Drought is a fundamental characteristic of Australia's landscape and agricultural sector. Along with other climate challenges, Australian producers have demonstrated intrinsic resilience in the face of historical periods of drought, with the sector delivering sustained growth over many decades.A key factor of the sector's resilience is the recognition of drought as an ever-present business risk that needs to be appropriately prepared for. Producers invest significantly in their businesses to prepare for drier periods, recognising that drought events are forecast to become more frequent and more severe in the coming decades due to climate change.
Despite these efforts, there will continue to be times when conditions exceed even what the most prepared and resilient business can reasonably withstand. This, combined with the vital role agriculture plays in regional communities, domestic food and fibre supply, environmental management, national exports and the economy at large, sees a continuing need for appropriate Government intervention and support with respect to drought policy.
Undertaken alongside industry, drought policy should ultimately seek to strengthen the resilience of the sector in order to best ensure the continuation of the vital role agriculture plays in the economic, environmental and social success of Australia.
This policy seeks to outline the National Farmers' Federation's principles and key measures as they relate to drought policy. It primarily focuses on matters at the Commonwealth level.
