Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
BCG is leading the North West regional node of the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub which is funded by the federal government’s Department of Agriculture Water and Environment’s 5 billion Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund initiative.
Feedback is being sought from farmers, natural resource managers and rural communities on how they consider what can be done:
- in preparation for drought to ensure that farms, communities and landscapes are ready to cope with the coming challenges
- to cope more effectively during drought
- to recover from drought
- during periods of uncertainty in and between seasons
- to make the most from the good times and plan for drought times
- to evaluate preparedness for the next drought
- to improve planning tools, processes and indicators to make decisions
- to fill knowledge gaps
- to support personal struggles during and after times of drought
- to improve required resources
This vital information will be used to facilitate on-ground applied research and activities that enable farmers, farm businesses and communities to be more prepared and resilient in times of drought.
Feedback can be provided at Hub events (keep an eye on BCG communications) or by calling BCG on (03) 5492 2787.
Weather Station and Soil Probe Network
In association with Square V Software for Agriculture and LX. The network consists of 110 weather stations and 50 soil moisture probes across the Wimmera and Mallee.
The aim of this project is to upskill BCG staff and farmers in agricultural technology and data sharing in a low risk format and environment. Through this process, engaged farmers will have an increased understanding of the Internet of Things (IoT) and therefore assist in building a case for the formation of a data cooperative.
To view information from this network, visit the Data Farmer website.
Yield Prophet®
Yield Prophet® is an on-line crop production model designed to present grain growers and consultants with real-time information about their crops, providing integrated production risk advice and monitoring decision support relevant to farm management. Operated as a web interface for the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM), Yield Prophet generates crop simulations and reports to assist in decision making. By matching crop inputs with potential yield in a given season, Yield Prophet subscribers may avoid over or under investing in their crop. Yield Prophet was developed by the BCG in conjunction with the CSIRO and has been operational for over 10 years.
Yield Prophet® Lite
Yield Prophet® Lite is a free app for the web and for iPad and iPhone devices, developed in partnership with CSIRO and Square V Software for Agriculture that lets farmers estimate their potential crop yields based on forecast rainfall probabilities for the rest of the season.
Demonstration Microgrid
Funded through the Department of Environment and Energy and housed at the BCG office and lab complex. The microgrid provides 137kW hours of battery storage and 55kW solar energy production. It has the smarts to use and send power where it is needed and at the best time. The demonstration project could be up-scaled with more renewable energy sources and provide jobs and diversify income streams for local farm businesses.
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