Water in the World

This resource is designed to introduce Year 7 students to food and fibre production and primary industries in Australia. It is intended to raise the awareness of school-aged students about the influence of natural and human factors on the extent of food and fibre production in Australia and it supports investigations of the past and present and includes visioning a range of futures for food and fibre production.

RESOURCE DESCRIPTION:

Australian farmers own, manage and care for 61 per cent of Australia’s land mass. The environment and the natural climate and, in particular, the water supply, have determined the farming activities that can be undertaken in different places. Today, planning, technology and management techniques are used by 94 per cent of farmers to make greater and better use of the wide range of environments. Our farmers provide 93 per cent of the food needs of the Australian population and earn 12 percent of the Australian Gross National Product from exports and value-added products.

AIM

The aim of this resource is to provide teachers with an inquiry-based teaching approach that focusses on those characteristics of Australia’s water supply that influence the pattern of agriculture and considers water’s economic value in farming.