Aim
To map linkages between services, organisations and grassroots groups to help identify duplication of services and areas where delivery is lacking, ultimately enabling more efficient design and development of drought preparedness initiatives.
Background
Across Tropical North Queensland, a wide range of organisations, projects, and community groups are working to support drought preparedness, climate adaptation, and agricultural resilience. These efforts include government funded programs, research activities, extension services, and grassroots initiatives led by local groups and producers.
Currently there is no clear way to see how all these efforts are connected. Organisations can’t easily identify what services are being delivered, where they are happening, or who is involved. This makes it difficult to coordinate service delivery, identify potential partners, or understand where gaps or duplication existed across the region.
Services can also be unevenly distributed. In some locations, multiple programs cover similar ground. In others, communities are missing out altogether. At the same time, valuable local knowledge, including Indigenous and farming community solutions to drought and climate challenges, is often undocumented or hard to access beyond local networks.
Why this Matters
Effective drought preparedness and long-term resilience depend on strong coordination, collaboration, and access to good information. When organisations work in isolation, resources can be stretched, opportunities missed, and producers left unsure where to seek support.
Currently, no single organisation can easily identify recent or current activities that may be relevant to their service delivery. It is also difficult to identify potential partners, including where they operate and how suitable they may be. As a result, services are unevenly distributed, with duplication in some areas and limited delivery in others.
Developing a publicly accessible representation of social networks and drought engagement activities will help land managers, groups, and communities design and deliver more effective drought preparedness initiatives. This activity supports regional resilience by helping service providers design better programs, reduce duplication, and focus effort where it is most needed. It also strengthens the Hub’s ability to support evidence based, locally relevant solutions that build preparedness over time, rather than reacting only when drought hits.
What We Are Doing
If you have any questions about the platform, contact TNQ Drought Hub Knowledge Broker, Karen George, karen.george@jcu.edu.auÂ
