An inspirational teenager has described just how big an impact the drought is having on her and other children across rural Australia.

16-year-old Olivia lives on a farm at Forbes in the New South Wales Central West and says the drought is forcing kids to grow up too soon.

Olivia wrote to Alan Jones after recently attending the UNICEF Youth Drought Summit, saying our politicians must start coming up with solutions.

She’s described the situation in some areas of NSW as a “political drought” that’s being caused by bureaucrats.

“This is reaching far beyond my farm Alan… local communities are forced to lay off staff.

“The consequences are just vast and soon enough that’s going to reach metro areas and by then it’s going to be unavoidable.

“It’s a matter of national food security.”

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Queensland dairy farmer Ashley Gamble paints a similarly dire picture, telling Alan he’s working 17 hours a day and has been forced to halve his herd after grain prices doubled.

“We’re spending a lot more than $1 million on fodder a year.

“This is my trade, this is my profession and I can’t even make a profit.

“I’m in the red, I’m losing money, I’ve got to work for free.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Image: Getty/Brook Mitchell