Community Drought Consultations Underway

Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub nodes are currently consulting farmers, councils, businesses, health organisations and community groups across Victoria about how to best meet local needs.

Murray River Councils Drought Consultation, October 2021

The feedback from the Mallee nodes consultation is already uncovering key priorities for action, according to Mallee Regional Innovation Centre CEO Rebecca Wells.

“We’ve been discussing learnings from the last drought, new research and development priorities, extension and capacity building, community development, and health and mental health support,” Rebecca said.

“We want to keep hearing from people who have experienced drought, so please get in touch if you are interested in getting involved in the consultation.

“You know what matters most and your input – whether practical actions or blue-sky ideas – are all vital in ensuring we deliver the biggest impact for your farming business or community.”

MRIC is leading the Victoria Drought Hub’s North-West Irrigated Horticulture node.

Over four years, the Victoria Hub will receive $8 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund to help farmers and rural and regional communities build drought resilience through investment in collaborative research, development, extension, adoption and commercialisation activities.

The program is led by the University of Melbourne’s Dookie Campus and conducted in association with Deakin University, La Trobe University, Federation University and Agriculture Victoria, and is supported by five regional nodes across Victoria.

If you would like to be involved in the consultations, please contact North-West Irrigated Horticulture, Mallee Regional Innovation Centre at MRIC-info@unimelb.edu.au.

Consultation with Mallee CMA, Landcare, Agriculture Vic and Hort Innovation in October 2021.