Media Release
Wednesday 27 August 2008
Assisting farmers to manage climate variability
South Australian farmers will soon be equipped with the latest information to assist them in making informed decisions about how they respond to climate change, thanks to the Advisory Board of Agriculture.
The Board has just been awarded $100,000 under the Australian Government National Landcare Programme - Sustainable Practices Grant, to assist farmers implement climate change practices that are specific for their region.
The one-year project, ‘Responding to climate variability at a local level’, will provide farmers with the latest information and projections for their regions, enabling them to plan and adjust their farming systems to manage future risks.
ABA Chair Mark Dennis says the project evolved from a recent survey, conducted by the ABA, and their Think Tank, The Face of Tomorrow’s Primary Production in Low Rainfall Regions of South Australia, held in January.
“We listened to the concerns of farmers, and they told us that ensuring sustainability and productivity with climate change was the focus many of them wanted to see conducted in agricultural research,” he said.
“The ABA is very concerned about the impact climate change is having, which is why we are supporting this project to assist farmers to adapt and change their practices with confidence.”
Mr Dennis says one of the problems farmers are facing is that they are finding it very difficult to understand what the latest climate predictions mean for them and their region.
“Climate variability appears to be increasing, resulting in drier winters and springs and higher temperatures for farmers,” he said.
“These changes are impacting heavily on agricultural production levels, but farmers don’t know where to start in becoming more responsive.
“There are so many options and expert opinions out there, but if farmers can access the latest climate information that's specific to their regions then this could help them make the right decisions for them.”
The project, to be delivered by Rural Solutions SA is expected to commence in September 2008 and will involve regional workshops across the State.
Mr Dennis said the workshops will include presentations from CSIRO and SARDI, who will deliver the latest information on future trends predicted for climate and rainfall.
“They will explain the likely impacts these predictions will have on different soil types and crop production in the area,” he said.
“Farmers will also have the opportunity to identify and prioritise issues that are impacting on their farming systems and develop an action plan of activities for their region.
“This could result in trials, demonstrations or training sessions, which will enable them to look more in-depth at different machinery or farming systems that could be adopted to better manage erosion or low-rain fall impacts.”
“It will link farmers directly to experts in the climate field and help raise their awareness in a way they can understand and implement on-farm at a local level.”
The project supports a key target of South Australia’s Strategic Plan, by working towards a 20% increase in SA’s agricultural cropping land that is adequately protected from erosion by 2014.
