Gippsland ADAPT
Gippsland ADAPT was designed to engage young people in the Gippsland region through online learning modules, a symposium and the Climate Champions mentorship program. The program built awareness of innovative climate adaptation activities occurring within the food and fibre industry, equipping students with the knowledge to share throughout their networks and apply to their future careers.
Gippsland ADAPT was funded by the Victorian Government's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and designed and facilitated by the CQUniversity Australia Agri-tech Education and Extension team with support from Food and Fibre Gippsland.
Climate Change in Gippsland
According to the Victorian Climate Projections Report 2019, there have already been significant changes in Victoria due to climate change. Food and fibre producers are now working hard to adapt to these changes in how they farm.
Key projections for the Gippsland region include:
Victoria's temperature increased by just over 1 degree Celsius between 1910 and 2018, with further increases expected
Annual rainfall in Gippsland is likely to decline by 15%
Scientists expect more heat extremes in the decades to come
Sea levels are expected to continue rising through the 21st century
Source: Clarke JM, Grose M, Thatcher M, Round V and Heady C. 2019. Gippsland Climate Projections 2019. CSIRO, Melbourne Australia.
Climate Champions Program
The Gippsland ADAPT Climate Champions Program provided a mentorship opportunity for students with a keen interest in climate change and its impact on food and fibre production.
Students selected to participate were formed into groups of four and introduced to a mentor in the region who was actively undertaking climate adaptation activities in their business. The mentors and students worked together over four weeks of virtual meetings and an onsite visit, before students presented to other groups about how similar businesses could adapt to climate change.
Educational Resources - pdf downloads
The following interactive education resources are aimed at high school students in Years 7 to 10 and link scientific climate knowledge with innovative climate adaptation activities occurring within the food and fibre industry.
Students learn the science behind climate change, understand its impact on farming practices and explore the ways farmers are adapting to future proof their businesses. Each lesson includes interactive components, PowerPoint presentations, teacher notes and student worksheets.
Lesson One
Students are introduced to the causes and impacts of climate change on agricultural production, and begin to explore how the industry is working to adapt. Key concepts include climate change mitigation, biomes and food security.
Lesson Two
Students dig further into the impacts of climate change and explore specifically how it is affecting farmers in Gippsland. Students are introduced to a local farmer and asked to think critically about how they can adapt to climate change.
Lesson Three
Students apply their knowledge of climate change adaptation to a real world scenario. Using historical weather data from the Australian CliMate App, students classify a region's biome, research the climate change challenges in that area, and create a pitch for local farmers about how they can adapt.
