Sustainable farming practices are not just good for the environment, they contribute to the long-term financial sustainability of any agricultural business.
Farms with high natural capital and effective environmental stewardship are more likely to be resilient in the face of climatic and other stressors, which helps maintain or increase their long-term profitability and their value as an asset.
However, a lack of consistent and cost-effective metrics and methods remains a key barrier to farmers, businesses and institutions (e.g. banks, insurers and government) incorporating natural capital into financial and other decision-making.
This project focused on the Australian viticulture industry and built on over ten years of industry sustainability data collected by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). The team analysed the data and worked with Australian wine-grape growers to identify links between environmentally sustainable practices and financial performance.
This project established metrics that enabled growers to benchmark their performance and supported their ongoing environmental and financial sustainability. The metrics developed could assist banks to calculate risk and reward sustainable producers with more favourable lending terms.
Key outcomes included:
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