Review of land management targets : Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan : summary report

Abstract

The 2017–22 Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP) set a broad target for agricultural land management in Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchments: 90% of land in priority areas should adopt best management practices (BMPs) for water quality. However, this target was deemed unrealistic and too vague to guide investment effectively. An independent review in 2022 highlighted key issues, including the need for locally tailored targets, clearer adoption benchmarks, and better understanding of adoption drivers and barriers.
To address these concerns, the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), with Farmacist and Meaningful Social Research, led a project involving 61 workshops and 15 regional technical working groups. Using the ADOPT model, they assessed 86 farm practices for their potential to improve water quality. The study found that current adoption levels are modest, with only a 4% increase predicted under business-as-usual. Best-case scenarios suggest a 24% adoption peak, but achieving this requires significant investment.
Importantly, landholders are more motivated by practices offering clear production or economic benefits than by water quality outcomes alone. The report provides detailed adoption insights and recommends using ADOPT in future program design. It also outlines five draft recommendations to guide targeted investment and accelerate BMP adoption in priority catchments.