A REPORT into the outlook for natural resources in the South West land division has produced mixed results.
The report card was released by the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) at the WA Sustainable Agriculture Forum in Fremantle last week and outlined the status of the State's agricultural land management.
The report highlighted the current status of 10 key indicators of land condition including soil acidity, wind erosion, water erosion, soil organic carbon, soil compaction, water repellence, dryland salinity, nutrient status, nutrient export and acidification of inland waterways.
Despite progress in some areas, the status and trend in many indicators of resource conditions was adverse.
It is hoped the findings will provide insight into the challenges for the South West region to remain productive and sustainable.
The report covers the land conditions across the agricultural areas of the South West, from Esperance to Geraldton.
DAFWA executive director John Ruprecht said the report card was significant because it highlighted the challenges faced with productive land and water for long-term profitability.
"It gives us an idea of priority areas to focus on, but also in what areas, so we can help the regional NRM groups, and research groups, and we can prioritise our own work to really make a difference in improving the land and water," Mr Ruprecht said.
He said the next few months would see DAFWA bring relevant parties together to establish a plan for monitoring.
"So we are using this report as a catalyst to start looking at some other components of what we do," he said.
"We are looking at how we revitalise our monitoring and assessment, and how we get more value out of that, not just what DAFWA does but what regional NRM groups, research agents, grower groups and how we can get better value out of all the work we do to get better of the resource."
He said the report card ws a valuable resource for the department, other State and Commonwealth organisations, community groups and growers.
"This document draws on existing data from the department and industry to provide a detailed analysis on the status of our agricultural land, backed by robust scientific evidence," he said.
"It also helps us to decide what responses there should be and certainly about information and assessment through to new tools and approaches.
"We should be looking at things where we can make a difference with new and different approaches."
DAFWA soils science leader Noel Schoknecht said the biggest challenge in compiling the report was determining which indicators to include.
He said it was also difficult to establish a process on how to report the findings.
"What we have done in the report card is make it transparent," Mr Schoknecht said.
"It's not a black box, we can defend it and say how we got it, but at least we can argue how we drive those assessments."
Mr Schoknecht said he hoped to look at more integrated assessments in the future, particularly land management practices, because they could be used to drive change.
"My point is this in itself is nothing unless we do something about it," he said.
"So my next role in the department will work to see what we can do to address these issues.
"I am only looking at the results of actions, what we really need to do is what farmers are doing and how that is impacting on those results.
"At the moment it is like I am a doctor looking at the symptoms, we need to be looking at what is the cure.
"And the cure is helping farmers with their management."
Mr Schoknecht said the issues were relevant to everyone, and it wasn't a blame game.
"It's about saying that is in all of our interest to do something about it," he said.
"When we do our next report card, what we don't want to be doing is reporting that things got worse.
"So what I would hope out of all this, we get engagement and we start to work together to help farmers improve practices so in 10 years time we can improve the trends."
