The trip follows today's climate change white paper and the allocation of $195 million in last week's nation-building package to support economic development in the East Kimberley region.

Expanding the area's food production capacity is a priority for the Prime Minister, who has had discussions with the new Western Australia Premier, Colin Barnett.

As climate change is set to increasingly render the south-east of the continent less productive for agriculture, the north becomes more attractive over the next generation.

Developing the north is part of a wider suite of federal agriculture-related policies, including funding research, encouraging new practices and reform of the drought policy.

The federal money for the East Kimberley Development package will provide a big boost because it is being spent this financial year and next, and will be matched by funds from the WA Government.

The State Government plans to double the available irrigated area from 14,000 to 28,000 hectares for an extensive expansion of agriculture.

The potential crops include rice, sugar and cotton.

The intention is that the State Government would concentrate on the economic development, while the Federal Government spending would be on infrastructure including social facilities.

One aspect of the plan is to assist the indigenous community, which has high unemployment and social problems.

The federal participation is conditional on a joint study of the most effective infrastructure investment.

There is cross-party interest in developing northern agriculture.

Liberal senator Bill Heffernan has been an advocate, while last week Senate Nationals' leader Barnaby Joyce said farmers should get tax incentives to shift their expertise to northern Australia.