Drought is frequently represented \u2013 in how we talk and think about it \u2013 by an image of dry, cracked, bare ground, but it can also look like a paddock with a green wheat crop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I know this, because that is what my family\u2019s farm looked like during drought and, despite the lack of rain, we did manage to grow a decent wheat crop. But just because you may be able to see a green crop in a paddock, it doesn\u2019t\u00a0mean there is no drought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regardless of what you see, when there is drought, the ripple effect is felt by all.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0felt by every grain grower and their family, every agronomist and their family, every local business and, indeed, the whole community. The effects are also felt by Australians who pay more for food at the supermarket.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The effect of drought does not simply disappear when it rains again, nor does a green crop in a paddock mean a drought has broken. The ongoing effects are felt for many years well after a rain event.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rainfall: a delicate balance\u00a0<\/p>\n
We know that water is essential for life. We use water from rain to grow the food and fibre that gets put on our table and feeds us every day. But extremes in rainfall have an impact on crop production. Too little rain and crops will often wilt and die. Likewise, too much rain and crops can become waterlogged.\u00a0<\/p>\n