The National Farmers’ Federation supports Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt’s announcement the Australian Government will sign on to the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA).

NFF President Fiona Simson said as a country characterised by drought and seasonal volatility, greater collaboration was essential to supporting Australian farmers manage their farm businesses and landscapes for sustainability and long-term productivity.

“Farmers are at the forefront of the impacts of climate change and actively work towards increased drought preparedness and resilience,” Ms Simson said.

“It’s critical we continue to build these international relationships at a government level and also an industry level to facilitate farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing.

“No one understands the impact of drought like farmers do, so we must use this understanding and experiences to drive these international collaborations. It is important we continue to facilitate new ideas, innovations and policies to support farmers in the face of drought.”

With El Niño conditions confirmed, working with collaboratively with international counterparts will help share the tough lessons learned on the ground in our respective countries and accelerate efforts toward navigating the increasingly challenging environmental conditions.

The IDRA is an initiative developed at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP27. The NFF is pleased to again be attending COP28 to highlight the commitment and efforts of Australian farmers to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.