Path dependence: an approach for framing constraints on adaptation in Australian dairy farms

Abstract

Climate change is a salient issue for southern Australia, which has been identified as one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change in the world. The potential impacts of climate change on farms could be profound and may require that producers adapt their farms to a much greater degree than currently undertaken. Generally speaking, it is expected that climate change will require considerable change to agriculture, with the responsibility for this change lying squarely with producers, many of which are small family businesses. In this thesis I explored the capacity of producers to adapt their farms in the face of climate change. Underpinning this exploration was a question regarding the role, if any, for public policy to support producers with managing climate change impacts.