A new report has found that droughts in Australia will soon affect twice as much land, occur twice as often and become more severe in key agricultural production areas.

The paper, released by CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology on Sunday 6 July 2008, found that over the next two to three decades extreme drought conditions, currently affecting the country every quarter of a century, could occur every one to two years.

The researchers analysed rainfall patterns since the 1950s and found that around 50 per cent of the decrease in rain in south-western Australia was likely caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

The report, the first of three funded by the government to be released, said that Australia's agriculture industry is already suffering from the country's worst drought in 100 years, and could be in crisis without a rethink of current drought policy.

Farmers require support and more up to date information on climate change occurring in their region, suggested the paper.