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There is a lot of exciting news to share in this newsletter including new drought resilience projects, the Future Drought Fund Science to Practice forum, recent appointments and more.
It is great that more local Future Drought Fund (FDF) projects are getting underway. FDF-funded projects worth $13 million have hit the ground in the SW WA region through the Hub program in the last six months. The Hub has played a significant role in the success of many of these.
Also, we encourage you to register for the Future Drought Fund Science to Practice forum being held on June 7-9. Read on for more details.
Finally, the SW WA Hub recently appointed Regional Node Leads and Regional Advisory Committee members, which will play an important role in improving local drought preparedness and fostering agricultural innovation. Read more below and view their details on the Hub webpage.
Please feel free to forward this monthly newsletter to colleagues, friends or clients.
Caption: Southern Rangelands Regional Advisory Committee members and SW WA Hub and Grower Group Alliance staff during the committee's online 'kick off' meeting in April.
Drought resilience ‘knowledge network’ kicks off
A drought resilience ‘knowledge network’ has kicked off, charged with shaping transformational measures that will help local producers and their communities to adapt to a variable environment.
The SW WA Hub has appointed Regional Node Leads and Regional Advisory Committees (RAC) in four agro-ecological zones to help it deliver on its aim of increasing the uptake of drought resilience practices and technologies.
Hub Director appointment
In March, experienced GGA team member Mark Holland was announced Director for the SW WA Hub.
Mark has strong governance, program and project management skills, is a skilled collaborator and passionately supports the grower group network.
$9 million for Adoption Officers
The Australian Government is providing $9 million through the Future Drought Fund to give farmers practical assistance in applying the latest in drought resilience innovation and technology.
A new national network of Adoption Officers will be based across the eight Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs. Funding has also been confirmed for the Hubs to expand their remits beyond drought.
Soils and landscape projects announced
A total of $3.6 million has been awarded for local projects through Future Drought Fund Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes grants.
During the application process, the SW WA Hub provided strong advice to Hub Consortium Partners and stakeholders about how to align with grant guidelines. The Hub also introduced proponents of similar projects and provided feedback on applications.
The Hub will participate in the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)-led project ‘Revitalising the Drought Resilience of WA’s Southern Rangelands Phase 2’, which carries a $1 million co-contribution from the State Government’s Climate Resilience Fund.
$4 million for collaborative Hub projects
The Australian Government has announced $4 million for five collaborative projects spanning all eight national Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs.
This funding will support researchers, farmers and rural communities to work together and address common goals as they build local and national drought resilience.
The project 'Modern soil moisture monitoring to improve irrigation management' will be led by the SW WA Hub and also involves the Victorian and Northern WA/Northern Territory Hubs. This project was awarded $622,000.
The SW WA Hub is also involved in 'Managing Rangelands for drought resilience', which was awarded $1 million, and 'Fast tracking WA and NT to align with nutritional feed base mapping technology advancements at a national level', which received $388,500. Both these projects will be led by the NWANT Hub.
Caption: In the spotlight is Merredin grower Andrew Crook, also Chair of the Merredin and Districts Farm Improvement Group. Andrew is among a number of Hub Partners, stakeholders and staff filmed recently for a video to be showcased at the Future Drought Fund Science to Practice Forum. Photo: SW WA Hub.
Register for Science to Practice Forum
Registrations are now open for the Future Drought Fund Science to Practice Forum, to be held June 7-9.
It is a great opportunity to meet the scientists and farmers working together to make Australian agriculture more drought resilient.
Filming recently took place for a Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment video showcasing the Hub, and this video will be shown during the forum. The Hub will host an in-person event at the DPIRD Merredin Dryland Research Institute - look out for more information soon about this local event.
To register for the forum online (via 'Hopin' link), visit here.
Caption: SW WA Hub Director Mark Holland, left, DPIRD Senior Principal Research Scientist Richard George and UWA Associate Professor Nik Callow at a dam at the DPIRD Merredin Dryland Research Institute. Photo: DPIRD.
WaterSmart Dams gets underway
Planning has started in earnest for the ‘WaterSmart Dams’ initiative, with project representatives travelling the Wheatbelt recently to speak with growers and to inspect sites.
This exciting project addresses WA farmers’ critical need for water reliability and, along with the associated WaterSmart Farms project, will be on the agenda for the Future Drought Fund Science to Practice Forum.
DR.SAT provides tools for a thriving future
Looking for ways to make your farm business less vulnerable to drought and changing climate?
DR.SAT – the Drought Resilience Self-Assessment Tool – is free to use and supports farm business planning.
DR.SAT, the Future Drought Fund’s online drought resilience tool, has a wealth of resources spanning financial, environmental and personal aspects of farming to give you more options in a changing climate.
Join drought resilience webinar
How do we build resilient minds, farms and communities? To find out, join a coming webinar ‘Resilience practices – practical tips to building drought resilience from the community to the farm’.
The webinar will be held on May 12, as part of an eight-part series hosted by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF), under the Drought Resilience Leaders Program.
Learn about Future Drought Fund
The $5 billion Future Drought Fund (FDF) is providing secure, continuous funding for drought resilience initiatives and will help Australian farmers and communities prepare for the impacts of drought.
From July 2020, $100 million is being made available each year to support Australian farmers and communities to prepare for and become more resilient to the effects of future drought. This will:
- Make agriculture more productive and profitable
- Enhance the wellbeing of our farming communities
- Improve the sustainability and resilience of the natural resources on which agriculture depends.
To receive regular email updates directly from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, subscribe via the ‘Have your say’ webpage.
