South West Catchments Council (SWCC) is delighted to announce that it has been appointed as one of eight Regional Node Leads to help local producers and their communities adapt to drought and the changing climate.
The Regional Node Leads were selected by the South West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, hosted by Grower Group Alliance, as a key component of the Australian Government’s $5 billion Future Drought Fund. They are tasked with providing guidance on drought and climate resilience, and shaping transformational measures for farming systems, their industries and communities.
In its role as Regional Node Lead for Bunbury and the broader region (including north of Bunbury and Perth) SWCC, in partnership with Perth NRM, will gather and share knowledge, coordinate local activities and support Hub activities to increase the uptake of drought resilience practices and technologies. SWCC Sustainability and Environment Lead, Linda Metz, said:
“The South West has been hit with the largest decline in rainfall in Australia over the past 50 years, and the frequency and severity of droughts is projected to get worse. Our appointment as Regional Node Lead for Bunbury, will help to ensure that the agricultural industry in our region is well prepared for the future challenges and opportunities of our changing climate. It recognises SWCC’s long track record of working collaboratively across the agricultural industry and its supply chain”.
The Future Drought Fund aims to provide secure, continuous funding for drought resilience initiatives and help Australian farms and communities prepare for the impacts of drought. SWCC is one of 50 South West WA Hub Consortium Partners, which are providing cash and in-kind co-contributions worth several million dollars.
More information about the Future Drought Fund and the South West WA Hub are available here.
