By Melissa Blewitt

Condobolin farmers have been given practical tools to better understand weather forecasts and manage the risks of a variable climate at a recent Central West Farming Systems (CWFS) Weatherwise Workshop.
The workshop focused on how farmers can use climate information to make more informed decisions, rather than relying on forecasts alone.
Dr Anthony Clark and Kel Langfield from the NSW DPIRD Climate team led participants through how the Earth’s climate system works, where climate data comes from and how to interpret it when making farm management decisions.
Farm climatology was also explored, with a focus on the actual probability and reliability of rainfall at Condobolin and how this information can be used when making farm management decisions.
The workshop also looked at how to read weather forecasts beyond simply checking the rain symbol, helping participants better understand the information behind a forecast.
Lu Hogan from Ag360 discussed proactive management of land and livestock in a variable climate, while Lewis Bird from the AMEND Project highlighted the importance of considering the people behind farm businesses when managing risk.
A key message from the workshop was that a forecast cannot make a farming decision, but it can help producers assess the risks involved.
The workshop was funded by the Armidale Node of the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, with support from the Farm Business Resilience Program, Central West Farming Systems and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
The Innovation Hub and Farm Business Resilience Program are funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, with the Farm Business Resilience Program also jointly funded by the NSW Government.