Pilot phase
The Regional Drought Resilience Planning (RDRP) Program is one of the foundational programs under the Future Drought Fund and was allocated $9.85 million nationally in 2021-22.
Within WA, DPIRD engaged the Regional Development Commissions to roll out the RDRP program across three pilot regions including the Northern Mid West, Inland Great Southern, and Southern Wheatbelt.
The program supported partnerships between regional organisations, local government, communities and industry to develop Regional Drought Resilience Plans. The plans aimed to ensure that regional communities:
- are prepared for and more resilient to future droughts
- build environmental, economic and social resilience to droughts
- identify innovative and transformative drought projects to guide future investments
- improve natural resource management
Public consultation was undertaken for the draft Regional Drought Resilience Plans from 28 September - 21 October 2022. View the latest information on the RDRP for the Mid West, Wheatbelt and Great Southern.
Current program
Following the success of the 2021/22 pilot program, DPIRD will be partnering in 2024 with WA’s Regional Development Commissions to create new plans for the Goldfields-Esperance and Gascoyne regions and a joint initiative for the Kimberley and Pilbara regions. Existing plans that were developed as part of the 2021/22 pilot program for the Southern Wheatbelt, Inland Great Southern and Northern Mid West will be further expanded to cover additional areas within these regions.
These plans will be community-led and owned and focus on innovative ways to build regional drought resilience across the agricultural sector and supporting industries. Funding will be available to take forward joint projects that have been identified as regional priority actions.