Adaptation
The workshops undertaken as part of the
CSIRO research project
identified ideas for adaptation to a scenario of less water and
identified key research needs.
There were a number of common ideas and themes
which came up in each of the workshops, and considerable commonality in
the participants’ views on priorities for future research into
adaptation options
Collating all the group responses, the top
priorities for future farming systems research identified by the
participants are summarised below:
-
Alternative rice water management strategies
to increase WUE ($/Ml) (for example AWD, aerobic rice) – what are
the water-savings and trade-off yield impacts of AWD practices with
varying degrees of water stress prior to permanent flooding at PI?
What are the optimal fertilisation strategies under different
water-management practices?
-
New/better varieties suited to new
conditions, for all crops
-
Change in irrigation practices for non-rice
crops
-
Cost-benefits of investment in more efficient
irrigation methods and equipment (eg low pressure lateral moves,
drip) for non-rice crops
-
What are the cost-benefits of investment?
What are the cost-benefits of sub-optimal irrigation (partial)
versus full? How do we maximise the WUE of irrigation practices?
-
Better on-farm value from seasonal climate
forecasts.
Although greater incorporation of dryland farming practices (water
conservation methods such as residue retention, fallowing) was
identified at all workshops, it was not felt that this warranted
specific research. Similarly, increasing the conveyancing efficiency of
water both on-farm and within district was viewed as an area which had
been well researched.
Adaptation
options presented at workshops |
