A$7.94 Million Programme to Strengthen Drought Resilience for NSW Fruit and Winegrape Growers
The Australian and New South Wales governments have announced a A$7.94 million research initiative aimed at strengthening drought resilience across the winegrape, apple and cherry sectors. The five‑year programme will establish long‑term trial sites and demonstration orchards to test new agronomic practices and technologies under real production conditions. According to details released by the NSW Government, the project will combine research expertise with direct grower participation to generate practical guidance for managing increasingly variable climate conditions.
The initiative forms part of a broader national effort to strengthen resilience in critical sectors and regional communities. Similar long‑term resilience thinking underpins initiatives such as Australia’s work on space‑enabled technologies for national resilience, which also emphasise collaboration between research institutions, government agencies and industry.
Long‑term trials across key horticulture regions
The project will establish major trial sites at a commercial apple orchard in Batlow and a cherry orchard in Gulgong. Additional demonstration sites will operate across the Central West, southern New South Wales and Tasmania, ensuring that research reflects a wide range of horticultural production systems.
These sites will test combinations of researcher‑designed and grower‑suggested management practices to assess how different approaches affect drought tolerance and productivity over time. Growers will play a central role in shaping the trials, contributing to experimental design, treatment selection and on‑farm implementation during autumn and winter.
Six research staff from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will collaborate with researchers from Charles Sturt University and the University of Tasmania. Long‑term monitoring is intended to capture the full seasonal cycle of perennial crops, giving growers clearer insights into how management strategies perform in real‑world conditions.
Testing practical drought‑management tools
Researchers will work with host growers to identify and test a toolkit of practical drought‑management strategies. These include soil amendments, deficit irrigation techniques and the use of modern monitoring technologies such as soil moisture probes.
The trials aim to identify approaches that improve orchard and vineyard resilience to extreme weather events while maintaining productivity. Once validated, findings will be shared through workshops, orchard walks, factsheets and a ‘Best Practice Drought Management’ training manual designed to support adoption across the sector.
Research into agricultural technologies that enable farmers to operate more efficiently with limited resources mirrors broader innovation efforts across Australia, including work exploring advanced energy storage technologies for challenging environments.
National collaboration to address climate pressures
“Drought is always a case of when, not if. This is why we’re working with the NSW Government, Charles Sturt University, and other partners to understand the risks, priorities and actions needed to boost resilience to future drought.” — Julie Collins, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australian Government
The project is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund under the Long‑term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Programme (Round 2). The programme supports collaborative research designed to deliver practical outcomes for farmers and regional communities.
“The Minns Government is working to develop and sustain our horticultural sector and to assist farmers who are facing increased climate variability. This project is designed to deliver practical and evidence‑based solutions.” — Tara Moriarty, Minister for Agriculture, New South Wales
Professor Renée Leon, Vice‑Chancellor of Charles Sturt University, said increasing drought frequency requires solutions that enable farmers to produce more with less water, while also strengthening collaboration between industry and research organisations.
“We are seeing increased frequencies of drought, and we need to develop solutions which enable farmers and industry to do more with less water.” — Prof Renée Leon, Vice‑Chancellor, Charles Sturt University
Dr Alison Anderson, Director for Horticulture at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, said integrating scientific research with commercial trials will help identify reliable and cost‑effective drought management approaches.
“Integrating that knowledge into long‑term commercial trials will allow us to identify the most reliable, cost‑effective drought‑management tools so growers can make confident decisions in increasingly variable seasons.” — Dr Alison Anderson, Director for Horticulture, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
