Regenerative agriculture in drought: five-year CSIRO trials
Australia’s CSIRO has announced STRAP, a five-year programme testing regenerative practices in grain production across South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
Regenerative News · Published: 17 October 2026 · Original announcement: 13 October 2026
What will be tested
The trials include intercropping, legumes as a nitrogen source, alternative fertilisers and the integration of pastures into cropping systems. They will assess soil health, resilience, and economic and environmental viability.
How strong is the evidence?
This is a public research organisation’s announcement of a trial programme. It does not yet report results demonstrating that any practice is superior. CSIRO stresses the need for local evidence: practices from other climates do not automatically transfer to Australia’s dryland systems.
What we take into our own work
For comparable local trials, we propose starting with a clear question: what change do we want to achieve, and how will we assess it? A record of applications, a comparable field area and repeated observations can organise discussions with the agronomist and laboratory. Indicators should be selected before the intervention.