Module Five: Climate Risk and Drought Preparation

Introduction

In Module 5 we have discussed the need to plan for uncertainty and highlighted the many factors that farmers and their advisers need to consider. Included in the mix these days are the risks presented by long-term changes in climate and the immediate impacts of extreme weather events.

Drought has been impacting Australian farmers forever, and with the frequency of drought events increasing preparing for them is an important part of mitigating the impact they can have.

What do we know?

Watch this short animation put together by Agriculture Victoria – it’s about Victoria but the ideas presented work for anyone and will get you thinking about your own situation.

What about us?

The following questions can be used to help think about your own situation, and discuss with others the uncertainty and risks that you’re needing to manage.

- Many of us are already managing changing weather patterns / seasonal variability – what strategies are you successfully using on / in your farm business?
- What impact might the changing weather patterns have on your farm business?
- How do you think you might manage these changes?
- What strategies might you put in place?
- What tools do you think you might use?
- How does changing weather patterns impact the level of risk you are willing to take in your business?

Thanks to Agriculture Victoria for sharing some of their information and insights into the risks presented by the climate and weather. Our Farm, Our Plan is delivered for the benefit of dairy farmers as part of the Farm Business Resilience Program – a joint initiative of the Australian Government and various state governments. It is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

All governments, Federal and State, are focussed on mitigating the impacts of climate and assisting farmers to adapt. Programs available include those below:

Victorian On Farm Emissions Action Plan pilot
NSW Farm Business Resilience Program
SA Farm Business Resilience Program and Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program
Tasmanian Farm Business Resilience Program
WA Future Drought Fund programs
Queensland Drought and Climate Adaptation Program