenous communities, corporations and relevant stakeholders engaged with participating indigenous communities.

This will involve building skills and developing supporting materials for indigenous communities to conduct local gardening activities. It will also facilitate both traditional or new agribusiness opportunities employing indigenous people, and broker commercial development on indigenous lands for wealth and employment opportunities for Indigenous people.