The Future Drought Fund Investment Strategy (2024) sets out the Australian Government’s investment approach for improving drought preparedness and resilience in the agricultural sector, landscapes and agriculture-dependent communities. It supports the Drought Resilience Funding Plan 2024–2028 and explains the sequencing, funding and delivery of Future Drought Fund programmes. The Strategy adopts an integrated approach to economic, environmental and social resilience, recognising that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of drought and that preparedness must reflect differing regional, business and community circumstances. The Strategy allocates $519.1 million over eight years from 2024–25 across five priority areas: local solutions; First Nations initiatives; knowledge, skills and capability; innovation for transformation; and measurement and knowledge sharing. Programmes include regional drought planning, community resilience, farm business planning, agricultural climate services, long-term trials of resilient farming practices and landscape-scale natural resource management. Dedicated First Nations measures support place-based, First Nations-led projects, participation in fund activities and advice on culturally appropriate programme design. Implementation emphasises co-design, partnerships, public benefit, value for money, knowledge exchange and monitoring, evaluation and learning. Investments are intended to support locally tailored action, test and expand effective technologies and practices, strengthen natural capital and enable farmers and communities to make informed decisions about drought and climate risks. The Fund excludes in-drought hardship assistance, large-scale infrastructure and climate-mitigation infrastructure, but may support capacity building, small-scale community infrastructure and farm and land-management practices that improve soil-water retention, riparian areas, ecosystem services and resilience to drought, floods and fires.
Австралия · 2024-01-01