Status: Project Completed March 2009

Research provider – name & contact details
Peter Deuter, Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, 07 5466 2233, peter.deuter@deedi.qld.gov.au 

Start & finish dates for project
July 2006 – March 2009

What was the project?

To review and assess the impacts of climate change to the horticulture industry to position horticulture in an increasingly variable and changing climate, and to make informed decisions on future R,D&E. This project aimed to provide industry with better understanding of the Impacts, Adaptive Capacity and Vulnerability of horticulture under a changing climate and determine the potential for the decision support tool for managing climate variability.

The aim of this project was not to double up on activity within this area, but to add value and leverage further investment in climate change research for horticulture.

Why did we do it?

To answer the question, “What does climate change mean to my farm?” For individual industries this project assisted them to;
- Position themselves for an increasingly variable and changing climate, and to make informed decisions on future R,D&E;
- Better understand the Impacts, Adaptive Capacity and Vulnerability of horticulture under a changing climate; and
- Determine the potential for the development of a tool(s) for managing climate variability (especially temperature) – with a specific application to the needs of horticulture.

How did we do it?

Over 15 months this project documented the most vulnerable regions and commodities (or production systems) in Australia to climate change, developed a checklist of horticulture specific Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change and an Action Plan for Horticulture in the area of Climate Change.

Collaboration was a vital component of this project. With the limited research undertaken within climate are in horticulture, it was important to utilise existing knowledge and link in with current programs to maximise the benefits to horticulture.

The key outputs from the project were:
- Documentation of the most vulnerable regions and commodities (or production systems) in Australia to Climate Change;
- Checklist of horticulture specific Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change;
- Action Plan for Horticulture in the area of Climate Change; and
- Web page dedicated to horticulture specific climate change and variability information.

For copies of the above outputs, click here or visit the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Forestry web page on Horticulture and Climate Change.

Project Partners

Funding for this project was secured from the horticulture across-industry program with matched external funding from the Land and Water Australia (LWA) Managing Climate Variability Program (MCVP).