National Initiative to Help Grain Growers Adapt to Climate Change

A demonstration program called the National Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative (NAMI) has been established by the Australian Government  in partnership with various government agencies and private sector industries to help growers adapt to a changing climate. The partnership worth A$4.9 million "will play an important role in equipping primary producers with tools to adapt and adjust to the impact of climate change and to manage their emissions," said Managing Director Peter Reading of the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

The four projects that will be conducted in 24 locations across Australia will aim to:

• directly involve farmers and advisers in designing on-ground demonstrations of locally-relevant adaptations to climate change to maintain or enhance farm viability;
• assist rapid dissemination of information about adapting to and mitigating climate change;
• assess the greenhouse gas emission implications of different farming practices;
• demonstrate practices which could reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from nitrous oxide and methane as well as increase soil carbon sequestration; and
• increase awareness and knowledge in the grains industry of the viability of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies, and demonstrate how to put them into practice.

The original news article can be seen at http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/mediareleases/?item_id=51EBDFDDDF555F595C4540C01BBBED27.