Alfalfa Crops

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about SARDI's partnership—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Mr President, this is outrageous—absolutely outrageous.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: This is so disrespectful.

The Hon. H.M. Girolamo interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Girolamo!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: So disrespectful.

The Hon. H.M. Girolamo interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Girolamo! Order! Start again.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about SARDI's partnership with the Crop Trust's BOLD Project and their research into alfalfa crops?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:41): I thank the member for his question and his ongoing interest in alfalfa, which is well documented, I'm sure. It's always a pleasure to inform this chamber of the incredible research and partnerships that our world-renowned SARDI scientists undertake across so many important areas.

SARDI scientists are currently leading an international project to assist farmers in marginal food environments to adapt and meet the challenges of the impacts of climate change. Partnering with Crop Trust, which is a non-profit international organisation dedicated to conserving crop diversity and improving worldwide food security, and as part of the Crop Trust's Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods and Development project (BOLD), SARDI will lead a three-year effort to use wild relatives of alfalfa to improve alfalfa varieties in countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.

The aim of the SARDI-led program is to expand livestock rearing and forage production opportunities for smallholder farms in these and other countries, leading to improved resilience to lower rainfall and higher temperatures experienced as part of the impact of climate change and variable climate.

Alfalfa is an important crop worldwide, planted for hay, pasture and silage in over 80 countries between 30 and 35 million hectares. As climate change continues to evolve and water becomes scarcer in many parts of the world, drought-tolerant alfalfa varieties will become even more essential. Previously, SARDI has been part of other important research programs into alfalfa and lucerne varieties and their ability to adapt to extreme environments, from the freezing winters in places like Kazakhstan, to the heat of places such as Chile and Australia. These are yet more examples of South Australian knowledge through SARDI being exported to the world.

I look forward to continuing to update the chamber on the exciting and groundbreaking research that SARDI scientists are undertaking. It is valuable work that in this case is helping livestock industries all over the world, particularly in difficult environments, which in turn helps to feed people all around the world—a worthy goal. I am very pleased to have been able to update the chamber about this important work.