Birchip Cropping Group Forewarned is Forarmed
A Community of Practice involving producers and climatologists has enabled co-design of some world-leading extreme weather event forecast products for Australian Agriculture?
| Publication date: | 06 April 2022 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Summary
Australian farmers and agribusiness operate in one of the most variable climates in the world, with extreme events and climate variability the largest drivers of fluctuations in annual agricultural income and production. This project, will deliver direct value to farmers through providing forecasts of extremes and equipping farmers with the information and tools to be forewarned and prepared. This proposal contributes to Module 4. Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) will coordinate and facilitate a project relevant Community of Practice. The Community of Practice will bring together project teams and key advisors across Australia via regular webinars to promote understanding of project outputs and decision-making processes. It will also provide to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and other project partners on the value of experimental forecast products.
Objectives
* Identify and implement Community of Practice activities as prioritised by members
* Report documenting the Community of Practice feedback on the experimental
products
* Conduct training for new climate products through the Community of Practice
* Deliver extension material through the Community of Practice
Key findings
The FWFA CoP was an effective mechanism to encourage collaboration amongst climate science community with existing relationship strengthen and new connections made. It also proved to be an important channel to gather feedback and provide training to CoP members for the new extreme products developed in the FWFA project.
Benefits to industry
Relationships and contacts made through the Community of Practice (CoP) flow into other projects and opportunities.
Increased understanding of agricultural user needs.
Informed people able to promote the new extreme products to the broader agricultural industry. Increased uptake of seasonal prediction products of extreme events.
MLA action
MLA has supported the development of the extreme event forecast products which are being launched on the Bureau of Meteorology's website.
Future research
Based on the outputs and outcomes of this project, BCG would recommend that future research/project work:
• Have a high level of interaction with end users from a variety of locations, industries and knowledge bases to support the research/product development so that it is firstly fixing a real problem and secondly user friendly. The FWFA project has been a good example of this.
• Invest time in a few ‘early adopter producers’ to use them as case studies to aid extension activities and help increase the adoption of research outcomes/products.
