Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program
The Wheatbelt Development Commission (WDC) and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), together with the Shires of Dumbleyung, Kondinin, Kulin, Lake Grace and Wagin, with support from Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management (Wheatbelt NRM) will work to deliver a regional drought resilience plan for the Southern Wheatbelt region.
The regional drought resilience planning process brings together regional organisations, local government, communities and industry to prepare for future drought risk and identify priority projects and actions to build drought resilience.
The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program consists of:
- Drought Vulnerability Assessment: A combination of expert input and extensive stakeholder consultation, which will provide a science-based approach while incorporating the economic, social and environmental resilience factors for each region.
- Regional Drought Resilience Plan: strategic plans prepared with stakeholders, focusing on innovative ways (projects and actions) to build resilience across the region's agricultural sector and allied industries.
- Investment Framework: A framework of investment-ready drought-resilient actions, allowing for targeting of public and private sector investment.
This project is jointly funded through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and DPIRD. The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program is one the programs under the $5 billion Federal Future Drought Fund, a fund that invests in building resilience to drought for farmers, allied industries and regional communities.
In Western Australia, during the program's foundation year, drought resilience plans will be developed in the Great Southern, Mid West and Wheatbelt regions.
By preparing the Drought Vulnerability Assessment, Regional Drought Resilience Plan and Investment Framework for the Wheatbelt South region, DPIRD and the WDC are helping to:
- ensure the Wheatbelt region is prepared for future droughts,
- build environmental, economic and social resilience to droughts and improve natural resource management; and
- plan and position the region to take advantage of emerging opportunities for investment in drought resilience in the Wheatbelt.
Project ideas across a range of categories are being considered as part of the drought resilience planning, including social and community resilience, agricultural resilience, innovation and transportation, local and indigenous drought resilience projects.
The purpose is to develop a pipeline of investible drought resilience projects that address the specific needs and priorities of agricultural and allied industries. This information will then inform future investments in drought resilience and agricultural adaptation in the region.
More information
For more information about the Wheatbelt Regional Drought Resilience Planning program or to be kept updated, please contact Kaylene Parker at kaylene.parker@gsdc.wa.gov.au or Renee Manning via renee.manning@wheatbelt.wa.gov.au.
To learn more about the Regional Drought Resilience Planning program, visit:
- Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment's Regional Drought Resilience Planning
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Future Drought Fund
