Drought is an enduring feature of the Australian landscape. It has significant economic, social, and environmental impacts.
The Future Drought Fund (FDF) was established in 2019. It provides secure, continuous funding for drought resilience initiatives. It is helping Australian farmers and communities prepare for the impacts of drought.
Next phase of FDF funding
On 7 May 2024, the Prime Minister announced $519.1 million over 8 years to deliver the second phase of the FDF.
- Read more about the next phase of funding for the FDF
- Read Minister Watt's media release and the department’s factsheet
Productivity Commission Review
The Productivity Commission carried out a review of the Future Drought Fund (FDF) and released their Inquiry Report on 26 September 2023. The report helped to inform the future direction of FDF investments and activities from 2024.
- Read more about the Productivity Commission Review
Annual reports
Future Drought Fund: Annual Report 2021-22
Future Drought Fund: Annual Report 2020-21
Our focus 2020-2024
Better climate information
Enabling farmers, businesses and communities to better understand the climate risks they face and their resilience to those risks. $39 million to 2023-24.
Programs
Better planning
Helping farmers and regions to plan for drought. $116.82 million to 2023-24.
Programs
Better practices
Developing and driving adoption of farming and land management practices and technologies that improve resilience to droughts. $171.78 million to 2023-24.
Programs
- Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs
- Innovation Grants
- National enabling activities
- Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes
- NRM Drought Resilience Program - Landscapes
- NRM Drought Resilience Program - Grants
- Extension and Adoption of Drought Resilience Farming Practices Grants
- Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Grants
- Drought Resilience Commercialisation Initiative
- Drought Resilience Scholarship Program
Better prepared communities
Building and supporting the leaders, networks and organisations that underpin community resilience. $40.8 million to 2023-24.
Programs
The Fund began with an initial credit of $3.9 billion. Earnings are reinvested until the balance reaches $5 billion (expected in 2028-29). See the details about Future Fund investments.
From July 2020, $100 million will be made available each year from the Fund to support Australian farmers and communities to prepare for and become more resilient to the effects of future drought. This will:
- make agriculture more productive and profitable
- enhance the wellbeing of our farming communities
- improve the sustainability and resilience of the natural resources on which agriculture depends.
The Future Drought Fund Drought Resilience Funding Plan (2024 - 2028) Determination 2024 (the Funding Plan) was registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 8 February 2024. It took effect on 9 February 2024. The Funding Plan is a disallowable legislative instrument. The Funding Plan will be tabled in both Houses of Parliament and will be subject to a 15-day disallowance period.
The Funding Plan is a high-level framework to guide funding decisions.
The Funding Plan aligns with existing drought policies and strategies, including the National Drought Agreement.
Read the Drought Resilience Funding Plan.
The independent Future Drought Fund Committee comprises experts in sustainability, drought resilience, economics, climate change, innovation and rural and regional development.
The Committee will provide expert advice to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on the Drought Resilience Funding Plan 2024 to 2028 and on the consistency of the design of the programs with the Funding Plan.
The Regional Investment Corporation Board provides advice to the Minister of Agriculture and Northern Australia, on whether or not a proposed arrangement, grant or agreement is consistent with the Funding Plan.
Funding Plans are reviewed every four years to ensure emerging priorities and lessons learnt are captured. The Productivity Commission assesses the effectiveness of each Funding Plan before it expires, in a report that is tabled in Parliament. Stakeholder consultation takes place over a minimum 6-week period to inform the finalisation of each new Funding Plan.
The review of the 2020 to 2024 Funding Plan is documented on the FDF Have Your Say page.
The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework will support the measurement and achievements of Future Drought Fund programs over time.
Stay informed
- Subscribe for updates on Future Drought Fund developments through our ‘Have Your Say’ page—choose the ‘Stay informed’ button to receive regular email updates from us
- Read the latest department media releases
- Read the latest media releases from the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Contact us
We’d love to hear from you, email droughtresilience@aff.gov.au.