Climate Resilience

In addition to researching and developing future farming systems to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, DPIRD offers a range of events to create a broader understanding of the strategies, services and tools that will promote climate resilience in the regions.  

Farmers, industry groups and service providers participate in the education program and research and development projects.

DPIRD activities that promote climate resilience advances the objectives of the Western Australian Climate Change Policy.

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Current programs, research and services

• DPIRD led the agricultural component of the Western Australian Government's Sectoral Emissions Reduction Strategy   through close engagement with key industry and stakeholder groups.
• The Western Australian Farming Systems (WAFS) project,  is investigating how farming practices in low and medium-rainfall zones can increase profit and manage risk, in specific areas of the WA grainbelt: Northampton (medium rainfall, north), Merredin (low rainfall), and Lake Grace (medium rainfall south). The approach used includes field trials, on-farm research and monitoring, grower and industry participation, and whole farm economic and biometric modelling. The 5-year project started in April 2022 and is supported by a DPIRD and Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) co-investment.
• Addressing the challenges of variable seasons, changing markets and environmental impacts on the sheep industry in the SheepLinks Program - a partnership between DPIRD and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). The program includes FEED365 that aims to redesign livestock forage systems and FutureSheep  that will research the impact of projected climates in 2030 and 2050.
• Future Farming Systems long-term trial at the Merredin Dryland Research Institute is evaluating the long term productivity, profitability and sustainabilit of lower input regenerative and intensive ag-tech systems against current district practice. 
• Adapting DPIRD’s Katanning Research Station to be carbon neutral by 2030, and developing practical techniques and methods for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the sheep industry in WA.
• Supporting pastoralists investigate and design long-term solutions for on-station improvements in rangeland condition and livestock profitability in Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Project.
• Delivering the Western Australian Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program, to unlock the potential of carbon farming in the South West Land Division.
• Running forums and workshops to share information that will promote climate resilience for a secure and sustainable future in the regions and primary industries.
• Administering the $15 million Western Australian Agriculture Climate Resilience Fund.
• Supporting growers to capitalise on their competitive advantage, overcome a range of production challenges – such as water and land availability, build climate and business resilience and grasp new opportunities for success in the Perth Hills and Swan Valley Project.
• Calculating the total stocks and flows of natural resources and services in each ecosystem or region in a movement to put nature, climate action and social value on the natural capital accounting balance sheets.
• Ongoing research into the variety and complexity of Western Australian soils and how to make healthy soils for crops and livestock pastures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• The long-term Future Farming Systems Trials at the Merredin Research station are investigating how a range of Regenerative Agriculture (RA) practices can work in Western Australia. DPIRD is also undertaking economic analysis of businesses implementing RA systems and RA practices, to understand yield and profit drivers in these businesses. 
• Researching Western Australian grain production Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in a partnership between grower-owned grain cooperative bulk handling and logistics CBH Group (CBH) and listed regenerative food and agriculture company Wide Open Agriculture (WOA). The Carbon Neutral Grain Pilot project is a collaboration that aspires to accelerate the innovation and practice change required to achieve low-carbon pathways to markets for the AUD$8 billion Western Australian grain supply chain.