Community input towards a drought resilience plan in the Adelaide Plains, Barossa, Mid North, Yorke Peninsula and Flinders Ranges will be the key feature of engagement activities due to commence next month.
The community-led drought resilience plan is a major component of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program, part of the federal government's Future Drought Fund.
The Northern and Yorke region is one of three pilot areas undertaking the program in SA, with the Northern and Yorke Regional Alliance - led by Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North - having been selected to oversee the development of the plan, with input from local government authorities and the local landscape board.
RDAYMN chair, Bill Vandepeer said the development of the drought resilience plan would bring benefits to regional communities.
"The Plan aims to improve access to water, which is a major issue for parts of the region, but it will also increase access to social infrastructure that will allow for communities to support each other during future droughts," Mr. Vandepeer said.
RDAYMN board member Lyndsey Jackson said tailoring the program to individual areas was vital.
"The most interesting and exciting thing about this is is we're not looking at a regional strategy as much, but an individual input to develop individual programs and strategies," she said.
"We're a big region here, but the needs and responsiveness from the community is going to be different.in each area."
The community input will run for approximately three months, with workshops to be held under the region.
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Mount Remarkable District Council mayor Phillip Heaslip said future planning was important, as landscape management practices continue to change.
"As a farmer in the Southern Flinders Ranges, we historically reacted to the climatic conditions but what this plan aims to do is change the conversation to being prepared for drought, as it will always be a factor for agricultural communities" Mr Heaslip said.
Edge Environment have been appointed to deliver the co-design and creation of the Northern and Yorke Drought Resilience Plan.
Primary Industries Minister David Basham said the individualised nature of the program was important.
"Drought means different things to different regions, being able to have the RDA board members working with the federal and state government to tailor this to each area is fantastic to see," he said.
Federal member for Grey Rowan Ramsey said droughts were inevitable, giving rise for a need for preparation.
"It's not all roses, and if you're living on the land, you're going to be impacted by drought at some stage," he said.
"There's so much you can do, and in times of plenty, you can shore up your farm and use the money available to prepare for the future."
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