Connect with your local Drought Adoption Officer

About the program

The Drought Adoption Officer program provides grassroots support to farmers across the state, connecting them to the tools, knowledge, and training needed for drought preparedness.

Drought Adoption Officers meet one-on-one with landholders, deliver and support local events, workshops, and webinars, and provide technical advice on a range of topics, from confinement feeding to decision-making tools and farm planning.

Since the program’s inception in July 2023, Drought Adoption Officers have engaged in more than 2,000 one-on-one landholder consultations, delivered or supported 490 events, and visited 391 farms.

The Drought Adoption Officer program receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, which recognises that having people on-ground available to support adoption and extension was a critical part of building drought resilience across Australia. When setting up the Drought Adoption Officer program, Southern NSW Innovation Hub decided to tap into the existing resources, knowledge and network of its partner organisation, NSW Local Land Services, to most effectively engage with farmers and landholders across NSW to increase drought resilience.

Case studies and reports

• Read the Hub's impact case study about Drought Adoption Officers
• Read confinement feeding case studies from across NSW
• Read the Hub's Adoption Officer Review - January 2025

Project partner

NSW Local Land Services (LLS)

Project funding

The Drought Adoption Officer program is supported by Southern NSW Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.