Rainfall levels for many parts of Australia haven’t recovered since the devastating millennium drought. Many rural communities are having to face a reality of landscapes and climate that have already changed, and are likely to continue to do so. So, what makes an effective climate adaptation initiative?

Following on from the previous episode about creating innovation systems on a national or regional scale, this episode looks at how innovation systems can function on a much smaller, local scale. We examine local innovation systems, through the lens of addressing the challenges of climate change in agriculture and in rural communities.

How are local water corporations, local government, scientists and community groups working together to offer effective solutions to drought? How so we make sure all the voices are heard, so that climate adaptation is not ‘top down’ but more grassroots in its design?

This episode draws from the speakers held at a recent Vic Drought and Innovation Hub Think Tank Event, held in Bendigo: “Are We Drought Ready?” Exploring local adaptation

Hear from:

• Prof. Lauren Rickards, Chair of Climate Change Adaptation, La Trobe University

• Caroline Welsh Deputy Chair, GWMWater, member of the Victorian Agriculture Climate Change Council and the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund Consultative Committee.

• Damian Wells, Managing Director at Coliban Water

• Prof Rebecca Lester, Freshwater Ecologist and Director of the Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, Deakin University

• Professor Richard Eckard, Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Melbourne and Director of the Primary Industries Climate Change Centre

• Dona Cayetana, Community and Partnerships Program Manager, DEECA (Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action)

• Cr Jennifer Alden, Deputy Mayor at the City of Greater Bendigo

View the Vic Hub’s latest research and resources on climate adaptation here.

Listen to Dr Rob Faggian, Associate Professor of Climate Change Adaptation at Deakin University speak about climate modelling for agriculture.


The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
AR6 Synthesis Report (SYR)

Tati Tati Kaiejin - Resources

This podcast has been created by the Victoria Drought Resilience Innovation and Adoption Hub and is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.