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Sydney: Climate change could alter the farming map of Australia, with some agricultural operations moving into the wetter north of the island continent as the major food-producing belt in the south dries up.
But shifting large-scale farming north to a wetter, hotter climate would be risky as animals and crops would face a higher frequency of heat stress, said a new report by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Csiro).
Australia's outback, home to large scale cattle and sheep farms battling the worst drought in 100 years, would become more marginal with climate change, but the country's sugar, wine and horticulture farms could benefit from the warmer temperatures.
Csiro examined the impact of climate change on 10 agricultural sectors in Australia worth A$40 billion (Dh139 billion) a year and found negative and positive effects.
The report looked at climate change forecasts out to 2070.
"We've applied the latest climate change projections to build a picture of the challenges that will affect all types of agriculture in all corners of the nation," Csiro scientist Mark Howden said in a statement.
"For many agricultural businesses incremental changes may be enough, but some regions and industries will need to be open to more transformative changes," said Howden.
Ways to adapt
Csiro's report said cattle and sheep farmers could combat climate change by adopting a conservative, but constant stocking rate from year to year and by owning multiple farms in different locations to offset climate changes.
"At a national industry level, there are likely to be winners and losers, with some rangelands becoming more productive while others become less suitable for grazing," said the report.
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