Tackling climate resilience from the Mallee to Mekong

Looking to learn from Australian experience building community resilience to climate change, a group of 15 people working in agricultural development in Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam visited the Mallee Regional Innovation Centre (MRIC) this month.

The study tour along the Murray River system was part of an Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia Awards Fellowship.

SuniTAFE SMART Farm senior manager Matt Wilson leading the study tour group on a tour of the Cardross farm.

It focused on strengthening the participants’ capabilities to develop practical, gender-inclusive, climate-smart water initiatives.

MRIC CEO Rebecca Wells said being included as a key stop on the tour was a valuable opportunity feed into the global conversation on water security and climate-change resilience.

The group had a strong interest in water catchment management, transboundary cooperation and enhancing irrigation efficiency, so we were able to share lots of examples of projects we have seen or are doing in these areas.

“They particularly wanted to know about the Centre’s overall concept – how we work collaboratively on research and innovation, and how our activities are conducted across regions,” Rebecca said.

MRIC CEO Rebecca Wells speaking to the group in Mildura.

“They asked a lot of great questions through the lens of the work they are doing in their countries, and we brought some of our One Basin CRC researchers and Victoria Drought Hub team in to talk about their work, which really added value to the conversation.

“The group also toured the SuniTAFE SMART Farm, so that field-based learning after their visit with us would have been really complementary.”