08-09-2003

Newly appointed Chairman of the Managing Climate Variability Programme Dale Baker has congratulated the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry the Hon. Warren Truss for securing an additional $500,000 for climate research.

Last week Minister Truss announced that the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust would provide the funding to the Managing Climate Variability Program for the 2003-04 year.

Along with funding from a number of rural industries, the allocation would help develop more accurate seasonal forecasts and greater adoption of climate management tools in rural and regional Australia, Mr Baker said.

'How we manage rural lands and natural resources in the face of a changing climate are major issues for this century,' Mr Baker said. 'This is not just about managing the effects of climate change, but also about how farmers and resource managers deal with seasonal variability.

'Part of that challenge is learning how to maximise the benefits of the good years, while minimising the impact of the bad.

'Developing and providing the tools to help people recognise the signs will help us reach our goal.'

The new programme will build on world class research done in Australia during the last decade on the major drivers of Australian climate. This includes recognition of the influence of El Niño from the eastern Pacific and the role of the Indian Ocean.

The Managing Climate Variability Programme aims to invest more than $6 million during the next four years to improve seasonal climate forecasts to increase adoption of climate tools and forecasts by Australia's primary industries and natural resource managers.

The Programme has had strong support from the western and southern grains industries through the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Managed by Land & Water Australia, it is also supported by continuing partners Dairy Australia the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and the Sugar Research and Development Corporation. .

Dale Baker is a Western Australian grain farmer from Hyden and has been Chairman of the Grains Research and Development Corporation's Western Panel for four years. He has a keen interest in climate variability and aims to encourage and develop research investments that will benefit growers.

'Today's management decisions of must take into account the climate change that has already occurred and factor in what is likely to happen tomorrow.

'The Managing Climate Variability Programme will equip farmers, water resource planners and natural resource managers with the tools and knowledge to make better decisions and manage the risk of what is now recognised as a more uncertain climate.'

ENDS


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