Many would be familiar with Dorothea Mackellar's famous lines, "I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains". Farmers in particular are no strangers to our country's various geographic and weather features with majority of Queensland producers currently affected by drought.
The drought-declared area of the state reduced slightly this month from 65 to 64.7 per cent after the Moreton Bay Regional Council, Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Noosa Shire Council areas' local drought committees recommended revoking their drought status. With the expectation of higher rainfall over the coming months in the lead-up to summer storm season, it is welcome news for these regions. However, with such a large area of Queensland still affected by drought, all farmers must remain vigilant in managing their water, and stock and cropping systems to ensure efficient farming disciplines and continuity of product supply.
Droughts are part and parcel of farming in Queensland. However, a changing climate is increasing the weather extremes our already highly variable climate experiences. The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded the Earth could be just 10 years from heating by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius - a threshold beyond which even more serious and frequent fires, droughts, floods and cyclones are expected.
Producers recognise that as we move out of drought and into more favourable weather conditions, now is the time to plan for the next dry season and overall climate variability. Drought preparedness and resilience is needed more urgently than ever before to better manage climate-related risks. With the Queensland government's significant drought reforms expected to be implemented later this year, a necessary piece of the puzzle will be in place to prepare and build drought resilience in the agriculture sector. The wide range of programs offered under the Australian government's Future Drought Fund will provide an opportunity for farmers and local communities to make a difference to future drought management.
