A SCHOOL-based farming project is hoping to help unlock local jobs and create economic sustainability for residents of a remote Central Australian community.

Students at Alekarenge School, 170km south of Tennant Creek, are growing a variety of fresh vegetables on a red loam plot outside of their community as part of Job Pathways curriculum and the Central and Northern Land Council’s Aboriginal Land Economic Development Agency (ALEDA) project.

The initiative came about thanks to a partnership between the school and Aboriginal-owned land developer Centrefarm, which is establishing ALEDA’s growing horticultural footprint in the region.

Planned major expansions of ALEDA’s local operations are set to open up lucrative opportunities for young people to gain work and for the community to own and run farms into the future. The pilot project is set to commence next year with three commercial farms in the Alekarenge region and three in the Mataranka region, each with their own regional Work Experience Pilot Project, which the Alekarenge school-based project forms the foundation of. 

“ALEDA plans to build three new farms in the area that are predicted to generate $20-30 million in turnover each year. They’re going ahead on 20-25 year leases, during which time capacity can be built. The idea is the community can take over those farms after the lease and become economically viable and independent,” Alekarenge School Principal Colin Kiel said.

The ALEDA Work Experience Pilot Project involves three training/employment streams:  

• Primary school students (Years 4-6), who gain a basic understanding how to grow plants within the school grounds

• Middle and senior school students (Years 7-12), who undertake farm-based learning

• Adult job seekers and community members, who work on the larger trial farm

“A big part of what we do is build the work routine. We get the kids up in the morning, they go out to the farm and get dressed for work and they cook their own breakfast. It’s getting them into those routines so when they finish school they know that working routine and know what work is like,” said Mr Kiel.

Mr Kiel said participating students gained an Agrifood qualification which went towards their Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET) assessment. They’re also becoming business savvy by selling produce.

“We’ve already been selling to our community and the kids are turning the classroom into a shop. They’ll divide the classroom into two and set one half up as a shop so the families can come in and the kids will serve them.

“We’re looking at getting produce into the local store as well. We’ve already sold some produce to Wycliffe Well and Wauchope roadhouses down the road.”

Mr Kiel hopes it will inspire other communities to explore agricultural opportunities as a means of securing employment for young people and deriving economic benefits from country.

“We’re documenting how we do it, mapping our curriculum because if this is the success that we hope it will be, we can create a pathway for other communities who are interested in doing something similar,” he said.