Greening by the Metre
A$256
of $50,000 targetyrs ago
Closed on 14th Nov 2015 at 1:15AM.
As a tumultuous shift in global dynamics sees wave after wave of homeless refugees seeking basics such as food, water and shelter, the downturn in Australian mining heralds soaring unemployment for Indigenous Australians.
Our solution is to apply one issue to address the other - by supporting and assisting Indigenous Australians to demonstrate how vast global resources of desert and drylands can be used to grow crops to overcome famine and address climate change.
Greening by the Metre is a not-for-profit initiative that avoids dipping into the public purse to deliver a viable lands solution for crops for livestock fodder and food security that combats climate change by cultivating the desert and marginal drylands where otherwise, nothing else can grow.
By the year 2021 - the end of the United Nations Decade of the Desert - we will sustain and repair more than 100,000 Hectares of degraded desert, drylands and marginal land in Australia by championing and empowering Australia's Aboriginal Communities to:
Arrest global desertification
Combat climate change
Improve farm productivity
Revive wildlife habitat
Repair diminishing ecosystems
Reduce soil erosion
Grow crops for medicines and wellness products, and
Provide high protein foods and fodders for food security to combat global famine
Over 25 years this activity will create:
More than 300 million manhours of Indigenous employment
More than 50 million tonnes of nutritional animal fodders, food protein, flour and medicines, and
The capture of more than 20 million tonnes of GHG emissions to combat global warming.
In doing so, we go beyond just creating employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians - we will encourage a new generation of Indigenous businessmen and entrepreneurs to profit from a host of related business activities in a manner that is dignified and respectful of Indigenous culture and history.
See: www.greeningbythemetre.com
Our methods mimic nature and by engaging with Indigenous Communities - the world's oldest living culture - to help us by applying their 40,000 year history and affinity with the land, we can change lives for the better by repairing the desert and drylands to produce significant environmental, business, social, cultural and sporting net gains.
The plantations qualify for the creation of accredited soil carbon as carbon offset (ACCU's) for sale by auction under the Government's Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) returns from which will be applied to roll out additional plantations over time.
Desert plantation at Gayathi in Western UAE where Greening the Desert trials saline ground water for irrigation practices
Deserts and drylands support 50% of the world's livestock and wildlife and account for nearly half of all cultivated lands system to meet the basic needs for 2.1 billion people - as well as harbouring some of the world's most valuable and rare biodiversity.
By the year 2050, the global population will reach 9.3 billion and food production will need to increase by 44 million tonnes every year to meet demand.
Saltbush plantation at Dimboola in the Wimmera of Western Victoria to overcome sporadic weather patterns for the cultivation of marginal lands.
Indigenous Australians are like you and me. They want jobs (not handouts) and they want a say in their future and they want to be involved in their own projects and business outcomes. They want respect for themselves and their property rights and to consent to activity conducted on their own lands and waterways. They want to secure a fair and equitable return on their capital and labour.
Greening the desert - metre by metre - is the start.
See also: www.greeningthedesert.com
See more
Saline and drought resistant crop growing without irrigation or fertilizer in arid conditions at Dimboola, in Western Victoria
Preparing a paddock - that otherwise would be unusable - in readiness for sowing at Kellelac, Western Victoria. Note the non-till method for land preparation
Our solution is to apply one issue to address the other - by supporting and assisting Indigenous Australians to demonstrate how vast global resources of desert and drylands can be used to grow crops to overcome famine and address climate change.
Greening by the Metre is a not-for-profit initiative that avoids dipping into the public purse to deliver a viable lands solution for crops for livestock fodder and food security that combats climate change by cultivating the desert and marginal drylands where otherwise, nothing else can grow.
By the year 2021 - the end of the United Nations Decade of the Desert - we will sustain and repair more than 100,000 Hectares of degraded desert, drylands and marginal land in Australia by championing and empowering Australia's Aboriginal Communities to:
Arrest global desertification
Combat climate change
Improve farm productivity
Revive wildlife habitat
Repair diminishing ecosystems
Reduce soil erosion
Grow crops for medicines and wellness products, and
Provide high protein foods and fodders for food security to combat global famine
Over 25 years this activity will create:
More than 300 million manhours of Indigenous employment
More than 50 million tonnes of nutritional animal fodders, food protein, flour and medicines, and
The capture of more than 20 million tonnes of GHG emissions to combat global warming.
In doing so, we go beyond just creating employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians - we will encourage a new generation of Indigenous businessmen and entrepreneurs to profit from a host of related business activities in a manner that is dignified and respectful of Indigenous culture and history.
See: www.greeningbythemetre.com
Our methods mimic nature and by engaging with Indigenous Communities - the world's oldest living culture - to help us by applying their 40,000 year history and affinity with the land, we can change lives for the better by repairing the desert and drylands to produce significant environmental, business, social, cultural and sporting net gains.
The plantations qualify for the creation of accredited soil carbon as carbon offset (ACCU's) for sale by auction under the Government's Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) returns from which will be applied to roll out additional plantations over time.
Desert plantation at Gayathi in Western UAE where Greening the Desert trials saline ground water for irrigation practicesDeserts and drylands support 50% of the world's livestock and wildlife and account for nearly half of all cultivated lands system to meet the basic needs for 2.1 billion people - as well as harbouring some of the world's most valuable and rare biodiversity.
By the year 2050, the global population will reach 9.3 billion and food production will need to increase by 44 million tonnes every year to meet demand.
Saltbush plantation at Dimboola in the Wimmera of Western Victoria to overcome sporadic weather patterns for the cultivation of marginal lands.Indigenous Australians are like you and me. They want jobs (not handouts) and they want a say in their future and they want to be involved in their own projects and business outcomes. They want respect for themselves and their property rights and to consent to activity conducted on their own lands and waterways. They want to secure a fair and equitable return on their capital and labour.
Greening the desert - metre by metre - is the start.
See also: www.greeningthedesert.com
See more
Greening in Western Victoria
Saline and drought resistant crop growing without irrigation or fertilizer in arid conditions at Dimboola, in Western VictoriaPreparing the land
Preparing a paddock - that otherwise would be unusable - in readiness for sowing at Kellelac, Western Victoria. Note the non-till method for land preparation
Mr. Parry Agius - the Chairman of IMFA
The Chairman of IMFA - Mr. Parry Agius has held many important and relevant civic and Government positions, including:
President & Director, Aboriginal Business Industry Chamber of South Australia Inc.;
Sessional Commissioner, Environmental Development Court of South Australia;
Board Member, CSIRO Minerals Resources Flagship Strategic Advisory Council;
Presiding Member, Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Board.
2005 - Awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship (first Aboriginal person in South Australia to be awarded this honour);
2000 - Recipient of the Prime Minister’s Centenary Medal (awarded for work with South Australian indigenous people);
Facilitator and Presenter for Aboriginal Cultural Awareness and safety Workshops;
Member of Indigenous Leaders Roundtable on Property Rights (Australian Human Rights Commission):
Presiding Member - Alinytjara Wilurara National Resources Management Board, responsible for national resource management for the Maralinga Tjarutja Lands, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, Aboriginal Land Trust Lands, Nullarbor Plains and Great Australian Bight coastline to the State Minister for Environment, Water and Natural Resources to ensure the sustainability of the environment through effective risk management practices to mitigate the effects of climate change and fires on Indigenous Communities:
Indigenous Business Australia - member National Working Group, Indigenous Investment Principles (IIP) under the guidance of David Murray, AO, inaugural Chairman of the Australian Government Future Fund, and Chair of the International Forum of Sovereign Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds.
Federal Court of Australia, Panel member, Community Dispute and Resolution.
Professor Sergey Shabala (left) of UTas; Mr. Parry, Chairman of IMFA (centre) and Mr. Gabriel Haros, Managing Director of Greening the Desert (right) inspect saline irrigated crops at the UTas Research Farm, Cambridge, Tasmania.
President & Director, Aboriginal Business Industry Chamber of South Australia Inc.;
Sessional Commissioner, Environmental Development Court of South Australia;
Board Member, CSIRO Minerals Resources Flagship Strategic Advisory Council;
Presiding Member, Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Board.
2005 - Awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship (first Aboriginal person in South Australia to be awarded this honour);
2000 - Recipient of the Prime Minister’s Centenary Medal (awarded for work with South Australian indigenous people);
Facilitator and Presenter for Aboriginal Cultural Awareness and safety Workshops;
Member of Indigenous Leaders Roundtable on Property Rights (Australian Human Rights Commission):
Presiding Member - Alinytjara Wilurara National Resources Management Board, responsible for national resource management for the Maralinga Tjarutja Lands, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, Aboriginal Land Trust Lands, Nullarbor Plains and Great Australian Bight coastline to the State Minister for Environment, Water and Natural Resources to ensure the sustainability of the environment through effective risk management practices to mitigate the effects of climate change and fires on Indigenous Communities:
Indigenous Business Australia - member National Working Group, Indigenous Investment Principles (IIP) under the guidance of David Murray, AO, inaugural Chairman of the Australian Government Future Fund, and Chair of the International Forum of Sovereign Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds.
Federal Court of Australia, Panel member, Community Dispute and Resolution.
Professor Sergey Shabala (left) of UTas; Mr. Parry, Chairman of IMFA (centre) and Mr. Gabriel Haros, Managing Director of Greening the Desert (right) inspect saline irrigated crops at the UTas Research Farm, Cambridge, Tasmania.
Indigenous Australians
We affirm that Indigenous Australians want a say in their own future and involvement in their own projects and business outcomes. They want respect for themselves and their property rights and to consent to activity on their own land and waterways. Indigenous Australians want to secure a fair and equitable return on their capital and labour.
Accordingly, we encourage a future delivering land tenure, working capital, employment and ultimately, business ownership for the development of business and entrepreneurial skills for Indigenous enterprise to help themselves and many disadvantaged and starving people around the world by changing lives for the better.
Accordingly, we encourage a future delivering land tenure, working capital, employment and ultimately, business ownership for the development of business and entrepreneurial skills for Indigenous enterprise to help themselves and many disadvantaged and starving people around the world by changing lives for the better.
Indigenous Monetary Fund of Australia (IMFA)
IMFA - We wish to acknowledge the participation and contribution made by the members of the Indigenous Monetary Fund of Australia (IMFA) and the enthusiastic backing of its Managing Director Mr. Parry Agius, whose knowledge and understanding of necessary factors for Greening by the Metre to come to terms with Aboriginal culture in a commercial and business sense, is paramount for a successful outcome.
Our supporters - we wish also to acknowledge the generous support and assistance of the Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery for its Gift Vouchers and David Jones for providing David Jones Gift Cards as rewards for our donors.
Our supporters - we wish also to acknowledge the generous support and assistance of the Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery for its Gift Vouchers and David Jones for providing David Jones Gift Cards as rewards for our donors.
Overseas rewards
As David Jones does not ship goods outside of Australia, David Jones Gift Cards cannot be redeemed by overseas donors. Accordingly, overseas donors (or those requiring delivery outside Australia) may elect to increase the value of their Mandel Purchase Voucher by an amount equal in value to that of their David Jones Gift Card reward.
How The Funds Will Be Used
Every $1.00 contributed will repair one square metre of marginal or degraded landscape or desert.
This means for example, the repair of one acre of 4,000 square metres of desert landscape will cost $4,000 to repair including costs for access roads, weeding, land preparation (non-till) planting, seeds, ongoing land management practices, fencing and maintenance. All of these activities will employ Indigenous Australians.
A significant part of the cost will be used to erect substantial fencing and barriers to protect newly sown landscape from trampling by wild animals and livestock and to contain a broad range of damage from herbivores such as rabbits, hares, kangaroos, feral goats and camels.
An initial project in preparatory stages is for the Scotdesco Aboriginal Community (www.scotdesco.com) a vital and vibrant Aboriginal Community located 150 Kilometres south of Ceduna on the South Australian West Coast, where a property of about 10,000 acres comprising marginal cropping country and running a relatively small number of Wiltipol sheep will apply Greening the Desert methodologies to create accredited carbon offset for ERF bidding and for planting regimes for extended grazing and the harvesting of crops for productive fodder pellets, flour and protein powder.
A typical fencing system to overcome invasive herbivores such as feral camels, kangaroos, rabbits, hares & goats.
This is a once only cost however - after establishment - repaired land plots will continue to generate regular income for many generations for Indigenous Australians from soil farming to create carbon offset (ACCUs) by virtue of the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) from grazing, regular harvesting and the sale of cash crops for fodders, livestock feed pellets, flour that is high in protein levels for human consumption and from protein powders free-from gluten, dairy, soy and allergens.
Negotiations are in train with both domestic and international companies for off-take agreements for continuing supply. Thus income generated from ongoing sales can be re-invested back into the land over and over to grow the program exponentially.
This means for example, the repair of one acre of 4,000 square metres of desert landscape will cost $4,000 to repair including costs for access roads, weeding, land preparation (non-till) planting, seeds, ongoing land management practices, fencing and maintenance. All of these activities will employ Indigenous Australians.
A significant part of the cost will be used to erect substantial fencing and barriers to protect newly sown landscape from trampling by wild animals and livestock and to contain a broad range of damage from herbivores such as rabbits, hares, kangaroos, feral goats and camels.
An initial project in preparatory stages is for the Scotdesco Aboriginal Community (www.scotdesco.com) a vital and vibrant Aboriginal Community located 150 Kilometres south of Ceduna on the South Australian West Coast, where a property of about 10,000 acres comprising marginal cropping country and running a relatively small number of Wiltipol sheep will apply Greening the Desert methodologies to create accredited carbon offset for ERF bidding and for planting regimes for extended grazing and the harvesting of crops for productive fodder pellets, flour and protein powder.
A typical fencing system to overcome invasive herbivores such as feral camels, kangaroos, rabbits, hares & goats.This is a once only cost however - after establishment - repaired land plots will continue to generate regular income for many generations for Indigenous Australians from soil farming to create carbon offset (ACCUs) by virtue of the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) from grazing, regular harvesting and the sale of cash crops for fodders, livestock feed pellets, flour that is high in protein levels for human consumption and from protein powders free-from gluten, dairy, soy and allergens.
Negotiations are in train with both domestic and international companies for off-take agreements for continuing supply. Thus income generated from ongoing sales can be re-invested back into the land over and over to grow the program exponentially.
The Challenges
It will be necessary to engage with Indigenous Australians to secure their full commitment to this project and to engage their active participation - as well as securing the support of mentors and teachers within a range of specialist fields to participate on a voluntary or sponsored basis.
The target sum of $50,000 will pay for the repair of five Hectares of desert or degraded land - and will be a start towards the greening of many, many more broadacres of desert and drylands. Your response will tell us if our fund raising approach has sufficient public support to aim beyond the stated target.
The target sum of $50,000 will pay for the repair of five Hectares of desert or degraded land - and will be a start towards the greening of many, many more broadacres of desert and drylands. Your response will tell us if our fund raising approach has sufficient public support to aim beyond the stated target.
Green one sq. m. or more
Green one sq. m. of desert and receive regularly updated information and pictures about our joint Aboriginal and rural projects highlighting developments and improvements in living standards.
1 chosen
Est. delivery is Sep 15
Green 30 sq. m. or more
Green 30 sq. m. of desert or more and receive regularly updated information and pictures about our joint Aboriginal and rural projects highlighting developments and improvements in living standards AND receive a Purchase Voucher to the value of $20 to buy Aboriginal art and artefacts from the Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery of Alphington, Victoria. http://mandelartgallery.com.au
5 chosen
Est. delivery is Sep 15
Green 50 sq. m. or more
Green 50 sq. m. of desert or more to receive regularly updated information and pictures about our joint Aboriginal and rural projects highlighting developments and improvements in living standards AND receive a David Jones Gift Card to the value of $25. www.davidjones.com.au
2 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 15
Green 100 sq.m. or more
Green 100 sq. m. of desert or more to receive regularly updated information and pictures about our joint Aboriginal and rural projects highlighting developments and improvements in living standards AND receive a Purchase Voucher to the value of $40 to buy Aboriginal art and artefacts from the Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery of Alphington, Victoria AND receive a David Jones Gift Card to the value of $30.
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Nov 15
Green an acre or more
Green an acre of 4,000 sq. m. of desert or more to receive regularly updated information and pictures about our joint Aboriginal and rural projects highlighting developments and improvements in living standards AND receive a Purchase Voucher to the value of $1,000 to buy Aboriginal art and artefacts from the Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery of Alphington, Victoria, AND receive a David Jones Gift Card to the value of $500.
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 15
Green a Hectare or more
Green 10,000 sq. m. of desert (1 Ha) or more to receive regularly updated information and pictures about our joint Aboriginal and rural projects highlighting developments and improvements in living standards AND receive an invitation for 2 persons to take part in a weekend trek camping out at a desert site in the outback to participate first hand in a Greening the Desert project with Aboriginal Australians.
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 15