School leaders from rural communities have commenced a unique program at Flinders University that helps them overcome their challenges and harness outside-the-box opportunities to benefit students. This is part of a larger effort to improve education quality in remote and rural communities across Australia. Schools in tightknit rural communities can be a great place for … Read more
The future of the Australian Outback is at a crossroads. It can be shaped either by default and inaction or deliberately, preserving the natural, cultural and economic value of this irreplaceable landscape. Households in outer-urban and remote areas of Australia are more likely to experience transport disadvantage than those in urban areas. This is due … Read more
Rural youth are eager to develop into productive individuals and become connected with their communities. But they need good income-generating opportunities to do so. A survey of 10 – 18 year old out-of-school rural youth showed that they aspired to careers in farming and building and construction trades. CapED is facilitating skills development to fulfill … Read more
Local communities recognize that farmland is a finite resource and have sought ways to protect it. Regulatory tools ranging from agricultural protection zoning to purchase of development rights have been used with varying degrees of success. Agricultural protection zoning ordinances prohibit non-farming development on prime agricultural soil and may include subdivision limitations, land-use conflict resolution … Read more
If agriculture-dependent communities are to be resilient, they need to be able to respond to drought preparedness needs at a grassroots level. This can be achieved by leveraging community assets, knowledge and networks. FRRR, with support from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, is working with communities to develop and implement regional drought resilience planning … Read more
Despite the growing benefits of digitization, many people remain excluded from online opportunities. This is unsustainable and unfair, and must be addressed. Developing and developed countries alike can help to bridge the digital divide by supporting policies, stable network providers, and robust cybersecurity. This can also be done by focusing on the social barriers that … Read more
The emergence of new technologies in agriculture is leading to an evolution in farming practices resulting in improved crop yields. This is having significant ecological benefits in terms of reducing chemical overuse, which causes water contamination and environmental damage to soil strength. The key factors that influence farmers’ adoption behaviour are resource endowment constraints, access … Read more
Biodiversity underpins a range of essential services to humans, including food production, air and water purification and climate stabilisation. Despite the efforts of many people, however, biodiversity continues to decline. This is because a ‘extinction debt’ persists from past environmental degradation and current conservation actions are unlikely to reverse the trend. Threats to Biodiversity There … Read more
Providing children with the time and space for unstructured, self-directed imaginative play is one of the most important ingredients for fostering creativity. This needs to be combined with adequate supervision, guidance and resources. Despite research showing the life changing benefits of music education, 63 percent of Australian schools offer no classroom music. Thankfully, the Limestone … Read more
Sustainable land use means the use of land in ways that allow for the economic viability of production and preservation of the natural resources upon which it depends. This involves a balance of efficiency, equity and acceptability. Availability of hydro-climatic and other associated natural resource data is a prerequisite for the development of sustainable land … Read more