Life long: The impact of climate change on agribusiness in Australia

Climate change and the seven year drought have had a devastating and long-term impact on agriculture in Australia, particularly the Murray Darling Basin. Over allocation, low rainfall and the government's policy of buying back water for environmental uses mean that farmers are being squeezed on a number of fronts. Dry-land farming approaches, and the efficient and innovative use of water resources, are the future for many in agribusiness that have been reliant on irrigation for their livelihood. New crops and diversification of income sources are increasingly a reality for many farms.

Our presenter, Peter Fagan, has more than 35 years of experience and is MWH's Asia Pacific Sustainability Practice Leader. His extensive experience spans the technical and organisational aspects of sustainability through public and private sector roles, including more than 30 years with New South Wales' largest water provider. Mr Fagan currently serves as a member of the Technology and Sustainability standing committee of the University of Sydney's Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• agribusiness
• agriculture
• drought
• dry land farming
• engineering
• environmental
• Murray Darling Basin
• native vegetation
• rural water challenges
• sustainability
• water shortages