Summary

This project aims to co-design scalable diversification options and drought resilience practices for cotton, grain, and cattle enterprises in northern Queensland. It will also quantify the economic, social, and environmental values and risks associated with these options.

Participatory, whole-farm systems research will examine:

• Current farm resources and business performance.
• Co-designed, time sensitive responses to drought and market volatility.
• Information and tools required for adoption of new practices.
• The impact of extreme climate events on productivity and sustainability.
• The level of climate information accuracy and timeliness required to deliver economic value.
• How climate variability influences the risk of not adopting available solutions.
• Whole-farm economic models assessing the value of on-farm produced grains and/or forage crops when  integrated into cropping systems for cattle feed.
• Alignment of existing environmental stewardship frameworks with North Queensland mixed farming systems, agribusiness, and regional community development goals.
• Appropriate stewardship guidelines and self-assessment options to balance costs, legislation, social license and value chain demands and opportunities.

Expected outcomes

This project will support North Queensland farmers and rural communities by providing the information and skills needed to capitalise on agricultural commodity booms. It will also help identify scalable business plans for reinvestment in resilient crop-livestock systems that deliver a lasting legacy of economic, social and environmental prosperity for rural Northern Queensland.

The key drivers for this change include high land and commodity prices, climate variability, cattle biosecurity and market risk, emerging carbon markets, and policy settings.

The project brings together experienced public and private researchers, along with value chain actors in a coordinated approach to enable cotton-led farm diversification as part of sustainable cropping systems that also benefit cattle producers.