Deal struck on pastoral development

WA business Giovi Agriculture has partnered with the Mowanjum Aboriginal Corporation in the development of its pastoral lease on the outskirts of Derby.

The parties have finalised a commercial deal that will involve Giovi backing the 400-strong community by agreeing to help Mowanjum develop its 55,000ha crop and cattle operation.

The partnership follows the success of a 38ha centre pivot irrigation trial just two years ago under the State Government’s $40 million Water for Food program.

Water Minister Mia Davies said the agreement had the expertise to help Mowanjum take its beef production capacity to the “next level”.

Formerly known as Wellard Agri, Giovi Agriculture is a diversified agricultural enterprise with large-scale farms in Dongara, Watheroo and Kojonup, and holds other farmland under lease.

On a visit to Mowanjum recently, Ms Davies said a major objective of the irrigation trial was meaningful employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal people.

The minister used the visit to formally induct indigenous Derby men Ashton Lockyer, 25, and Mark Laylay, 29, into Mowanjum’s new trainee program.

“Over the next 18 months, the two trainees will receive guidance and support from the Mowanjum Aboriginal Corporation, Winun Ngari Aboriginal Corporation, Kimberley Training Institute and Kimberley Group Training,” she said.

Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said the initiative was focused on increasing economic growth in regional communities.

“This program was developed after extensive consultation with a variety of stakeholders and we hope to extend it to school-based traineeships in the near future to help transition young people from school into the workplace,” he said.

Mowanjum, which last month sold 240 head of cattle into the live export market, is successfully grazing stock on its trial centre pivot, and has cut 570 bales of hay from the site since October last year.

It is also agisting export cattle and breeding stock for Bruce Cheung’s Pardoo Station in the Pilbara.