Drought affected fields near Merriwa in New South Wales. Photo / Chris Russell
Drought affected fields near Merriwa in New South Wales. Photo / Chris Russell
Pastor David Jackson is no stranger to drought, but he has never seen anything like this.
Jackson, who calls himself a "preacher man," lives in drought-ravaged Gilgandra, north of Dubbo in Central New South Wales. He spoke to The Country's Jamie Mackay about how this drought is the worst hehas experienced.
"It is the driest I've seen it in my lifetime. We're losing a lot of stock. We're losing a lot of top soil with wind erosion. We just need a whole lot of rain and we need it in a hurry."
Jackson has been helping out his rural community for the past four years by delivering and donating hay to desperate farmers. He believes the current drought is a natural cycle rather than climate change.
Some areas in Australia have been dealing with drought for six years. Mackay asks Jackson how crop farmers survive under such punishing conditions.
"Most farmers cater for probably three or four years of drought by putting away seed, grain, hay - but this has just gone on a lot longer than anybody expected and as a result we are where we are today and the farmers are doing it pretty tough."
The drought is not only causing financial strain says Jackson, who sees "tremendous pressure mentally being put on the farmers."
"Some have walked off their land. Some have been kicked off the land by the banks. Some have taken their lives. They're not coping real good. The mental state isn't good."
Initially urban Australians were unaware of the severity of the situation says Jackson, but due to different organisations raising money to help farmers they are starting to understand how devastating this drought truly is.
