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the australian farmer
other areas of Australia also. Around 20 millet species are domesticated in Eurasia and Africa and are currently culti- vated around the world. Some species, such as pearl millet, can withstand extreme heat and minimal water input and are ex- tremely nutritious for humans
are naturally more resilient to drought and poor soil condi- tions. While limited amounts of sorghum and other millets are grown primarily in the Dar- ling Downs and other areas of Queensland, ecological toler- ances of a range of millets make them an attractive prospect for
crops and maintain resilience against climatic uncertainties could provide a roadmap for modern agricultural practices. The Importance of Crop Divers- ification for Australian Farmers Australia’s agricultural sector is already experiencing the effects of increased climate variabil- ity, with rising temperatures, reduced rainfall, and more fre- quent extreme weather events. Learning from historical agri- cultural adaptations could help Australian farmers future-proof their farms by incorporating more drought-tolerant and cli- mate-resilient crops into their rotations. Environmental scientist Dr. Michael Kempf, a contributor to the study, notes the pressing need for a rethink in global food production strategies. “Recent drying-up processes and in- creased risk of prolonged heat- waves and subsequent droughts are challenging our socio-polit- ical resilience and demand a rethinking of global food pro- duction strategies. Reconsid- ering drought-tolerant species, therefore, can help mitigate the long-term effects of cur- rent global warming,” says Dr. Kempf. The study suggests that for- gotten or underutilised crops that once played a crucial role in food security—such as mil- let—could become viable op- tions in modern agricultural systems. For Australian farmers, this could mean revisiting less- er-known grain varieties that
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