Canberra, Australia
March 22, 2007
The Australian Government has
today announced up to $5 million to help farmers prepare for the
risks associated with climate change.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter
McGauran, who announced the funding at a roundtable in Canberra
today, said climate variability posed an enormous challenge to
Australia’s farm sector.
The roundtable brought together 50
representatives from industry, research organisations and State
and Federal governments.
“Over the past 200 years,
Australian farmers have shown an ability to evolve within one of
the world’s most variable climates. They have adapted to the
great challenges that come with record high temperatures and
record low rainfalls,” Mr McGauran said.
“Their extraordinary resilience –
demonstrated throughout this prolonged drought, the worst on
record – has been second to none.
“In the coming years, our farmers
will increasingly have to make business decisions that take
climate change issues into consideration – amongst all the other
challenges to sustainable farming they will face.
“It is therefore vital that they
are fully aware of climate trends and the implications they will
have on their businesses, as well as strategies to deal with
such changes.”
The $5 million will fund a number
of projects identified at the roundtable, which focused on the
National Agriculture and Climate Change Action Plan 2006-09 that
Mr McGauran released in August 2006.
The Action Plan provides a
framework for coordinated action relating to climate change,
further reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and research and
development.
“I am confident that our farmers
will continue to adapt to whatever climatic conditions they are
presented with – just as they have successfully done in the
past,” Mr McGauran concluded. |
