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Goal

Major research and development program to improve drought resilience

We aim to reduce the impacts of Australian droughts by 30 per cent this decade.

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Latest news

Innovation Grants awarded to water savvy agriculture ideas

A new program aims to develop ideas to help farmers and the agri-food sector adapt in hotter, more variable climates and build greater resilience to more frequent dry periods or droughts.

What does El Niño have in store for Australia?

In the wake of the Bureau of Meteorology's El Niño declaration, our experts explain the significance of a El Niño event this summer.

How could future climate affect our farms?

My Climate View provides farmers insights into what their future climate might be based on their location and commodity.

Understanding the true cost of drought

As Australia’s seasonal outlook points to drier conditions, we’ve investigated the far-reaching impacts and cost-gaps of drought.

Drought-resilient shrub goes east to support farmers in dry times

The elite variety of saltbush was developed over 15 years and will help farmers through poor seasons, building their resilience to drought.

Emerge program grants

Led by the Grower Group Alliance and funded by CSIRO, the 'Emerge Program' initiative is offering small grants to Western Australian growers to improve their water efficiency.

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.

Improving Australia's drought resilience

My Climate View

My Climate View is a digital information product that provides commodity and location-specific climate predictions for Australian farmers for the next 50 years.

Water banking

Water banking can help to increase water security in some of Australia’s most drought-affected regions.

Drought resilience progress

Australia needs an integrated national approach to drought resilience. Our Drought Resilience Mission is working with government, industry, communities and the research sector to address this challenge.

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, Fisheries and Forestry and Bureau of Meteorology. We welcome additional partners to help us create a drought-resilient Australia.

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Building on our impact

Drought

Our research is building on existing work to improve the drought resilience of our regional industries, communities and environment.

Discover more about our drought research

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]

 

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