The Murray-Darling Basin is one of Australia’s most crucial, varied and productive natural resources, producing over one-third of our national food supply. Across the basin, farm businesses, the broader agri-sector and rural communities are facing significant challenges, with a changing climate and water availability combined with global influences, agricultural markets and industry adjustments. The ONE Basin Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) is a proposed collaboration to develop policy, technical and financial solutions that support basin communities, business and governments to understand and reduce their exposure to climate, water and environmental threats.

The research and training and education programs of the ONE Basin CRC will be driven by the needs of industry, governments and communities. To ensure this, the ONE Basin CRC bid team have been engaging extensively within individual organisations. This has revealed widespread support for a collaborative approach to filling critical knowledge gaps for industry, government and communities. An updated prospectus has been developed based on feedback to date and briefing sessions are being held across the basin. The next event in South Australia will be held in Renmark on March 11, with a focus on understanding the particular needs of the region.

The ONE Basin CRC will provide new research outputs that can be translated worldwide, sustaining Australia’s reputation as a leader in water and agricultural research. It has five core objectives:

• To ensure basin farm business operators understand how best to access and manage water needed for growth under climate extremes.
• To provide agricultural adaption solutions that mitigate against climate and water variability – enabling more profitable business operations.
• To build capability in agri-sector management as a result of greater access to applied knowledge at local and regional levels.
• To work collaboratively with the MDBA, governments, businesses and industry to support change and build capability.
• To support a broad engagement across Basin communities to implement R&D and its outcomes for their future.

The Goyder Institute for Water Research and partners (Flinders University, ICE WaRM, SARDI, The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia) are working with the University of Melbourne, the University of Southern Queensland, Charles Sturt University and the Australian National University on the ONE Basin CRC bid.

Please contact Goyder Institute Director Dr Kane Aldridge if you’d like more information about the program or the next briefing session in the Riverland on Wednesday 11 March.