Goal
Reducing the impacts of drought in Australia by 30 per cent by 2030
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Opportunity
A stronger regional Australia
Regional Australia faces perennial weather extremes, such as droughts, floods, heatwaves and frosts. The frequency and severity of these events are predicted to increase, straining the ability of Australia’s regional communities and industries to thrive.
Low rainfall years have been shown to significantly reduce agricultural profitability and productivity. Many regional and rural communities also become at risk of running out of town water, known as “Day Zero”.
By building drought resilience, we are contributing towards a stronger regional Australia, equipped to successfully live and operate in our dynamic and changing world.
Mission impact
Building drought resilience
Implementing drought resilience will ensure regional Australia can endure deeper, longer droughts, and recover from them sooner.
This will help Australia's agricultural industries maintain national farm income, increase food security, and protect the regional jobs that rely on agriculture during the toughest years.
Importantly, it will also increase the resilience of rural and regional communities and improve environmental outcomes.
Mission focus
What we will achieve
The Mission is operating at three inter-connected levels: on-farm, regionally and at the policy level.
We are working to deliver:
- On farm innovation: assisting farmers with improved decisions based on climate data for their location, new farming systems to improve water use efficiency, and options to minimise risk.
- Regional resilience and development: looking at ways to improve water security. This includes creating a climate-resilient regional water supply, community transition planning to diversify economies, and protecting natural capital resources.
- Policy enablers and outreach: developing information and systems that underpin policy response and recognising international solutions to shared problems.
Hear about some of the research and development underway through the Mission on the Nourishing Matters to Chew On podcast.
Plan and collaboration
Building it together
Drought is a society-wide problem, that requires significant stakeholder input and support to achieve impact.
We are linking collaborators with researchers across CSIRO to develop cohesive, cross-industry solutions that are ready for community and industry adoption.
The Mission brings together CSIRO, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and Bureau of Meteorology. We welcome additional partners to help us create a drought-resilient Australia.
Drought resilience
Reducing the impacts of Australian droughts by 30 per cent this decade.[Image appears of a split circle appears with photos in each half of the circle flashing through of various CSIRO activities and the circle then morphs into the CSIRO logo]
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The Drought Resilience Mission has a goal to reduce the worst impacts of droughts in Australia.
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Droughts are predicted to become more frequent and severe, requiring new solutions.
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Our mission is to reduce the impacts caused by droughts in three key areas.
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Firstly, we’ll strengthen our agricultural industries to reduce variability in farm incomes.
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Secondly, we’ll develop new ways to improve the resilience of our regional communities.
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Thirdly, we’ll improve environmental outcomes, such as reducing soil loss from erosion.
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We’re collaborating with industry, government and research organisations to overcome drought.
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Together the Drought Resilience Mission will build a stronger regional Australia against times of drought.
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[Image changes to show the CSIRO logo on the screen and text appears: CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency]