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Successful Innovation Grants recipients have been announced.
$29 million in grants will develop projects that can help farmers and communities thrive through future droughts.
Drought Resilience Innovation Grants support projects that help Australian farmers, and agricultural-dependent communities and businesses, adopt innovative approaches and technologies to improve drought resilience.
3 grant types help cater for projects and ideas at different stages of development:
- Ideas Grants providing $50,000 for 12 months to help develop good ideas
- Proof-of-Concept Grants providing up to $120,000 for 12 months to test the feasibility of innovative projects
- Innovation Grants providing between $300,000 and $1.1M per year for up to 3 years for mature ideas.
A competitive grants process was announced in July 2021. A Selection Advisory Panel recommended providing:
- 23 Ideas Grants
- 8 Proof-of-Concept Grants
- 15 Innovation Grants.
Ideas Grants recipients will be connected with their local FDF Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub to help move their ideas forward.
Successful applications
| Successful Applications | Project Description | Funding (GST exclusive) |
Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Trustee for JAR Family Trust |
Contingency Interest LoansThis project will build a prototype pricing model for contingency loans. The project will include creating data visualisation and integrating this model with the financials of real graziers. The model is designed to test linking interest payments to rainfall and commodity price events and whether this may present an opportunity for a new lending product. Phase 1 will test the viability of Contingency Interest Loan concept in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. |
$45,454.54 | Queensland |
| Converte Pty Ltd |
Re-Chargeable Slow Release Pellet and Vineyard Drought Resilience DesignThis project will design a natural formulation Slow Release Fertiliser Pellet for Vineyards, with the aim of improving soil biology, soil moisture retention and drought resilience. A trial will be conducted with DeBortoli Wines in the NSW Riverina as part of a drought resilience program. |
$45,454.54 | New South Wales |
| Arquus Pty Ltd |
A Sustainable Weather Certificate Industry projectThis project will establish a sustainable Weather Certificate Industry. With the involvement of major weather certificate providers Arquus will develop cover structures for Australia's climate and develop an Open Access IT system. |
$45,454.54 | Western Australia |
| South Australian Arid Lands Landscape Board |
Assessment of Metering and Monitoring Options for Pastoral Water PointsThis project will identify water smart technology suitable for the arid South Australian pastoral zone and assessing the economic and environmental benefits of this technology for this pastoral zone. |
$45,454.54 | South Australia |
| Swinburne University of Technology |
Roadmap for a Regional Agri-Food Knowledge Cluster in North West TasmaniaThis project will develop a Agri-food Knowledge Cluster Roadmap for North West Tasmania. The project will undertake scoping research on Agri-Food and Knowledge Sectors including co-design workshops to define the role and focus of a Regional Agri-Food Knowledge Cluster in North West Tasmania. |
$45,454.54 | Tasmania |
| First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation |
Research and Promotion of the Production of Drought Resilient Native CropsThis project will research, promote and demonstrate how native crops, including wattles, native perennial grasses and yams, can be grown under minimal irrigation in the Sunraysia Horticultural Area for use as gluten-free flour and foods. |
$45,454.54 | Victoria |
| The University of Adelaide |
Crop Insurance Participation and Moral HazardThis project will develop a report on the Australian agricultural insurance framework and how it can be used to improve and support climate change objectives. |
$45,454.54 | South Australia |
| University of Tasmania |
The Feasibility of a Y-Span Centre Pivot IrrigatorThis project will investigate and evaluate the feasibility of developing a Y-Span Centre Pivot Irrigator, including options such as changed management and Y-split spans on centre pivots to improve infiltration and irrigation efficiency. |
$45,454.54 | Tasmania |
| Square V Pty Ltd |
Farmer Needs a BreakThis project will explore the concept of farm sitting and how farmers could plan ahead to take a break from their farms during drought. The outcomes will be presented at agriculture conferences and other agriculture events. |
$45,454.54 | Victoria |
| Flinders University |
Building Drought Resilience in Coastal Groundwater SystemsThis project will evaluate a proposed system for capturing fresh groundwater from near-shore regions (that otherwise is lost to the sea) and its reinjection to inland aquifers or direct reuse for irrigation. |
$45,454.54 | South Australia |
| Workhaven Pty Ltd |
A Virtual Portal to Support Women in Drought Affected AreasThis project will develop an interactive virtual solution to provide meaningful support and resources to women in drought affected areas. The project will engage with women in drought affected areas to better understand their challenges and what they need to enable them to feel supported and to achieve their good health, economic sustainability and community participation. |
$45,454.54 | Queensland |
| The University of Adelaide |
Resilient and Sustainable Australian Winegrowing Businesses and CommunitiesThis project will carry out further co-design and idea development leading to a mechanism to support the creation of a national network of common garden vineyards (CGVs). The national network of CGVs will contain the latest sensing technology, and the application of machine learning will generate models to guide the selection, design and implementation of the most resilient production systems and associated landscapes of the future while demonstrating and enhancing latest best practice management and decision support technology. |
$45,454.54 | South Australia |
| Wheatbelt Business Network (Inc) |
Wheatbelt Drought Resilience Small to Medium Enterprise PlanningThis project will engage with small and medium enterprises in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region through workshops and one on-one focus sessions to develop Drought Resilient Plans. |
$45,454.54 | Western Australia |
| Murdoch University |
The Benefits of Shelter BeltsThe project will undertake a comprehensive review to evaluate the use of shelterbelts in the South West region of Western Australia. The project will investigate and analyse shelter belt design features, and the resulting co-benefits such as improved fire protection, drought resilience, salinity management, farm production, biodiversity and pollination. |
$45,454.54 | Western Australia |
| Southern Queensland Natural Resources Management Ltd |
Drought and Resilience - First Nation StoriesThe project will record First Nations Stories about Drought and Resilience with the aim to gain insights for managing agricultural landscapes, improving environmental outcomes, and developing social resilience in rural, regional and remote agricultural-dependent communities and help mitigate the impacts of droughts and build community resilience to climate change. |
$45,454.54 | Queensland |
| The University of Wollongong |
iOyster - Drought Resilient Oyster FarmingThe project will undertake co design and development of the feasibility and potential trial of data capture and management using sensor technology for effective oyster farm management through period of drought. |
$45,454.54 | New South Wales |
| Autism Queensland Limited |
The Resilience of Farming Families of Children with DisabilityThis project will work with farming families that have children with disabilities to identify their characteristics of resilience. The project will develop a goal setting tool to promote coaching skills for farmers to share their knowledge with others to building resilience for families who face multiple adversity. |
$45,454.54 | Queensland |
| Damian E & Gerard N Rankin |
Rebuilding and Strengthening Beekeeping After DroughtThe project will develop a concept to disseminate information to aid the beekeeping and food growing industries rebuild and strengthen through and after drought. This project will improve sustainability, drought resilience and add new processes aimed at aiding the beekeeping and food growing industries rebuild and strengthen after bushfires and drought. |
$45,454.54 | New South Wales |
| Square V Pty Ltd |
The DroughtPlanner App - to help farmers dealing with drought make better decisions for both their farm and their mental healthThis project will collaborate with others to scope the idea, including exploring connections to the Drought Resilience Self-Assessment Tool (DRSAT), of bringing together in one App existing tools and strategies for dealing with different times and types of droughts. This activity will bring psychological strategies to farmers alongside key drought resources. |
$45,454.54 | Victoria |
| Moorabool Landcare Network |
Lowering the Impact from the Horse Industry on DroughtsThis project will undertake co-design and ideas development to establish the significance of the horse industry in terms of drought resilience, and further scope the demonstrations and a case studies concept. The project will consider what pasture management is sustainable, and what drought resilient operations may look like. The project will support the Horse Industry to better manage pastures and groundcover, provide resources to support fodder conservation practices, and update drought feeding guides. This will better prepare and forearm the Horse industry to manage drought. |
$45,454.54 | Victoria |
| Applied Horticultural Research Pty Ltd |
Next Generation Water ManagementThis project will co-design a trial of next generation water management strategies and tools to enable growers of high-value horticultural tree crops to remain productive and profitable during drought. |
$45,454.54 | New South Wales |
| Central Queensland University |
Female Farmers of the FutureThis project will develop the idea of a process model, based on case studies, for increasing the uptake of new tools, technologies and methods by women to improve drought and community resilience, including ideas such as a national summit, mentoring, on-farm implementation of practices. |
$45,454.54 | Queensland |
| University of Technology Sydney |
Environmentally-Friendly Polymer Mixture for Drought Resilience and Improved Cultivable Soil QualityBy undertaking further co-design and idea development, this project will look into the feasibility of a trial to test reducing the impact of drought on Australian cultivable regions by using an inexpensive and non-toxic polymer. |
$45,454.54 | New South Wales |
| Successful Applications | Project Description | Funding (GST exclusive) |
Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flinders University |
Drought proofing farming communities through mapping societal and economic resilienceAs a community-led process, resilience mapping and contingency planning will be undertaken to identify, evaluate and map existing family, community and business networks and their interdependence and impact on drought resilience. |
$109,003.50 | South Australia |
| Greenwich Park Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd |
Wondrous Wetlands - A Drought Resilience StrategyThis project will assess "shepherding" of livestock on a time-controlled basis; mindful of livestock behaviour and nutritional requirements. The potential benefit is increased groundcover, refuge for wildlife and enhanced habitat for threatened species. |
$100,000.00 | New South Wales |
| University of South Australia |
Bringing together farmers, psychological science, technology and humourBringing together farmers, psychological science, technology and humour to equip agricultural-dependent communities with practical, evidence-based and entertaining strategies that strengthen wellbeing and deepen social support. |
$107,474.37 | South Australia |
| The University of Melbourne |
Building Capacity for Community-led Drought Resilience ActionThis project seeks to design and test a Drought Resilience Facilitation and Leadership Framework that identifies, builds, and sustains community capacity to implement strategic resilience planning. The Framework provides tools, mentoring and training processes for stakeholder engagement, facilitation and community leadership. If proven, future applications will strengthen the drought resilience of agricultural-dependent communities across Australia. |
$108,874.00 | Victoria |
| Deakin University |
Determining minimum irrigation requirements of almond trees in the RiverinaUsing knowledge of water stress thresholds for almond production to schedule irrigation based on-soil moisture and weather forecasts with the goal to determine the minimum irrigation requirements. |
$109,000.00 | Victoria |
| Katanning Land Conservation District Committee |
Give A DamDeveloping a better understanding and enhancing the role of farm dams for drought resilience in the Broadacre agricultural landscape, Katanning, WA. Two demonstration methods - dam covers and biological enhancement - will be investigated along with case studies of best practice dam management such as water consolidation, piped inlets, and desilting (both contour banks and roaded catchment). With three iterations of a Drought Planning workshop held to facilitate dissemination and extension with feedback from farmers to determine future needs. |
$50,358.00 | Western Australia |
| Lawson Grains Pty Limited |
Farm-Sit Service for Farmers to Build Overall Mental ResilienceThis project aims to set up a program to provide farmers with skilled individuals to oversee their farm for up to two weeks. It looks to deliver community benefit through improved wellbeing of individual farmers and their families, by giving them a break from their farm and allowing someone else to worry about the daily challenges for a period of time. |
$30,000.00 | New South Wales |
| The University of Adelaide |
Optimal Herd Inventory Management StrategiesEquipping cattle producers and their advisors with critical material to inform optimal herd inventory management strategies to assist with enterprise drought preparedness and resilience in southern Australia. |
$108,290.00 | South Australia |
| Successful Applications | Project Description | Funding (GST exclusive) |
Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland Farmers' Federation Ltd |
Integrating index-based insurance and optimal crop management strategies to reduce the financial risk and improve income stabilityAlong with project partners, including Willis Towers Watson and Celsius Pro, the project aims to develop new insurance products that integrate insurance solutions with optimal crop management strategies to maximise profitability and income stability. |
$1,825,000.00 | Queensland |
| University of New England |
Overcoming the Knowledge GapsUsing a co-learning approach to increase the adoption of deep-rooted legumes and conserved forage as key drought resilient strategies for Northern Australian grazing systems. This project aims to equip producers with the necessary skills and confidence to develop higher quality pasture and forage conservation that increases landscape and grazing system resilience during drought conditions. |
$3,000,000.00 | New South Wales |
| Evidn Pty Ltd |
A Behavioural Science Approach to Building Drought Resilience Across the Fitzroy BasinA partnership between Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) and Evidn to embed behavioural science in NRM services to increase the adoption of drought mitigation behaviours to improve drought resilience of communities across the Fitzroy Basin. Specifically, the project aims to: (1) understand the psychological and behavioural barriers and motivations different sectors of the community have towards adopting drought mitigation practices; and (2) drawing on these insights, co-design and co-deliver behavioural change strategies across the region to improve the uptake of drought mitigation practices. This is building off the Smart Farms Small Grant funded project (under the National Landcare program) undertaken in Emerald. |
$991,000.00 | Queensland |
| The University of Newcastle |
Hydro Harvester - A fresh way to extract atmospheric water for drought affected communitiesThis project aims to address critical drinking water shortages in drought affected by producing drinking grade water locally by harvesting atmospheric moisture. |
$1,750,510.00 | New South Wales |
| Grower Group Alliance Inc. |
WaterSmart Dams - Making Dams Work AgainA partnership with growers to better understand how dams can function in dry years and through co-design develop new farm water planning tools to create more drought-resilient farm enterprises and regional communities. |
$2,992,092.91 | Western Australia |
| Deakin University |
Irrigation management technology and agronomy packages for enabling aerobic rice production in southern Australia |
$933,000.00 | Victoria |
| The University of New England |
Empowering Generation ZThis project aims to develop drought resilience demonstration farmlets to provide students graduating from the University of New England and Charles Sturt University in the disciplines of Rural Science, Veterinary Science, and Agribusiness knowledge and hands on experience in developing, monitoring and managing a drought resilient farming system. |
$1,398,808.00 | New South Wales |
| University of Southern Queensland |
Customising ARMonlineThis project aims to upskill growers from across Queensland and Northern NSW in using existing and new functions within ARMonline to capitalise on good years and be more prepared for and resilient to the impacts of drought, through increased adaptability, productivity and profitability. |
$989,439.00 | Queensland |
| Southern Regional Natural Resource Management Association Inc. |
Co-developing and improving digital tools for increased drought resilience with, and for, Tasmanian farmersThe pilot study will drive improved drought resilience through a state-wide rollout of the Farming Forecaster decision support tool in drought-affected regions of Tasmania. This project builds on a NSW trial and the FDF funded Tasmanian pilot. |
$1,445,000.00 | Tasmania |
| The University of Melbourne |
Whole-system Redesign of Broadacre Farming of SE AustraliaWhole-system redesign of broadacre farming of SE Australia to plan for, cope with, and recover from drought through an inclusive systems approach by bringing together individual proven practices into a diversified farming system. This will include demonstration of pulses as an integral part of crop rotations in a monocropping/mixed (graze and grain) farming system, where farm resilience is further enhanced by incorporating diversified vegetation cover (native crops/grasses). |
$1,997,944.00 | Victoria |
| University of New England |
Decide and ThriveThis project aims to develop innovative and regionally-relevant livestock ranking strategies that secure the business into, during and out of drought, and preserve and improve natural capital in agricultural landscapes. |
$2,995,121.00 | New South Wales |
| Aspermont Limited |
Kondinin Group Drought Resilience for Agriculture Research Extension and Adoption programThis proposal is for a comprehensive farmer-focused extension and adoption program aimed at seeking out the most successful drought-related techniques, strategies and technologies being used by farmers and agribusinesses around the country. This information will be delivered nationwide via a range of new and existing distribution channels, including print supplements as part of the Farming Ahead magazine, online news and newsletters, direct email campaigns, multimedia, social media and event partnerships. |
$2,307,730.20 | Western Australia |
| Southern Farming Systems Ltd |
Assessing the Suitability of Small Farm DamsThis project will assess the suitability of existing small farm dams to prepare for, cope with and recover from drought by predicting run-off volumes and dam fill on an interactive map. Predicted values will be based on collected data and remote sensing analyses. |
$1,055,096.00 | Victoria |
| Kangaroo Island Landscape Board |
Building Drought Resilience through Comprehensive Property Management PlanningThis project aims to support landholders transition from planning to implementation using novel technological and innovative approaches as a test case for institutional and landholder innovation. Providing landholders with the tools and capacity to adapt, reorganise, transition and transform their properties in preparation for drought. The project will leverage and complement the outcomes of the FDF/Primary Industries & Regions Farm Business Resilience Program Kangaroo Island Farm Business Management project and the FDF NRM Drought Resilience Program Grants Partnering with Kangaroo Island landholders to develop property-scale water security plans to prepare for future droughts project. |
$981,000.00 | South Australia |
| Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc. |
Develop robust ground cover to enable resilience in low rainfall mixed farmsThis project aims to provide the tools for farmers to maintain resilient groundcover through all seasons and sequences to quickly regain production potential when drought breaks. Deploying extension and communication program with a mix of traditional activities and new methods through a digital extension hub. New practices include using zero till disc and modified tine seeders, rotational grazing aided by electronic “virtual fencing” technologies, inclusion ripping or skip row spading and seed priming. |
$2,499,913.00 | Victoria |
Funding information
Find details of the payment information for the Drought Resilience Innovation Grants program, as required under section 27A of the Future Drought Fund Act 2019 below.
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Future Drought Fund: Drought Resilience Innovation Grants program (PDF 708 KB)
Future Drought Fund: Drought Resilience Innovation Grants program (DOCX 707 KB)
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