Climate change means it is likely southern Australia will spend more time in drought. Increasing temperatures can mean a drought has more impact, by worsening dry conditions. Recent decades have seen decreases in cool season rainfall (April to October) across many regions of southern Australia. The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry publishes periodic reports on the current and projected impacts of climate change on farming. Australia's climate is highly variable, with lower average rainfall and higher rainfall variability than most other nations. As a result, Australian agriculture is subject to more climate related risk than almost any other country in the world. Australia's agriculture has faced prolonged extreme heat and drought periods, leading to significant economic and agricultural losses. Climate projections show a rising risk of droughts and heatwaves in Australia, making it essential to understand these dynamics for effective planning and adaptation. Using My Climate View, farmers across Australia can explore how the climate variables that matter to their businesses could change in the future. And respond to this by building their climate resilience for decades to come. The drought has also renewed longstanding discussions around the emerging effects of climate change on agriculture, and how governments can best help manage climate risk. This article provides some insight into these issues by examining the effects of recent climate variability on Australian farms. [expand all] Natural variability in Australian rainfall can produce “mega-droughts” lasting 20 years or more. Add in human-caused climate change, and future droughts may be far worse than imagined. Find out how climate change impacts agriculture in NSW. A changed climate may attract new pests and diseases and change the areas suitable for farming. The Australian agricultural sector is confronting the escalating impacts of climate change, which present tangible threats to both productivity and profitability. A growing body of research shows that a warming trend is already contributing to increased seasonal variability. From floods in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to the drought in the southeast of the country, followed by. Climate change is transforming the Australian agricultural landscape in profound ways. As weather patterns shift and extreme weather events become more common, the impact on crop yields, food prices, and the availability of certain foods is becoming increasingly evident.