Helal Ahammad, who heads ABARE's climate change analysis branch, told the OUTLOOK Conference that significant potential exists to mitigate climate change impacts through adaptation.

“Australian farmers have been adapting to seasonal variation and international competitive pressure. Climate change poses an additional challenge to which farmers will respond to via innovation and increased productivity,” Dr Ahammad said.

“Sound knowledge and understanding of the nature and extent of climate change and its impacts at a regional scale is critical for farmers to adapt to climate change effectively. Both industry and government can help by providing research and development in this regard.”

Adapting to climate change will require a level of forward planning unprecedented in Australian agriculture, according to the Director of the CSIRO Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship, Dr Andrew Ash.

Dr Ash told the OUTLOOK Conference there is a need to determine where and when incremental adaptation will not be sufficient to cope with climate change.

“In these situations, scientists, farmers, communities, industries and governments all need to work together to develop integrated approaches to successfully manage transformational changes in land management and land use,” Dr Ash said.

Dr Michael Coughlan from the Bureau of Meteorology also addressed the conference, highlighting the critical importance of increased water scarcity associated with climate change.