Hawkesbury City Council, Regional Development Australia - Sydney reaching out to farmers

The project, called 'How to run a resilient and profitable agricultural enterprise in Sydney's peri-urban fringe in a rapidly changing environment and marketplace', will seek to build the capabilities of current and future land managers to ensure the survival of agribusinesses in the Hawkesbury region.

Regional Development Australia - Sydney received a Smart Farms Small Farms Grant from the National Landcare Program, which is funding the project.

Council said the project would support sustainable agricultural production, and help viable enterprises manage the transition towards more sustainable land management practices and adopt new technologies to meet future challenges.

The Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Barry Calvert, said the grant would be used by Regional Development Australia - Sydney to ensure the survival of agribusinesses in Sydney's peri-urban region, specifically in the Hawkesbury and Wollondilly.

"This highly productive peri-urban region is uniquely situated between natural bushland and environmentally sensitive areas including the UNESCO world heritage Blue Mountains National Park, the city's water catchment and highly urbanised areas. Our region provides an important buffer between our bushlands and the city," the Mayor said.

"Hawkesbury City Council is delighted to partner with Regional Development Australia - Sydney, as well as Western Sydney Local Land Services, Wollondilly Shire Council and Liverpool City Council on this project."