Drought Hub 'way forward'

The Drought Hub’s North West Node Project Officer Jenna Allan said she has seen enough disastrous

consequences of drought on farmers, the landscape and rural communities. Jenna believes there is a

better way.

“The drought hub is a fresh way forward. In the past, in times of drought, we’ve seen coverage on

the news of dust storms, bare paddocks and tear-jerking interviews with struggling farmers. Drought

has been tough. The depictions aren’t lying. Through the drought hub however, the aim is these

headlines will no longer be the ‘go-to’ story when the media and those in the city, think of drought.

We know there are going to be droughts in the future. The drought hub is about changing drought’s

impact, changing the story, our story.”

For Jenna—whose family were forced to sell their farm in the millennial drought—the drought hub is

an exciting development: “In small communities we are so used to moulding what we need into

what the funding is asking for, with the drought hub we already have the money! This is our

opportunity to use it to break the cycle and carve a new way forward! By listening closely to our

farmers and our communities across northwest Victoria, by looking at the research, we can stop

recovering from drought’s impacts and instead start to sidestep them and continue moving forward.

To find these diverse and unique pathways, Jenna will first heavily consult with farmers, land

managers, councils, community groups and organisations, as well as government. “I really want to

talk to anyone with an idea, an experience, a vision. By actively listening to what our region needs

The Drought Hub’s North West Node can develop proactive strategies that benefit all.

“We can’t control the weather but through the drought hub, we can take our power back.”

The Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub is funded by the Commonwealth

Government and will contribute $8 million over four years through the Future Drought Fund.

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