Three new Future Drought Fund projects to strengthen drought resilience across South Australia
The South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SA Drought Hub) is pleased to be supporting three new national projects that will expand proven approaches to help South Australian producers and regional communities better prepare for future droughts.
The projects are among 15 successful initiatives funded through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund (FDF) Scaling Success Program, which is investing $27 million nationally to expand projects that have already demonstrated positive outcomes for farmers and regional communities.
The Scaling Success Program is designed to build on the success of previous Future Drought Fund investments by extending proven projects into new regions, industries and farming systems, ensuring more producers benefit from practical tools, knowledge and support that strengthen drought resilience.
SA Drought Hub Director Dr Stephen Lee said the new investments recognise the value of collaboration and the importance of building on initiatives that have already delivered meaningful outcomes for producers.
"These investments strengthen our ability to support producers with practical, evidence-based solutions that improve business resilience, enhance natural capital and build confidence to make decisions in increasingly variable seasonal conditions."
“Importantly, each of the three successful projects has strong foundations in previous work supported through the SA Drought Hub and the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund. This investment recognises the value of building on proven approaches that have already delivered benefits for South Australian farming businesses and regional communities”.
One of the successful projects, led by Ag Excellence Alliance, and delivered by SA Drought Hub’s Farming Systems Specialist - Rachel May, will expand the highly successful De-risking the Seeding Program into new regions through a network of 20 farming system group consortium partners across four states.
"Choosing when and how to sow is one of the most important decisions grain growers make each season, and it's becoming increasingly complex as autumn rainfall becomes less reliable," Ms May said.
"This project will give greater confidence to adopt early and dry sowing strategies by building the evidence around what works, where it works and the management practices needed to reduce risk around seeding decisions while maintaining productivity and profitability."
A second project, led by Adelaide University’s Associate Professor Matthew Denton, will accelerate the adoption of drought-resilient pasture systems by scaling, from development to large-scale on-farm demonstration, new hard-seeded annual legumes alongside innovative pasture management practices.
“Delivered across 22 commercial farms in South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, our project will demonstrate practical approaches that improve pasture persistence, productivity and resilience in mixed farming systems.”
"We will focus on demonstrating how pasture systems perform under commercial farming conditions and will provide producers with the confidence and practical knowledge to integrate this knowledge into their businesses."
The third project will build on the success of ifarmwell by taking the award-winning Kick Off Ya Boots musical to 30 regional communities around across South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Led by Adelaide University Associate Professor Kate Gunn, based at Adelaide University, the initiative combines live performances and professionally filmed screenings, follow-up reminders, farmer-led workshops and an educational campaign to strengthen decision-making, relationships and community wellbeing while helping farming communities prepare for future climate challenges.
Associate Professor Kate Gunn said the project builds on a successful model that combines evidence-based psychological strategies with farmer-led storytelling to strengthen drought resilience across regional communities.
"The Kick Off Ya Boots musicals, written by farmer John Gladigau, create a relatable way to start conversations about some of the most challenging aspects of farming, including relationships, succession, financial pressures and decision-making. By combining these performances with ifarmwell resources, workshops and follow-up reminders via text messages and local newspapers, we're helping people translate those conversations into practical strategies they can use on and off the farm."
Dr Lee said the diversity of the projects reflects the many dimensions of drought resilience.
"Building resilience isn't only about improving production systems. It's also about supporting people to make better decisions, strengthening community connections, and ensuring producers have access to practical information they can confidently apply on farm."
"The SA Drought Hub is proud to be working alongside our partners to help ensure these successful projects continue delivering lasting benefits for South Australian producers and regional communities."
Opportunties for SA producers to be part of the programs will be communicated via the SA Drought newsletter and socials. Visit the website for more information: SA Drought Hub - Supporting SA farmers and regional communities
ABOUT THE SA DROUGHT HUB:
The SA Drought Hub brings together a dynamic network of primary producers, industry groups, researchers, government agencies, universities, agribusinesses, farming systems groups, traditional owners, and others to strengthen the drought resilience and preparedness of farms and regional communities in SA.
Led by the University of Adelaide in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia (PIRSA), the hub is responsible for driving extension of existing knowledge and practices to build drought resilience and preparedness in primary production systems.
The South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub is one of eight Hubs established across the nation through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
For further information visit: Scaling Success Program - DAFF