PRIVATE research company AgEcon Australia has received $6 million from the Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund to investigate a suite of issues around securing irrigation water, renewable energy, and climate science.

Partners in the five-year project which kicked off this month include Macquarie University and the University of Southern Queensland, with a major investment from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.

Other stakeholders include Sugar Research Australia, Horticulture Innovation Australia, and the Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia, and the $6M in FDF funding adds to around $7M in total in in-kind support from all partners.

AgEcon is based in the north-west New South Wales town of Burren Junction, and its project was one of only eight from a field of 120 gain FDF funds in the current round.

“We have teamed up with some of the best and brightest minds in the nation to find solutions to saving water, understanding climate processes, ensuring efficient land use, and exploring new business opportunities for energy generation,” AgEcon partner Janine Powell said.