Barriers to Climate Change Adaptation in the Australian Tree Fruit Industry
Overview
An exploratory investigation of likely impediments to climate change adaptation by fruit growers.
Project Summary
This study was carried out as part of the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre (PICCC) Project 440: Crossing the threshold: adaptation tipping points for Australian fruit trees. While there is now a growing body of scientific knowledge of potential climate change impacts on temperate fruit production, and of possible management responses to these, research on climate change adaptation as a broadly social process of management decision-making by growers is extremely limited.
This exploratory study of potential barriers to climate change adaptation by fruit growers addressed two research questions:
- What factors and processes influence climate change adaptation decision-making by fruit growers?
- What features should be considered for inclusion in a future research agenda that aims to support effective adaptation by growers?
Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six researchers who are involved in research on climate change impacts in temperate perennial horticulture, as well as with one fruit grower who is active in industry research. This is a small dataset, but sufficient to generate insight into the research questions, and to provide signposts to further, more extensive, research.
Key findings were that:
- Growers' existing practices of adaptive management can result in climate change adaptation over time, whether or not growers position climate change response as a primary decision driver;
- Orchard block development and redevelopment is a critical decision point that needs specific support, so that it can include climate adaptive features;
- Major enterprise change can occur when climate-related productivity thresholds are crossed;
- The decision-making context in which growers operate is at present not strongly co-ordinated or strategically aligned toward achieving climate change adaptation;
- Both scientists and growers benefit when there are strong connections between these two groups.
The study recommended that:
- The decisions made when orchard blocks are developed or redeveloped be recognised as a strategic point of intervention for improving the uptake of climate adaptation by fruit growers.
- A high priority be placed on improving the information and decision support available to growers to inform the selection of planting material (both rootstocks and varieties).
- Researchers continue to use and expand research methods that promote two-way learning with fruit growers
- Stakeholders (both industry and government organisations) give consideration to funding a thorough exploratory investigation of the tree fruit industry from an innovation systems or RD&E system perspective.
Project Duration
July – October 2015
Research Group Leader/Key contact
Michael Santhanam-Martin
Contact details
Michael Santhanam-Martin
mpmartin@unimelb.edu.au
Partnership details
Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre