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Horticulture and the Climate Challenge
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010
National Convention Centre, CANBERRA
Tuesday 2nd March 2010
The session
How the Australian horticulture industry is understanding
and responding to climate change
This session aims to:
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Provide an overview of IMPACTS of climate change on
horticulture
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Horticulture information NEEDS analysis
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Overview of the Horticulture Climate Change ACTION PLAN
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ACHIEVEMENTS of climate activities to date
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Conclusions and FUTURE climate research needs
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
By 2050, the global food industry will need
to double global food output within an
increasingly constrained environment - less
resources (land, water, nutrients and oil)
within a changing climate.
[Julian Cribb, Science Writer, Feb 2010]
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
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1.
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2.
Culture
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Social license to farm – assumption that ag is bad
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Quality + fresh + local + sustainable + ethical +
carbon footprints = increasing market requirements
Environmental assurance
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Potential for increased environmental regulation
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Increasing resource competition
Profitability
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Maintenance of access to resources
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Return on adoption
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Change after years of drought difficult
Climate change and Emissions Trading
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Impacts of climate change – physical, economic and
political implications
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Accountability and measurement costs ($$$)
Urgency –
flexibility to
respond to
increasing
Agricultural
Risk
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
How is the Australian horticulture industry
responding to this challenge?
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
HAL Environment Portfolio
VISION: Position the Australian Horticulture industry as a
good environmental steward
Role of HAL - R&D
Role of HAC - Policy
NRM Strategy
NATIONAL
INDUSTRY
CATCHMENT
PROPERTY
Information sharing/
collaboration
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
National Approach – Horticulture for
Tomorrow
NATIONAL
(PROGRAMS)
Water Initiative
-Industry Water
Position Paper
-R&D Wish List
-Steering Committee
-Website
-MDB Project
- Vision
-EA Guidelines
-Freshcare Green Code
NRM
-NRM Strategy
-NRM Groups
-Irrigation research
Climate change
Recycled Water
- CCRSPI/MCVP
-Action Plan
-Communication
and extension
-National Guidelines
-Grower ‘Fit for
Purpose’ Use Guide
-Consumer
factsheets
Horticulture for
Tomorrow
Envi Assurance
NPSI
CfoC
- Recognition
framework
-Impacts report
www.horticulture.com.au/environment
and
www.horticulturefortomorrow.com.au
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
CLIMATE INFORMATION &
NEEDS ANALYSIS
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Understanding information needs
Industry:
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Need the facts about climate change – tailored/regional
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Need to answer the Q: What does it mean to me?
Researchers:
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Urgency of information versus time to generate credible
research outputs an issue
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National Horticulture Research Network (NHRN) review
Government:
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Increasing Government interest and investment –
especially in mitigation, adaptation and productivity
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Minimise duplication of effort Rural R&D Policies and
Government programs
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Review of existing climate research
relevant to horticulture (1)
International activity (tip of the iceberg):
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Fourth
Assessment Report (2007)
Food Climate Research Network
Domestic activity:
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Australia’s Farming Future programs
Rural RDC R&D Priorities
National Agriculture and Climate Change Action Plan
Climate Adaptation Flagship (CSIRO)
National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)
Bureau of Meteorology – POAMA and WATL
National Carbon Accounting Toolbox
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Review of existing climate research
relevant to horticulture (2)
Collaborative agricultural programs:
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Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries
(CCRSPI) – six strategic themes
1.
Understanding Future Climates
2.
Managing Emissions
3.
Preparing Industries
4.
Accessing Information
5.
Facilitating Change
6.
Linking Decision Makers
Managing Climate Variability (MCV) Program – horticulture
critical thresholds project with contributions from QLD DPI, HAL,
Woolworths/Landcare and MCV
National Centre for Rural Greenhouse Gas Research
Research to inform policy – e.g. Australian Farm Institute & RIRDC
Links with supply chain – AFGC and Landcare/Woolworths
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Horticulture Climate Change Action Plan
1. Adaptation -
Resilient and Adaptive Horticultural
Production Systems which are less vulnerable to climate change
and climate variability.
2. Mitigation -
Reduced GHG emissions from horticultural
production systems.
3. Awareness, information and communication -
Horticulture producers and their advisors having sufficient
understanding of climate change and climate variability issues to
be able to make appropriate risk management decisions.
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Horticulture climate change research
Critical
temperature
thresholds
Quantifying
environmental
credentials
Best
Management
Practice reviews
Identifying threats
and opportunities
Carbon, climate and
energy benefits of
urban trees
Horticulture
contribution
to CCRSPI
Unpacking
emissions
trading
Communication
activities –
briefings/discussion
papers to industry
committees, fact
sheets and website.
Carbon footprinting
HORTICULTURE CLIMATE
PROJECTS
Vegetables and
Carbon - discussion
papers and workshop
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Achievements to date (1)
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Increasing interest in climate projects within past 24
months
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2007/08 - ~2% new investment (~$160,000)
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2008/09 - ~11% new investment (~$616,000)
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2009/10 - ~31% new investment (~$1.9m)
Funded projects with recommendations which have
begun to help us understand Climate Change in a
Horticulture context
Industries using impact assessments to inform strategic
plans and annual investment plans
Growers are already maintaining current production in
current locations – lessons being captured
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Achievements to date (2)
Understanding our contribution
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Horticulture accounted for an
estimated 0.169% of Australia's
national greenhouse gas
emissions in 2007
National Inventory Report 2007
Agriculture – 88.1 MtCO2-e in
2007 (16.3% of total emissions)
Horticulture – 0.916 MtCO2-e
Source: www.climatechange.gov.au
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Future research needs
1. Adaptation
•Downscaling climate change scenarios/vulnerability
assessments of the major production regions
•Opportunities in Australia or O/S as a result of climate
change – new crops and/or new export opportunities??
•Better Manage Climate Variability
2. Mitigation
•Further understand GHG emissions & ways to reduce it
•BMP’s which are profitable, sustainable and reduce emissions
•What are the practicalities and economics of carbon
sequestration in soils and trees associated with horticultural
production systems?
3. Awareness,
information &
communication
•Scientifically based information useful for both growers and
the community
•Topic-specific information, e.g. biochar
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
WRAP UP AND FINAL COMMENTS
Take away messages:
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Horticulture Climate Change Action Plan is available
Industry ownership/empowerment: Need to continue to work with
horticulture industries to consider their urgent climate priorities & ensure
relevance of research outputs
Collaboration: Work with other agricultural industries to minimise
duplication and share learnings
Adoption of world’s best practice: Provide tools to improve and
measure on-farm efficiencies – demonstrate triple bottom line of adoption
Communication: Two-way information into climate programs is
important –communicate the specific information needs of industry and
use their experience to inform climate modelling
Promotion: Build on and promote achievements to date - ‘right to farm’
Urgency: Climate science is not new, but the urgency of information is.
Horticulture Session – OUTLOOK 2010, Canberra - Tuesday 2nd March 2010
THANK YOU.
www.horticulture.com.au/climate
Acknowledgements:
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Peter Deuter, QLD DPI
Colin Creighton, MCV Program
Allison Clark, Houston’s Farm
David Putland & Rachel McKenzie, Growcom
Anthony Kachenko & Robert Prince, NGIA