A local farming body will form part of a drought resilience initiative designed to empower farmers in low rainfall areas with the knowledge and data to combat dry seasons.
The Federal Government is delivering more than $19 million through the Drought Resilience Innovation Challenges Pilot delivered through the Future Drought Fund.
It is aimed at strengthening drought and climate resilience for farmers and regional communities across Australia.
Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) will drive adoption of multi-species intercropping systems in southern Australia’s low rainfall farming regions.
Agricultural Innovation and Research Eyre Peninsula and Upper North Farming Systems will work with MSF to support seven farmer-led trial sites across South Australia, Victoria, and NSW, ensuring farmers across the region have access to effective, tailored methods to increase crop yield and improve soil health, promoting drought resilience.
The investment is backing practical, on‑ground projects that help farmers prepare for, respond to and recover from drought.
Another organisation set to receive funding is Seed Force Pty Ltd to deliver SowSure, a farmer-led national trial of crop establishment protection for drought resilience.
The project, led by RAGT Australia in partnership with Howden Group and Aviso WA, will establish at least four major trial sites across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, coordinated by Southern Farming Systems and supported by other farmer-led organisations.
SowSure combines RAGT seed with automatic parametric insurance, giving farmers immediate financial protection if rainfall fails to meet pre-set thresholds during crop establishment, helping them recover input costs and maintain planting confidence.
Mollongghip and District Enterprises (MADE) will deliver Australia’s first AI-driven soil microbiome analysis platform.
Alongside a strong consortium of farmers and farmer-led organisations, this project will train an algorithm to correlate different microbial communities with drought resilience and soil health indicators.
Tests across SA, Victoria, Queensland and NSW will build a broad dataset, providing farmers across the country with brand new actionable insights into their soil.
The Future Drought Fund is the Albanese Labor Government’s flagship program for building long‑term drought resilience, providing ongoing investment in research, innovation and community capacity building.
Further information about the Future Drought Fund is available at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins MP said the grants are supporting farmers and communities across Australia with practical solutions to prepare for drought and climate impacts.
“We are investing in innovation so farmers can access the tools and knowledge they need to build resilience for the future,” she said.
“This funding will benefit regional communities by strengthening economic, environmental and social resilience.”
Senator for South Australia Karen Grogan said it was great to see the initiatives getting this support.
“This kind of investment will drive innovation and help our farmers so they can keep planting with confidence, even in a tough season,” she said.
