University of New England (UNE) researchers will focus on drought resilience in regional areas under a $2 million Federal Government initiative.
The funding is being used by UNE to build a dedicated node within the Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.
The Hub is one of eight established across Australia under the $88 million Future Drought Fund Research and Adoption Program. The Armidale node will be an important addition to the Hub, contributing special expertise and outreach aligned with the Hub program.
In announcing the UNE node, Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said the University will "design and deliver innovative tools and strategies for Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales famers and their communities, boosting drought resilience and future proofing our regional communities“.
"The UNE node will be able to link to the Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales Hub partners, bringing together farmers, farming systems groups, local researchers, industry and other stakeholders to take on the challenges of drought,” Mr Joyce said.
“UNE's node will include a shopfront for farmers to access innovative technologies and practices that enable them to be more prepared and resilient to drought.”
UNE's Lewis Kahn, Professor of Animal Science, and Ms Lu Hogan, UNE's Associate Director Business Development and Commercialisation, welcomed Federal recognition of UNE's expertise.
"As Australia's first regional university, UNE has been working on behalf of the regions for nearly seven decades," Prof. Kahn said.
"Our researchers have contributed to world-leading breakthroughs in the agricultural industries, and have made major contributions to education, natural resource management and other areas of importance to regional communities."
"The Federal investment in the Drought Hub program will help us dedicate minds and resources to this enormous issue. UNE is excited to be leading this dedicated node on behalf of our communities and agricultural industries."
"Helping our communities become more resilient to drought's effects, and working with our agricultural sectors to minimise productivity and natural resource losses to drought, fulfils UNE's mission to be of the regions, for the regions – not just in the good times, but through the bad times."
As part of its decadal Strategic Plan, FutureFit, UNE is initiating a number of programs to ensure regional resilience and prosperity. These include:
* an innovation "precinct without walls", involving partnerships with community and industry in order to foster a collaborative ecosystem of innovation throughout the region;
* a digital health program that substantially improves healthcare delivery and access in regional, rural and remote areas;
* a digital uplift and innovation program across all aspects of teaching and research.
