Risk was a key focus of BCG’s recent farm advisory meetings with the farmer-driven organisation taking a lead research role across the region in the GRDC Riskwi$e participatory action research project. Senior Manager of Research Dr Yolanda Plowman heard from Wimmera and Mallee farmers regarding what they saw were among the biggest areas of risk on farm. This participatory action research will be used to inform work to help growers manage risk in a future growing in uncertainty.
A key finding from the meetings was the farmers’ identifying health and wellbeing, as well as relationships, being key areas of risk on farm. “A clear message from the meetings, particularly the Wimmera farmers, was that health and wellbeing need to be prioritised to reduce financial risk on farm,” BCG Senior Manager of Research Dr Yolanda Plowman said. “It cannot be all work and no play as this not only reduces farmers’ abilities to perform at their best on farm, but work life balance can also affect relationships with those around us, particularly family members. As many farms are family businesses, we heard how maintaining good relationships is imperative to the survival of the business with fractures detrimental to a business’s bottom line.”
“A clear message from the meetings, particularly the Wimmera farmers, was that health and wellbeing need to be prioritised to reduce financial risk on farm.” – BCG Senior Manager of Research Dr Yolanda Plowman
Dr Plowman explained that the other elements raised which are affecting risk levels within the farm business are input costs and the need for more sustainable, less input farming: “The need for varieties with high resistance to disease, for example, would have several benefits: reduced risk of yield impacts from the disease, which means less inputs which equated to less economic risk. Advances such as resistant varieties also reduce in-season decision making which eases pressure on the farmer who is already weighed down by the plethora of decisions needed on farm.”
RiskWi$e (the National Risk Management Initiative), is a 5-year national initiative of approximately $30 million that will run from 2023 to 2028. It seeks to understand and improve the risk-reward outcomes for Australian grain growers by supporting grower on-farm decision-making.
“Improved understanding of risks empowers growers. By listening to farmers and hearing their perspectives on risk we hope to deliver work to help them make decisions about on-farm management that maximise the rewards and minimise the downside risk. We hope that by conducting participatory action research that engages growers in the conception to implementation process, we will build on the already strong foundations of trust and understanding BCG has with our growers to ultimately better inform decision making on-farm,” Dr Plowman concluded.
