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Download full report (1.2meg) This publication is only available a an electronic download
By Larissa Patton and Harm
van Rees
Publication No. 06/122 Project No. BCG-1A
February 2007
Executive Summary
Background
The BCG (Birchip Cropping
Group) is a farmerdriven agricultural organisation operating as a not-for-profit
incorporated association, conducting applied research and extension on
all the major farming systems in the region. The Group’s purpose has been
redefined since its inception and aims to investigate the critical success
factors that ensure sustainable and profitable crop and livestock production
systems.
The BCG has trial sites at several locations in the Mallee, Wimmera and North Central regions, covering all the major soil types and climate zones.
The Group has 500 farm business members.
A number of communication mediums are used to extend information to members and the wider farmer community. These include field days, fortnightly technical fax bulletins, bi-monthly newsletters and a trials results manual. All of these valuable extension tools provide information at a particular point in time to be used in following seasons.
Aims
The Group recognised an
alternative medium that would provide a continuous communication stream
on critical management issues during the current season. This research
project allowed the provision of an extension tool enabling farmers to
use the internet to gain access to the latest developments in crop production
technologies and improve decision making in the current season. This report
aims to provide information about the development and function of this
extension tool to those industry stakeholders who may benefit from the
research, such as other farmer groups, extension agents, state departments,
Research & Development Corporations and Cooperative Research Centres.
Methodology
The concept was previously
known as Virtual Field Day, however it was renamed Virtual Agronomy to
more accurately reflect its function. The first phase of Virtual Agronomy
was developed by Melbourne University Computer Science graduates in 2001.
BCG staff and farmer members conducted comprehensive testing of the software
in 2002 and 2003, resulting in a redesign by the Centre for Electronic
Commerce and Communications at the University of Ballarat in 2003. Virtual
Agronomy was made available in the Member Area of the BCG website (www.bcg.org.au)
in August 2004.
Virtual Agronomy complements the existing communication mediums, providing information in a visually appealing, up-to-date and convenient form. Information is regularly updated and presented in smaller blocks accompanied by multimedia (photographic images, video footage and/or audio recordings). Convenience is achieved by providing filtering and searching capabilities. Virtual Agronomy extends the current system by allowing the crop trials to be examined throughout the growing season rather than only at field days or trial tours. This also addresses the issue of information overload that can occur at field days.
Results
Virtual Agronomy allows
the BCG to provide a more detailed, current and interactive service to
its members without replacing any existing extension tools. It is user-friendly
for members and allows for slow dial-up connections. Administration users
(ie. BCG staff) can easily and rapidly enter trial details from any computer
with internet access. This is a cost-effective way of instantly providing
BCG members with information.
Virtual Agronomy has allowed BCG members to:
Target audience
Virtual Agronomy greatly
enhances the ability of BCG members to deal with current short- and longterm
management issues and improves their decision making at critical stages
throughout the current season to optimise chances of a successful crop.
Members of other grower groups throughout Australia would benefit similarly
from this tool. State departments and research organisations in any rural
industry could use a similar searchable database to provide a convenient,
cost-effective method of making research results available.
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