Drought and climate resilient sheep farms and landscapes tailor-made for low rainfall farming regions

Location
Kyancutta
Project Manager
Rowena Norris
Start Date
March 2026
Finish Date
June 2030
Funding Source
FDF Long Term Trials - led by Adl Uni
Funding Amount
$270,000

Sheep production underpins farming and rural communities in the low rainfall regions (200 to 400 mm) of southern Australia.

With the profitability of sheep farmingdeclining rapidly due to the detrimental impacts of drought and extreme heat on pasture growth, soil stability and sheep performance.

Mitigation strategies are urgentlyrequired to ensure the ongoing resilience and sustainability of these farming systems and regions for the future.

This project will enhance resilience of sheep productionsystems by combining climate resilient sheep with novel, drought tolerant pastures, shrubs and trees which enhance consistency of feed supply, stabilise and improvelandscape health, and create microclimates that increase sheep welfare and productivity.

Farmer led, long term trials in WA, SA, Vic and NSW will provide the datadriven outcomes required to maximise adoption of these drought, climate resilient, and economically robust farming systems, thus strengthening rural communities.

Share this project:

You Might Also Like

Improving phosphorus use efficiency and return on investment in high Phosphorus (P) fixing soils of the Southern and Western Regions

Aims to improve growers’ certainty about managing phosphorus (P) in high-fixing soils, which have chemical properties that bind applied P, making it unavailable to crops. The project outcome is that…

Learn More

Stress Testing Regenerative Agricultural Practices – STRAP

Drought resilience in novel emerging dryland farming practices – A scientific and economic basis (Stress Testing Regenerative Agricultural Practices – STRAP) The project aims to rigorously study regenerative cropping and…

Learn More

Innovative Soil Technologies: Fostering Resilience and Climate-Smart Crop Production in Australia

This project will apply recent advances in Innovative Soil Technologies (IST) to improve water capture and retention and water use efficiency. Through field trials conducted in SA, NSW, TAS, WA,…

Learn More

Climate-Ready Livestock: Building Resilient Farming Systems on Eyre Peninsula

Eyre Peninsula livestock producers are facing rapidly emerging challenges from climate change, including prolonged dry periods, declining water security, rising input costs, and increasing market pressures. This project will support…

Learn More

Weed Management Initiative

Delivery of one herbicide trial on EP for 2025-2029 (5 trial years) On an annual basis, establish, conduct, analyse and report on field trials as agreed with the Lead Researcher…

Learn More

Future Drought Fund Long Term Trials SA Discovery Farms – Sustainable phosphorous strategies for Eyre Peninsula

AIR EP has partnered with SA Discovery Farms, with co-investment by SAGIT, in a new project aimed at improving P fertiliser applications in variable paddocks/landscapes and refining long-term management strategies…

Learn More

Young Farmer Peer to Peer Learning Lower EP 2025

AIR EP will establish a group comprised of Lower Eyre Peninsula young farmers (~18-35 years). This group will participate in three field events/workshops featuring speakers on topics that build agricultural,…

Learn More

Building resilience – Break Crop Suitability Across Landscapes (Stage 2)

Upper North Farming Systems and AIR EP have worked to bring this common theme across the 3 farming groups and 4 Node regions together into the one project in 2024.…

Learn More

Risky decisions and addressing soil constraints on EP

This project has two key objectives that address the priorities of the SA Drought Hub 1. Arming farmers and advisors with tools to assist in decision making that considers risk…

Learn More

Growing lentils on challenging soils on Eyre Peninsula

A new 3-year project has been funded by GRDC to explore growing lentils on ‘challenging’ soils across EP. The project, led by AIR EP will fund 4 trials per year,…

Learn More