
Soil is one of our planet’s greatest assets, it is the foundation that grows the food and fibre that feeds and clothes our population. Soils also underpin many landscape processes, they are essential for agriculture but also to the functioning of water, nutrient and carbon cycles and for supporting biodiversity.
​
The Healthy Soil NT program provides farmers and land managers with the practical tools and information they need to protect and improve their soils. The program includes training, knowledge sharing and one on one activities to increase:
​
-
Understanding of the relationship between land management practices and soil condition
-
Access to relevant soil health information and advice for managing soils
-
Practical skills to sample and interpret soil test results and apply methods for managing soils
-
Understanding of the fundamentals of soil fertility and nutrition
-
Interactions within the agricultural industry, through individual engagement and outreach activities with soil extension officers
CHALLENGS OF
SOIL HEALTH
Northern Territory soils are some of the most fragile in the world and our producers face challenging conditions for soil management including vast areas, wet and dry seasons, extreme heat, low soil fertility, and the pressures of rising input prices.
​
To ensure that farming in the region continues to be competitive and sustainable, it is imperative that farmers and land managers are knowledgeable and skilled in soil management, and have access to the information and support they need to protect and manage their soils.


Participants from he third block of the Sustainable Soils Skillset Training Program delivered across the NT.
.jpg)
Soil Extension Officer, Jack Farthing, works with producers to assist in understanding soil management and health

Andy Ho, participant of the Soil Your Undies Challenge
get involved
​Territory Natural Resource Management (TNRM) invites anyone with an interest in soils to get involved in conversations and networks through our peer-to-peer learning events and community of practice groups.
Sustainable Soils Skillset
The Sustainable Soils Skillset training program from the University of Queensland (UQ Skills) teaching units from the Diploma of Agriculture including face-to-face workshops in Alice Springs, Darwin and Katherine has now concluded. The program focused on supporting farmers, pastoralists, industry extension staff and land managers across the Northern Territory to learn and share knowledge and experiences with the common goal of regenerating and maintaining healthy soils in the Top End for ourselves and future generations. Territory NRM would like to thank all those involved for taking part.
Soil Symposium
The Soil Symposium roadshow is held once a year in Darwin, Kathrine and Alice Springs. The Symposium brings scientists, farmers and passionate soil industry people to present ideas and experiences that promote soil conservation and soil health.
​
Soil Health Visits ​
Our Soil Extension Officers work one on one with producers to assist in understanding soil management options, soil health and soil testing.
​
Soil Your Undies
The Soil Your Undies Challenge is a very useful tool to demonstrate to farmers the nutrient-cycling abilities of soil. Farmers are provided with a pair of cotton underpants which they bury in the topsoil and leave for a period of eight weeks. During this time soil microbes begin the process of breaking down the cotton fibres as they slowly decompose the underpants.
​
After eight weeks the undies are exhumed and farmers are exposed to the stark representation of their soil capacity to break down nutrients. The more decomposed the underpants the higher the nutrient cycling capacity and thus the healthier the soil.
​
The video focused on two growers and one agronomist from Katherine. We brought in Dr Oliver Knox from the University New England (UNE), the founder of the Soil Your Undies challenge in Australia, to help with the technical explanation of what we found. The aim of the video was to capture the candid responses of growers when seeing their undies after 8 weeks and to ask them questions about soil health and management practices.
​
The video highlights the function of biology in the soil it also shows how different types of soils and different management options affect the results. The fantastic thing about the video is it really shows the audience what producers feel when they dig up their undies and see all their hard work has paid off.

BUILDING CAPACITY & KNOWLEDGE OF SOIL HEALTH
join the conversation
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
NT Soil Consortium
The NT Soil Consortium Facebook Group is a forum for land managers, soil experts and any one interested in soil to network, share ideas and discuss all things soil related.
​
CONTACT
US
contact us
For more information on the Healthy Soils NT program contact Soil Extension Officer Jack Farthing:
​
Email: jack.farthing@territorynrm.org.au
Phone: 0460 951 040
​
Check out our events page for upcoming workshops and training opportunities.
LATEST NEWS
Healthy Soils program activities are delivered by Territory NRM through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program.