Under this Challenge, case studies will be identified and examined across multiple scales (enterprise, farm, region, Basin) to address the likelihood of a hotter and more variable future within the Basin with greater extremes of dry and wet. Gap analyses, threat horizon scanning and agile design methodologies will be co-developed to build trust, shared understanding and new tools and processes for knowledge translation. Decision tools and processes supported by risk information and scenario modelling capabilities will be co-developed to assist in transitioning and adapting with a changing climate to support productive, resilient and sustainable regions. Communities will be supported and engaged to contribute to productive, resilient, and sustainable regions. The research to be undertaken to achieve this will be linked with one or more of the regional hubs. We will examine the gaps, threats, barriers, and opportunities for enabling transitions and adaptations to maximise diverse benefits. Collaborative and integrated processes will strengthen planning and support better knowledge transfer to address the complex changes facing the Basin under future climate scenarios.

The proliferation of on-farm digital technologies promises to enhance productivity and generate new sources of value across the irrigated agriculture sector, yet recent evidence suggest that current approaches are not delivering the anticipated value. This challenge takes a value chain approach to digital technologies by exploring how value is created and distributed across the region, as well as investing in strategic intervention points that will help identify and enable new sources of value, overcome barriers, build digital literacy, and accelerate adoption. Successfully addressing this challenge will lead to a mature and thriving digital ecosystem that realises multiple economic, social and environmental benefits across the region, while supporting individuals and businesses in their digitisation journey.

In an environment of both increasing water scarcity and year-to-year variability, maximising benefits of water for social, economic, environmental and cultural uses is absolutely critical. This challenge explores the extent to which the water supply system can be enhanced to deliver for multiple water uses, recognising the need to simultaneously take both whole-of-system and local perspectives. It is envisaged that this challenge will address issues of both quality and quantity, both above and below ground, and recognise the importance of physical, biological and social processes in influencing system evolution. Possible outputs include enhanced policies, processes, tools and physical investments related to the supply and delivery of water throughout the Basin.

This challenge is about shaping and supporting adaptations and transitions in rural businesses and communities that build resilience to economic and climatic pressures. Strategies will leverage opportunities to increase ecosystem services delivered from basin resources. This requires research to facilitate selection and adoption of technologies and strategies that are suited to different regions and business contexts. There is also a need to manage trade-offs between different values and aspirations and the CRC has a role in maximising benefits through value analysis, system design and the development of approaches to collaborative decision-making.