Climate adaptation and environmental best practice

The OliveCare® program is all about helping olive producers achieve quality. With that aim, the Best Practice Series of articles discusses how to increase the yield of premium EVOO through best practice management strategies from the grove to the consumer.

A recent Agriculture Victoria webinar explored planning for the impact of climate change on primary production over the next 30 years in that state. There were some very concerning predictions:

“Climate change impacts are a significant challenge for Victoria’s primary industries.

“Victoria is likely to become hotter and drier, and may experience more frequent and/or extreme events such as heatwaves, bushfires and drought.

“The availability of fresh water is likely to become a more critical issue.”

Projections and planning

The Primary Production Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022-2026 is part of the Victorian Government’s planning strategy, and provides further detail on projected climate changes and trends. Most significantly: • since official records began in 1910,

Victoria has warmed by 1.2ºC; by the 2050s, Victoria’s annual temperature may increase by up to 2.4ºC compared to the 1986–2005 average (under a highemissions scenario), with around twice as many very hot days.

Warming has already led to: • a decrease in average rainfall, especially in cooler months; • increased frequency of extreme heat events; and • an increase in dangerous fire weather and the length of bushfire season.

These climate trends and associated impacts are expected to continue.

The latest climate projections also suggest: • due to natural variability, extreme rainfall events will still occur. They’re likely to be more intense and potentially increase flash flooding risk in some locations; • the number of high fire-danger days in

Victoria is expected to increase; • sea levels will continue to rise and by the 2050s they’ll have risen around 24 cm (relative to 1986–2005) under both medium- and high-emissions scenarios. Key impacts on primary industry

The plan lists key system-wide impacts as including: • geographical shifts in land capabilities and land use due to increased demand for more productive land, and land with higher (and more reliable) rainfall. This will increase the potential for stranded assets; • increased risk of extreme weather events, including prolonged periods of extreme heat, fire, drought and floods. Such events are likely to impact assets and infrastructure, productive land, vegetation, animals, waterways, food safety, and human health and communities; • likely changes to seasonal patterns are expected to result in disruptions to harvesting and production cycles; • potential increased costs and less reliable inputs and services due to disruptions to value chains because of climatic extremes; • reduced availability of finance and insurance; • potential increased outbreaks of pests and diseases from current and newly introduced species (and increased unseasonal moisture - Ed); • potential decline in the health and safety of primary industries workers and their families from climate extremes (for example, heat and fire) and from increasing challenges to business viability; • associated likely impacts on the viability and wellbeing of rural and regional communities that primary industries support and rely on.

Horticulture-specific impacts include: • expected hotter conditions and solar radiation reduce product quality; • projections of lower and more variable rainfall, increased water scarcity and reduced water quality are likely to result in reduced supply, increased prices and increased competition for irrigation water; increased frost risks.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the most effective strategy to reduce the impacts of climate change. However, even if they ceased today, the climate would keep warming for decades because of past emissions. The magnitude of climate change’s impacts depends on how quickly the international community acts to cut emissions.

Action imperative

While the plan relates specifically to Victorian statistics, climate change is a country-wide – indeed global – reality. To remain viable, producers need to adapt their operations to our changing climate while also acting on the recognised causes –man-made emissions and unsustainable agricultural practices.

The olive industry already has a strong focus in that direction. Here’s a set of easyreference checklists to ensure your business is operating under responsible and sustainable industry practices.

OliveCare® environment and community best practice checklists

The Australian olive industry aims to provide a net positive capture of greenhouse gas emissions via: • climate adaptation (incremental or transformational) - plan for climate change and/or environmental threats to the crops you currently grow: » increasing frequency of high temperature events impacting on product quality and cultivar suitability; » change in rainfall distribution and variability impacting on water availability, quality and cost; » change in frost, flood, drought and fire frequency and severity; » change in pest and disease outbreaks and biosecurity risk; » disruption to supply chains and services; • utilise olive groves for carbon capture where appropriate; and • benchmark energy efficiency, and reduce enterprise energy use, via: » energy use efficiency (litres of fuel and kwh electricity/kg product) » carbon footprint for your olive products (eg kg CO2/kg olive oil).

Aim to minimise farm waste wherever possible: • ensure appropriate use/recovery/disposal of processing waste; • convert organic waste to value-added products, eg compost; • aim for zero organic waste to landfill.

Support and improve ‘natural capital’ (soil, water, flora and fauna), and minimise off-site impacts on environmental assets associated with soil, nutrient, pesticide and discharge water movement off-site: • olive enterprises should co-exist with the natural habitat and in accordance with local Native Vegetation Council and local government rules and regulations; • maintain biodiversity values on the property in a regional context by taking into account native vegetation, wildlife and ecosystems in business planning (EcoHort); • minimise impacts on environmental values from soil, sediment and associated pollutants entering waterways; • manage water run-off and discharge to minimise impacts on downstream environments’ • note the importance of other Australian horticulture crops having effective pollination.

The olive industry is valued for its contribution to regional Australia and communities: • the olive industry makes a valuable contribution to the economic and social fabric in regional and peri-urban communities • olive groves are a valued part of the landscape in regional and peri-urban communities.

The management practices checklisted above can ensure your grove is part of that responsible industry contribution within your community.

Sources/references:

Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy, 2021: State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Melbourne, Australia – www.climatechange.vic.gov.au.

Primary Production Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022-2026: © State of Victoria (Department of Premier and Cabinet) 2016, provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 international licence (www. creativecommons.org) – www.engage.vic.gov. au/aaps-primaryproduction.

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