Multilevel socio-ecological network approach to incentivise sustainable agricultural adaptation in the Murray-Darling Basin

Improving how water-efficient practices are shared and adopted across irrigation communities is essential to strengthening the sustainability of Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin system. This project explores how trusted relationships, peer networks, and local knowledge influence decision-making among irrigators, addressing a key barrier between innovation and on-farm implementation. By mapping how information flows within communities and identifying the most effective pathways for engagement, the research aims to support more targeted, evidence-based strategies that drive real-world change. The outcomes will help enhance water management practices, improve industry engagement, and contribute to more resilient agricultural systems across the Murray-Darling Basin.

About this project

Sustainable water management remains a critical challenge for Australia, particularly across basin systems where agricultural productivity, environmental health, and community resilience are closely interconnected. While significant advances have been made in water-efficient irrigation technologies, their uptake across farming communities has been uneven. This gap between innovation and on-ground adoption limits the effectiveness of policy initiatives and constrains progress toward long-term water security. A key barrier lies not in the availability of information, but in how it is shared, trusted, and acted upon within irrigation communities.

This project aims to better understand and strengthen the pathways through which knowledge about water-efficient practices spreads among irrigators. Its central objective is to identify how trusted relationships, peer networks, and community structures influence decision-making and adoption behaviours. By generating a clearer evidence base, the research seeks to support more effective engagement strategies, increase the uptake of sustainable practices, and ultimately contribute to improved water management outcomes at a basin scale.

The research is being carried out through a multi-level socio-environmental network analysis. This approach combines data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and field-based insights to map how information flows within and between irrigation communities. The project will identify key influencers, communication patterns, and leverage points that can enhance the reach and impact of extension efforts. Collaboration with industry stakeholders is central to the methodology, ensuring that findings are grounded in real-world conditions and aligned with current challenges.

Over the course of the project, outputs will include baseline assessments of knowledge networks, detailed analyses of information diffusion pathways, and practical, community-focused recommendations. By translating complex social dynamics into actionable strategies, the project will help bridge the gap between research and practice, supporting more resilient farming systems and sustainable water use across Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin.

Expected outcomes

The project is expected to deliver a clear understanding of how information about water-efficient practices flows through irrigation communities, identifying key influencers and networks that shape adoption decisions. Outcomes will include evidence-based strategies to enhance engagement, improve uptake of sustainable irrigation practices, and support more effective water management across Australia’s basin systems. By providing actionable insights into community dynamics and knowledge-sharing pathways, the research will provide a strong evidence base for policy and program design, ultimately supporting more effective water strategy rollout with a farmer-first focus.