Applications closed
The Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Program Round 2 grants opened on 24 September 2024 and closed on 19 November at 9:00pm (AEDT).
The Program will fund projects that investigate innovative farming techniques through science-based long-term trials, building drought and climate resilience for Australian farmers.
The Program has an expanded list of eligible agricultural industries including cereal, other broadacre crops, horticulture crops and livestock.
The program provides:
- $40.3 million is available through an open competitive grant process for applicants that have formed a consortium.
- grants valued between $3 million up to $8 million for eligible projects undertaken from 2025 until 2030.
Successful applicants will be notified in 2025.
Australian farmers preparing for drought want proven practices they can rely on.
That’s why the Future Drought Fund is investing $38 million in the Long-term Trial of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Grants program.
Grant recipients will trial innovative drought resilient farming practices over several years.
Projects will focus on the grain cropping and livestock sectors, which represent around 60 per cent of all Australian farming businesses.
These sectors are prone to productivity losses due to drying conditions and climate change.
Projects in the trial will use a combination of sites and at least one trial location for scientific evaluation.
This evidence-based approach will provide farmers with the information and confidence they need to try the practices themselves.
Projects
Grants of up to $8 million (GST exclusive) per project will be awarded to successful consortia to undertake activities in consultation with farmers across a broad range of landscapes and production systems.
Projects will receive funding until 2027 - 28.
Successful applicants will be notified in 2025.
| Lead organisation of consortium | Short project description | Project locations | No. consortium members | Total grant amount requested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRC for High Performance Soils Ltd | Evaluating novel approaches to build drought resilience in farming systems and soils through capitalising on an established network of long-term trials. | Multiple trial sites across WA, NSW, and Vic | 12 | $3,935,493 |
| NQ Dry Tropics Ltd | Demonstrate the effectiveness of virtual fencing to enable rangeland graziers to implement fine scale, drought resilient grazing systems over large areas. | Charters Towers, Qld | 3 | $4,320,584 |
| University of Melbourne | To provide rigorous scientific evidence for the effectiveness or otherwise of farming-systems adaptations hypothesised to improve drought resilience of broadacre grains, grazing and mixed farming systems. | Multiple trial sites across Vic and Tas | 6 | $7,204,015 |
| Charles Sturt University | Investigations into the interdependence and whole-system effects of cropping and livestock components and managing environmental and social impacts in response to seasonal variation. | Multiple trial sites across NSW | 7 | $6,229,926 |
| Flinders University | Innovative applied science to improve the climate resilience of cropping, livestock, and mixed farms, assessed through a network of long-term trials across the pastoral, low, medium, and high rainfall zones of SA. | Multiple trial sites across SA | 39 | $8,000,000 |
| Deakin University | Investigating diversity in pastures to build resilience and support 365 days of feed production in southern temperate grazing enterprises. | Multiple trial sites across Vic, WA, SA, and Tas | 10 | $7,994,500 |
| Total funding (ex GST) | $37,684,518 |
Funding information
Find details of the payment information for the Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Grants, as required under Section 27A of the Future Drought Fund Act 2019 below.
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Funding Information - Long-term Trial of Drought Resilient Farming Practices (DOCX 184 KB)
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