A new partnership is bringing some of Australia’s top minds into regional drought resilience planning. 

CSIRO will apply expert science to drought resilience planning in regions across Australia as part of a partnership with the Australian Government to improve drought resilience in regional Australia.

The national science agency has been brought in with funding from the Future Drought Fund’s $40.85 million Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall says Australia is one of the driest continents on Earth, but science can help adapt the approach from dealing with drought as a crisis, to being prepared.

“Using breakthrough science to build resilience with practical regional plans, we can better prepare our regions and communities to anticipate and mitigate the severity of future drought,” Dr Marshall said.

CSIRO will soon provide feedback on 23 regional drought resilience plans, with more to follow. 

The program contributes to the CSIRO-led Drought Resilience Mission goal of reducing the impacts of drought in Australia by 30 per cent by 2030.