Greg Reid (left) at a land planning workshop. He says climate change strategies are available which make a real difference, provided they are matched to each paddock in a whole property plan.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is holding a series of workshops focused on managing and conserving soil moisture in response to projections of an increasing incidence of dry seasons.

Farming for Climate Change workshops are currently being rolled out in the north east of the State.

NSW DPI project officer, Greg Reid said the workshops demonstrated ways of preparing a property for climate change which could underpin production when rain was less frequent.

"By working with the landscape and key soil properties it is possible to make better use of the available rainfall, particularly in pasture systems," Mr Reid said.

"Infiltration, moisture storage, root depth and evaporation all effect the availability of soil moisture.

"Strategies are available which make a real difference provided they are matched to each paddock in a whole property plan."

Mr Reid said that soil moisture commonly limited production on farms, even in relatively good seasons and that better management of this resource would be essential in any response to climate change.

He recommended landowners consider adaptation options as soon as possible, since the benefits were often cumulative and considerable costs might be avoided in lost production, pasture degradation and weed control.

Spread over three separate days, the workshops incorporate soil testing, property planning and detailed discussion of strategies such as windbreaks, building soil carbon and managing pasture species.

The National Landcare Program and the Northern Rivers Catchment Authority are funding the project.

Locations targeted for workshops in the coming months include Wauchope, Bellingen, Grafton, Coramba and Kempsey.

Contact Greg Reid, Wollongbar, (02) 6626 1213.