Future Drought Fund

Across Australia, $100 million will be invested annually in projects to strengthen drought resilience. These projects will:

• provide opportunities for farmers and communities to adopt new technologies
• improve their environmental and natural resource management
• diversify their farm business planning and decision making
• enable participation in a range of community resilience activities.

The Australian Government and the Northern Territory (NT) Government have entered into funding agreements for the provision of these programs.

The NT Government will work with subject matter experts and industry groups to deliver these initiatives and a range of training programs.

Projects funded

These projects are supported by the Northern Hub, through funding from the Australia Government's Future Drought Fund.

Projects funded by the Northern Hub in collaboration with the NT Government.

Rangeland Courses

This project is designed to help new station staff learn the basics of rangeland management. The courses are delivered on-station using station-specific examples, making it easier for participants to apply what they learn.

Over time, it is anticipated that the project will expand its reach geographically, engaging Indigenous-run stations and increasing the number of people who can benefit from these courses.

Climate Smart Ag

This project aims to raise awareness of climate-smart agriculture practices that build soil organic matter. By demonstrating these practices on-farm and identifying key messages to increase adoption, the project will help farmers improve their yields while reducing their environmental impact. The project will also provide valuable information for policymakers and researchers interested in sustainable agriculture.

E-nose

This innovative project investigates how hand-held sensors can detect diseases, pests, and abiotic stresses in plant industries. By mimicking mammalian olfactory processes, these sensors can provide early detection of problems that could otherwise go unnoticed. This has potential to save crops and reduce the need for pesticides, making agriculture more sustainable.

Land System Carrying Capacity Guide

This project aims to collate online resources detailing carrying capacity recommendations for the land types used for pastoralism in the Northern Hub region. The guide will also be a valuable resource for researchers interested in sustainable land management.

Industry NT Biosecurity

This project is a regionally focused pilot program that demonstrates a business case to support capacity, knowledge, and understanding of animal biosecurity in the Northern Hub region. Working with local stakeholders, the project aims to improve biosecurity practices and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

Regional Drought Resilience Planning

The purpose of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning program is to support partnerships of regional organisations, local government, communities and industry to develop Regional Drought Resilience Plans that:

• prepare for and manage through future droughts
• focus on innovative ways to build drought resilience across the region’s agricultural sector and allied industries.

The Territory Government and Australian Government have recently mutually approved the Territory’s Program Implementation Plan for the rollout of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program. It will initially be rolled out in the Barkly Pastoral District and the Southern Alice Springs Pastoral District.

The program may extend to other regions in future years.

More information will be available shortly.

For more information, go to the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website.

The Northern Hub

The Northern Hub will transform the drought resilience of pastoralists, farmers, traditional owners and communities in the NT and Western Australian (WA).

The Northern Hub will build greater connectivity across NT and WA to drive the uptake of new research and innovation, with collaborative and co-designed projects translating knowledge into practical on-ground outcomes.

Charles Darwin University in Darwin is the lead contractor for the Northern Hub. The university is supported by a partnership between peak industry representative organisations, natural resource management groups, and the NT and WA governments. An unincorporated joint venture entity was established to provide overarching governance and management of the Northern Hub.

The Northern Hub will become a flagship for agricultural innovation in the NT and WA Tropical Top End and rangelands.

For more information, go to the Northern hub website.