Drought & Farming

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems (CSE) conducts research and development across a range of landscapes, targeting social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Enabling Australia to adapt more effectively to the impacts of climate change and variability and informing national planning, regulation and investment decisions.

The latest issue of ECOS provides expert analysis of the draft report of the independent Garnaut Review on emissions trading and the Federal Government’s Green Paper, which outlines the differing proposals for a ‘carbon pollution reduction’ scheme.

A unique Australian plant research centre designed to help tackle major global challenges such as climate change, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation and future food production was launched in Canberra today by Senator the Honourable Kim Carr, Australian Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, and Mr Jon Stanhope, MLA, Chief Minister, ACT.

Australasia’s major livestock industries’ science and agribusiness conference – Horizons in Livestock Sciences – will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 28-30 October 2008.

The Healthy Water Ecosystems Theme, as part of the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, is working to increase knowledge and develop tools for the management, protection and restoration of Australia’s water ecosystems.

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Alice Springs aims to help improve arid land regional futures, indigenous livelihoods, conservation planning and management, sustaiable pastrolasim and knowledge management.

We examine the environmental impacts of irrigated and rain-fed agriculture to improve the quality of our land and water resources in rural regions.

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems has expertise in the rangeland and savannas region of Australia. Current research will supply information to pastoralists to assist them to manage the land to achieve both greater productivity and sustainable use of the natural resources.

Mr Kevin Hennessy, Principal Researcher, explains why farmers and the Government have reacted with alarm to a collaborative report indicating that hot periods and low rainfall years that have occurred every 20 years, may become much more frequent. (5.36)

Australia’s farmers are our climate change 'warriors', and many of them are already meeting the challenges of climate change, with major modifications to the way they produce our food. In this podcast, Dr Mark Howden from CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation Flagship, explains how farmers are dealing with challenges such as lower rainfall and irrigation allocations. (4.51)

The Gungahlin Homestead in the Australian Capital Territory, is an historic site in the north of Canberra that now serves as head office for CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.

CSIRO Black Mountain laboratories in Canberra have facilities servicing insect, plant, atmospheric, land and water science.

An overview of the research activities, achievements and capability of the Managing Australian's Soil and Landscape Assets theme within CSIRO's Agricultural Sustainability Initiative. (4 pages)

CSIRO's strategy for engaging and collaborating with Australia's Indigenous community. (2 pages)

The amount of carbon in a soil is dependent on the characteristics of the soil and the balance between inputs and losses.