University Southern Queensland: National Agri-Climate Program
Opportunity for
- Research partners, industry collaborators, and extension providers interested in scaling climate services nationally across livestock, grains, dairy, and forestry sectors.
Opportunity description
Industry challenge
Over the past eight years, the Northern Australia Climate Program (NACP) has delivered innovative research, development, and extension outcomes to strengthen the red meat industry’s capacity to manage drought and climate risk across northern Australia.
The new challenge is to deliver climate services to the red meat sector and mixed farming enterprises across Australia, including livestock, grains and dairy.
The next phase, the National Agri-Climate Program, aims to build on the success of NACP and is planned as a four-year initiative incorporating advanced forecasting and a targeted communications strategy to enhance visibility and stakeholder engagement across Australia and sectors.
Current opportunity
Building on past success, the National Agri-Climate Program presents an opportunity to scale research, development, extension, and adoption model nationally and across sectors.
The National Agri-Climate Program will build on the success of NACP by:
Regional expansion to southern states
Deliver climate services to the red meat industry and mixed farming enterprises across southern Australia
Industry expansion
Broaden reach beyond red meat sector, including livestock, grains and dairy
New climate services
National drought early warning tools
Livestock thermal stress forecasts
Climate change projections
Machine learning for predictions
Capacity building
Accredited training & education
Internships, PhD & Postdoc pathways
Regional knowledge hubs & open data platforms
Partners will have the opportunity to co-design and deliver nationally relevant climate services, leveraging proven models and tools to drive adoption and resilience in Australian agriculture.
Led by the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), the expanded National Agri-Climate Program aims to deliver lasting economic, environmental, and social benefits—helping to future-proof Australian agriculture and rural communities.
To get involved, register your interest by enquiring through growAG or visit the website to learn more and join the conversation.
Opportunity background
Over the past eight years, NACP has delivered innovative research, development, and extension outcomes to strengthen the red meat industry’s capacity to manage drought and climate risk across northern Australia. UniSQ leads the program in collaboration with the Bureau of Meteorology, the UK Met Office, State Departments of Agriculture in Queensland (DPI), Northern Territory (DAFF) and Western Australia (DPIRD), and four Natural Resource Management groups, Gulf Savannah NRM, Southern Gulf NRM, Rangelands NRM and NQ Dry Tropics NRM, and Fitzroy Basin Association. NACP is funded by the Queensland Government’s Drought and Climate Adaptation Program, UniSQ, and Meat and Livestock Australia. NACP is entering its final year and will conclude by mid-2026.
The National Agri-Climate Program represents the next phase and is broader in scope, extending to southern regions, new industries and emerging climate risks.