Drought Hub
Eastern Wheatbelt Node for the South-West Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
MADFIG hosts the Eastern Wheatbelt Node of WA’s only Drought Hub, part of a national network funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. The South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub), led by the Grower Group Alliance, focuses on collaboration to drive innovation and improve drought resilience in agriculture.
By connecting research to real-world solutions, the Hub helps farmers adopt new practices, enhance resilience and explore commercial opportunities.
Want to learn more? Email us here.
The Vision: Thriving producers and communities adapting to our variable environment
The Mission: Be a connected and trusted partner building pathways to accelerate innovation and adoption
Latest News
Water quality – a key focus of our Drought Hub WaterSmart Dams project!
Ensuring reliable, clean water on-farm is essential for productivity and sustainability, which is why we’re excited to incorporate water quality testing into our WaterSmart Dams project.
We were generously gifted water testing equipment, allowing us to take a closer look at dam water quality. In February, we had the opportunity to learn how to use it at a hands-on workshop delivered by the GGA WA Drought Hub team and hosted by DPIRD WA. The session covered the use of pH, electrical conductivity and turbidity meters – essential tools for measuring water quality on farms.
By making testing equipment more accessible and building farmer confidence in its use, MADFIG, through the SW WA Drought Hub is helping landholders make better-informed decisions about their water resources.
Keep an ear out – the equipment will soon be available for local farmers and landholders to use!
New Future Drought Fund Investment Strategy Released
We are excited to announce that The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) unveiled the new Future Drought Fund (FDF) Investment Strategy during January!
The Australian government co-signed the National Drought Agreement (2024-2029) last year with State and Territory governments and released the Future Drought Fund Drought Resilience Funding Plan (2024 – 2028).
The strategy provides a roadmap to building drought-resilient farms, landscapes and communities and was developed with input from stakeholders, the independent FDF Consultative Committee and insights from the recent Productivity Commission Inquiry Report.
As one of the South-West of WA Drought Hub’s Regional Nodes, MADFIG contributed to this process.
Helpful Drought Hub Resources
Grower Group Alliance SW WA Hub Website
A home for all things Drought Hub across Western Australia - including news, events and projects.
Kondinin Group Drought Research Reports
The Drought Research Reports serve as a valuable long-term resource for farmers, covering a wide range of topics.
Grower Group Alliance Youtube Channel
Check out the Grower Group Alliance YouTube channel. Uploading new content each month.
SoilsWest Soil Quality eBook Series
A digital soil quality book series uncovers valuable soil data from across Western Australia, offering real-world context to the science behind soil management. This eBook is accessible to everyone, from farmers and agricultural professionals to researchers and students.
RIC Loans to Manage Drought
The Regional Investment Corporation is offering Farming Enterprises lower cost loans to manage drought. Funds can be sourced for preparing, managing through and recovering from drought.
DPIRD Dry Seasons and Drought Resources
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides data and information on seasonal weather through its network of automatic weather stations and seasonal climate forecasts through the Statistical Climate Information system. In dry years, the department provides information to assist growers and agribusiness to manage seasonal conditions and their consequences.
DPIRD Grains Convo Newsletter
Subscribe to the new Grains Convo newsletter and stay up to date on research findings and cutting-edge developments from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Grains Team.
GRDC publication: Maximising crop potential in a drying environment
The growers featured in the booklet have outlined what has and has not worked for them and have provided information on a range of tactics they have employed. This will help to provide confidence to other growers in making decisions to deal with a drying environment.
MADFIG + Drought Hub Projects
WaterSmart Dams
The project involves demonstration sites, building farm-based water planning tools, workshops, field days and industry training.
FRRR Agribusiness Network and Mentoring
The purpose of this project is to build capacity of local people and communities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought in remote, rural and regional Australia through establishing an Agribusiness and Mentoring Program which will foster a collective knowledge base, strengthen local networks and provide opportunities to learn and share through events.
Farming in the Eastern Wheatbelt Podcast
The “Farming in the Eastern Wheatbelt” series let’s you listen and learn about projects in our region that benefit producers and communities.
Our first episode is with Meg Gethin (MADFIG’s Node Lead) and Tanya Kilminster (Knowledge Broker), discussing the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, their own experiences farming in the Eastern Wheatbelt, and examining why the Future Drought Fund Program is vitally important for our state and region’s future.
In our second episode, Dr Richard George from the WaterSmart Farming team speaks about the project and how reviewing past research can provide insights into a better future with new knowledge and technologies.
Dry Season Resources Podcast
MADFIG hosts the Drought Hub Node Lead for the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub dunded by the National Future Drought Fund. The Drought Hub is dedicated to sharing information that supports growers in preparing for, and responding to, dry seasons.
In this limited podcast series, hear from growers and industry experts on managing dry season responses, ranging from early planning to tactical decision-making as the season changes throughout the year and setting up for the following season.
South West Hub Newsletters
To receive project updates and details of upcoming Hub events, sign up to the Hub newsletter on the
Growers Group Alliance Drought Hub page here.