Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience, June 29-July 1, 2021
The inaugural Science to Practice forum introduced a new era in drought resilience and innovation. The eight new Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs showcased their co-design priorities and other experts gave engaging presentations on the triple bottom line of drought resilience: increased economic, environmental and social resilience.
More than 800 participants engaged with over 40 presentations across three days, joining online or at events across Australia. This was a successful hybrid forum, blending in-person opportunities with online delivery, knowledge sharing and networking. Participants spent an average of 10 hours online. There were more than 1,000 comments made in the online chat, more than 100 questions in the Q&A, and primary producers reported that they were able to address issues on their properties without missing presentations.
The Department thanks everyone who helped make the inaugural Science to Practice Forum a success. Planning is underway for next year’s forum so please subscribe to Have Your Say to stay informed.
Watch the Forum
Video recordings of the Forum are available below. As they are recordings of a live event, references to open polls and other interactive features are no longer available.[expand all]
Day 1 Sessions
Part 1 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
- 00:00:40 – Welcome to Country: Warren Daley, Ngunnawal Elder
- 00:05:12 – Opening Address: Mr Brent Finlay, Chair of the FDF Consultative Committee
- 00:10:34 – Vision for the Drought Resilience Hubs to inspire agricultural innovation: Andrew Metcalfe AO, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 00:15:58 – The Future Drought Fund: Brent Finlay, Chair of the FDF Consultative Committee and Louise Palfreyman, A/Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 00:50:24 – Innovation driving science and exploration: Lloyd Symons, Polar Technology Manager, Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 01:25:30 – A vision for co-designed drought research: Dr Graham Bonnett, Interim Leader Drought Resilience Mission, CSIRO
Download the transcript DOCX [883 KB]
Part 2 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
- 00:00:00 – Hubs in focus:
- 00:04:51 – Tropical North Queensland Hub - James Cook University
- 00:39:57 – Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales Hub - University of Southern Queensland
- 01:07:09 – Southern New South Wales Hub - Charles Sturt University
- 01:39:37 – The National Drought Resilience Research and Adoption Investment Plan: Michele Akeroyd, Director, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and Alluvium Consulting.
Download the transcript DOCX [892 KB]
Part 3 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
- 00:00:46 – Networks to Build Drought Resilience & Drought Resilience Leaders: Nina O’Brien, Disaster Resilience & Recovery Lead, Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal, and Philippa Woodhill, Partnerships Director, Australian Rural Leadership Foundation
- 00:42:19 – Getting Young Farmers off their Tractors: Alexandra Hicks, Young Farmer Business Program, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
- 00:55:26 – Community engagement strategies to strengthen the preparedness of First Nations People through the adoption of drought resilient processes: Dr Raelene Ward, School of Nursing, University of Southern Queensland
- 01:15:12 – Drought, wellbeing and adaptive capacity in rural and regional Australia: Emma Austin and Associate Professor Anthony Kiem, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle.
Download the transcript DOCX [875 KB]
Day 2 Sessions
Part 1 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
- 00:00:00 – Welcome: Kerren Crosthwaite, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Hubs in focus: - 00:11:43 – Tasmania Hub - The University of Tasmania
- 00:36:52 – Southwest Western Australia Hub - Grower Group Alliance
- 01:13:06 – Northern Western Australia and Northern Territory Hub - Charles Darwin University
- 01:50:38 – Jindaola - An Aboriginal Way of Embedding Knowledges and Perspectives: Professor Pascal Perez, Director of the SMART Infrastructure Facility, University of Wollongong and Jade Kennedy, Academic Developer and lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges, University of Wollongong
- 02:20:13 – Droughtmasters in the Southern Rangelands: Debbie and Ashley Dowden, Challa Station
- 02:33:04 – Climate Services for Agriculture and the Drought Resilience Self-Assessment Tool: CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology
Download the transcript DOCX [906 KB]
Part 2 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
- Panel: What does a drought resilient future look like?
Dr Liz Petersen, FDF Consultative Committee, Principal Applied Economist and Director of Advanced Choice Economics, and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia
Enterprise Professor Bruce Pascoe, Indigenous Agriculture, University of Melbourne, and published author
Dr Kate Andrews, Executive Officer for NRM Regions Australia, and Senior Lecturer at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University.
Download the transcript DOCX [878 KB]
Part 3 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
- 00:00:00 – Northern Australia Climate Program: Dr Chelsea Jarvis, Centre for Applied Climate Sciences, University of Southern Queensland
- 00:09:15 – Demonstration of GrowAg, a tool developed by AgriFutures: Arianna Sippel, Senior Manager, GrowAg
- ]00:24:29 – Harnessing biodiversity to build resilience and sustainability in diverse agricultural systems: Professor Geoff Gurr, School of Agricultural & Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University
- 00:35:15 – Developing a framework for tactical decision making to address feed deficits: Dr Warwick Badgery, Rangelands & Tropical Pastures Research Leader, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
- 00:41:24 – Building farmers’ ability to manage effectively during drought: the www.ifarmwell.com.au approach: Dr Kate Gunn, Department of Rural Health, University of South Australia
- 00:53:40 – Queensland’s Drought and Climate Adaptation Program (DCAP): Dr Neil Cliffe, Program Manager of the Drought and Climate Adaptation Program, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
- 00:59:41 – The Derwent Pasture Network, Tasmania: a dryland grazing community of practice: The Derwent Catchment Project
- 01:02:40 – Resilient Together: Lorraine Gordon, Director of Strategic Projects, Farming Together and the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance, Southern Cross University
Download the transcript DOCX [874 KB]
Day 3 Sessions
Part 1 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
- 00:01:25 – Welcome: Joanna Stanion, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 00:08:58 – National Soil Strategy: Troy Clarkson, Assistant Director, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 00:34:47 – Agriculture Stewardship Package: Ryan Wilson, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 00:56:31 – Agricultural Innovation Agenda: Christine Mulhearn, Director, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Science into practice: Anwen Lovett, Climate Research Strategy for Primary Industries- 01:30:50 – Almond irrigation best practice management: Mark Skewes, Research Scientist, South Australian Research and Development Institute
- 01:52:54 – Climate Smart Horticulture: Jessica Fearnley, Development Officer, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, and Dr Allen Benter, Climate Applications and Digital Agriculture, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
- 02:23:37 – Rural Research and Development Corporation’s Climate Initiative: Matt Barwick, Research Portfolio Manager, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
- 02:45:00 – Agricultural Innovation Australia: Michelle Ford, Acting CEO, Agricultural Innovation Australia
Download the transcript DOCX [912 KB]
Part 2 Science to Practice Forum: Building the Foundations of Drought Resilience Jun29-Jul1/21
Hubs in focus
- 00:07:19 – Victoria Hub - The University of Melbourne
- 00:41:04 – South Australia Hub - The University of Adelaide
- 01:04:15 – The National Drought Resilience Research and Adoption Investment Plan: Reflections on priorities and innovations arising at the Forum: Alluvium Consulting
- 01:41:47 – Closing remarks: Lyn O’Connell, Deputy Secretary, Water, Climate Adaptation, Natural Disasters and Antarctic Group, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Download the transcript DOCX [883 KB]