Nature Repair for Productive Agriculture

Summary of talk: Using a series of images from 1949 to 2024, John will illustrate management and land use changes on his property and the impact that is having on productive agriculture in the Yundi district and its landscape.  He will show how he restored swamps and established his carbon project; explain lessons learned along the way, including finding alternatives to the Australian government markets for carbon and nature; and also demonstrate how the changed management has contributed to agricultural productivity.

Biography: John Fargher is a natural resource economist, agricultural scientist and primary producer.  He worked in agricultural development across more than 80 countries for the past 45 years, but is now increasingly focused on nature repair to enhance agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods. Since 2019 John has focussed on restoring Fleurieu Peninsula Swamps and rewilding degraded farm land at the Yundi Nature Conservancy, in the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia.  He has established a demonstration carbon farming project, and worked with Pew Charitable Trusts to inform the design of the Nature Repair Market.  This work is used to advocate for practical market arrangements that are realistic for private landholders. John has developed a practical, working relationship with Ngarrindjeri families and leads a network of more than 45 private landholders restoring Fleurieu swamps on their farms.