FOR CONSULTATION

PRIMARYPRODUCTIONCLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION ACTION PLAN 2022–2026

-at a glance

This is a summary of the draft Primary Production AAP for public consultation. The Victorian Government has developed seven draft climate change adaptation action plans, including this Primary Production Adaptation Action Plan.

The Government is seeking input from the community to shape these plans. Engagement questions have been included through the document to guide your contributions. Please go to engage.vic.gov.au to provide your feedback.

The plans will form a solid foundation for a climate-resilient Victoria in the long term. The final Primary Production Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022–2026 will be completed after the consultation process.

Acknowledgement of Aboriginal Victorians We proudly acknowledge Victoria’s First Nations peoples and their ongoing strength in practising the world’s oldest living culture. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters on which we live and work, and pay our respect to their Elders past and present.

Victoria’s Aboriginal communities continue to strengthen and grow with the ongoing practice of language, lore and cultural knowledge. We recognise the contribution of Aboriginal people and communities to Victorian life. Traditional owners have managed Victoria’s land and water for tens of thousands of years and they have deep knowledge and cultural practices in sustainable food and medicinal plant production and ecological land management. We acknowledge their history and their living cultural traditions.

© The State of Victoria Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions 2021.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms and the Victorian Government logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Disclaimer

This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

This document is available online at djpr.vic.gov.au or by contacting the project team on aap@djpr.vic.gov.au

AccessibilityIf you are having issues accessing this document, please call the DJPR Customer Service Centre on 03 9651 9999 or email the project team on aap@djpr.vic.gov.au. Alternatively, contact the National Relay Service via relayservice.com.au or by calling 133 677.

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Contents

The Victorian Primary Production System

Climate is fundamental to Victoria’s primary industries, and it is changing

Projected impacts of climate change on Victoria’s primary industries

Adapting to climate change offers opportunities for Victoria’s primary industries

Victoria’s primary industries are already adapting to climate change

Objectives for the Primary Production AAP

Priorities and draft Primary Production AAP actions to 2026

Have your say

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The Victorian Primary Production System

The primary production system includes agriculture, plantation forestry, productive fisheries and the infrastructure, workforce and communities supporting them.

It covers the full value chain – key inputs, growth and harvest, production and processing – everything that gets products to market.

As well as supplying Victorians with essential food and fibre, Victoria’s primary industries are major export and wealth generators and employ more than 190,000 people, over 80 per cent of them in regional Victoria.

All seven AAP systems are interconnected

• The primary production system relies on other systems for critical inputs and supports.

• It also relies on effective emergency management, which in turn relies on rural and regional communities.

 

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Climate is fundamental to Victoria’s primary industries and it is changing

The potential impacts of a reduction in fresh water resources, seasonal changes and increases in the risk of extreme events, like heat, fire and drought could include:

• Disruptions to supply chains including access to inputs and markets

• Reduced availability of finance and insurance

• Geographical shifts in land characteristics and land use

• Damage from pest and disease outbreaks.

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Projected impacts of climate change on Victoria’s primary industries

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Engagement questions:

• How concerned are you about the impacts of climate change on the Primary Production system?

• What are your top 3 concerns?

• Why are these your top 3 concerns?

Adapting to climate change offers opportunities for Victoria’s primary industries

• Victorian primary industries may take advantage of new growing and harvesting conditions as the climate changes. For example, some waterlogged soils are drying out making them more viable.

• Victorian businesses can develop and benefit from new management practices. For example, implementation of more efficient irrigation technologies to combat a drying climate provide manufacturing opportunities for domestic and export markets.

• There may be opportunities to use land differently. For example, mixed production models and sale of new products such as fodder.

• As our primary industries adapt to climate change they may find new income streams. For example, generating income or savings from renewable energy generation.

• Adapting to climate change will mean our primary industries work more closely together at the regional level and along supply chains. For example, increasing the share of local inputs and reusing waste products.

Engagement questions:

• Are there any other opportunities arising from climate change and adaptation for the primary industries?

• Are there any barriers to taking advantage of these opportunities? If so, what are they?

Victoria’s primary industries are already adapting to climate change

• Horticulture producers in the Mallee are developing management strategies and evaluating alternative plant varieties that are better suited to extreme events and water-limited conditions, based on analysis of potential climate change impacts in their area.

• Commercial fishers have reduced black-spined sea urchins to help the reef kelp canopy and algal understory recover, so there is a protective habitat and source of food for fish populations.

• New technologies are being tested and demonstrated at the Ellinbank SmartFarm for dairy farmers to showcase options to become more climate resilient, increase productivity and continue to improve livestock welfare.

• Climate change is already changing grape qualities and compressing harvests. Industry-led efforts are providing detailed information about how the changing climate may affect Australia’s wine regions up to 2100.

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• Victorian farmers are applying strategies to increase lamb survival to adapt to a changing climate and highly variable seasons. These include genetic selection, improved fertility, pregnancy management and stock containment to allow pasture growth.

• The Gippsland National Institute for Forest Products Innovation is supporting research and development proposals, including improved resilience of native and plantation forest resources as one of its research priorities.

• Recipients of Agriculture Energy Investment Plan grants are investing in new technology such as solar photovoltaic and improved irrigation systems to increase water and energy efficiency while reducing costs and improving resilience to a variable climate.

• Dairy farmers in northern Victoria are planting trees and installing shade sheds to control cows’ heat loads. These strategies offer welfare and productivity benefits.

Engagement Question:

• Do you have any other examples of effective adaptation by the primary industries?

Objectives for the Primary Production AAP

Short term objective (2026)• In 2026 the primary industries are better adapted to the climate being experienced, have begun

to transition to more resilient models of food and fibre production, and have improved their capacity to adapt.

Medium term objective (2040)• In 2040 the primary industries have begun necessary long-term transitions, are continuing to

adapt to the emerging climate and have a strong capacity to adapt

Long term objective (2050)• In 2050 the primary industries are continually adapting and transitioning in response to climate

change so that they continue to provide adequate, affordable, safe and high-quality food and fibre, and realise economic opportunities for Victoria’s thriving rural and regional communities.

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Priorities for further action & potential adaptation actions to 2026

1. Primary production value chains: Make primary production value chains more resilient by reducing climate change-related risks and seizing economic opportunities

1.1 Assess climate change opportunities and risks in supply chains and identify ways to make them more resilient.

1.2. Explore ways to reduce climate change related disuptions to the transport systems primary industry rely on.

1.3. Explore ways to reduce climate change risks to key inputs and supports to the primary industries (e.g. water, energy, telecommunications, credit and insurance.)

1.4. Address climate change related health risks for consumers, primary industries workers and communities.

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2. Research and innovation system: Support research and innovation that helps Victorian primary industries adapt to climate change.

2.1. Promote research, monitoring and modelling of climate change impacts and effective adaptation approaches.

2.2. Research common issues that affect primary industries, water and natural environment and develop joined up adaptation approaches.

2.3. Strengthen collaboration between research organisations, practitioners and rural communities to deliver innovative and effective adaptation solutions.

2.4. Measure and monitor progress of the AAP and learn from industry transitions.

3. Adaptation information, skills and capabilities: Support primary industries to build on existing adaptation skills and capabilities and provide new adaptation information.

3.1. Work with primary industries to build on and strengthen their adaptation skills and capabilities.

3.2. Explore new opportunities for policies, programs and regulations to remove adaptation barriers and promote action.

3.3. Work with regions and industry to ensure all those involved in primary industries, including Traditional Owners and Aboriginal Victorians, young people and women, are supported to adapt to climate change.

3.4. Work with primary industries to develop climate change information and services that meet their needs.

4. Adaptive capacity of Government: Boost the government’s capacity to support adaptation in primary industries by making relevant government services and operations more responsive to climate change risks and opportunities.

4.1. Build skills and capabilities in government to support climate change adaptation and risk management in primary industries.

4.2. Ensure the government programs and services that support primary industries are climate resilient and promote effective adaptation.

4.3. Strengthen the adaptation outcomes of government’s emergency response and recovery funds.

4.4. Boost collaboration on climate risk management and adaptation across government and primary industries.

Engagement questions

• Do you have any feedback on the actions?

• Do you have any feedback on the implementation of the actions?

• What role do you see your organisation or yourself playing in implementing the actions in the Primary Production AAP?

• Would you like to make other comments on the draft Primary Production AAP?

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Have your say

Visit Engage Victoria to 

• Have your say on climate change impacts and adaptation in the primary industries

• Read the full draft Primary Production Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022-2026

• See the other systems’ draft plans

https://engage.vic.gov.au/aaps-primaryproduction

Read more about Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy here:climatechange.vic.gov.au/ victorias -climate-change-strategy

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