ALC 15 year strategic plan 2012-2027
Anindilyakwa Land Council
Anindilyakwa Land Council annual report; Anindilyakwa Land Council strategic plan; Reports; PublicationNT
2012
Made available via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).
English
Anindilyakwa Land Council (N.T.) -- Periodicals; Aboriginal Australians -- Northern Territory -- Groote Eylandt -- Periodicals
Anindilyakwa Land Council
Alyangula
2012-2027
Anindilyakwa Land Council
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/254602
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/529654
ALC 15 year Strategic Plan 6. Goal B: Develop Best Practice Service Delivery 82 MILYAKBURRA A suitable site for a market garden in Milyakburra is yet to be determined and should be based around adequate soils, fresh water supply (surface or bore) and community accessibility. Milyakburra already feels the impact and restriction of being on a remote island with higher fuel and food costs and irregular transport services not currently experienced on Groote Eylandt. To be successful in establishing a market garden requires substantial planning to ensure success. The lessons of other communities need to be taken into account and ownership of the enterprise must come from the community to ensure ongoing success. The initial establishment of each garden will require significant financial input to cover the cost of equipment, machinery, plant material, irrigation, infrastructure (including accommodation), fencing, fertilisers, fuel, storage sheds, training and wages. It is not expected that the gardens will be economically viable in the first few years and profitability is not the major aim of these enterprises. It is expected that excess produce may be available for sale to commercial catering and food supply businesses to help offset costs. It is hoped that, through proper on-the-job training and mentoring, ownership and operation of the gardens will be primarily a community responsibility. Too often community gardens rely on heavy non-Indigenous support to remain viable, which eventually leads to their closure. OUTCOMES EXPECTED It is considered that fully functioning market gardens could produce the majority of key food items (seasonally) for the residents of Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island. While some food will always be required to be imported, it is hoped that people will take advantage of produce at a reasonable price over expensive imports. Due to climate restrictions and seasonal availability, it cannot be expected that all fruit and vegetables currently available will be able to be grown in these gardens. The type of produce expected could include root crops (sweet potato, carrots, peanuts, cassava), tomatos, corn, zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber, cabbage (several), beans, melons (several), eggplant, Chinese vegetables, herbs and fruit (bananas, mango, mandarins, oranges, lemons, avocado, passionfruit, pawpaw, pineapple). The ventures would also be an ideal avenue to trial large-scale production of long yam or other local foods as well as sugar bag. It would be expected that this style of vegetable production and excess produce would eventually allow for small-scale production of chickens for eggs and meat.