BIRCHIP Cropping Group (BCG) will host several social networking events to build young farmers and community resilience to drought, after receiving $49,500 in funding from the Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Their project, focusing on growth, adoption, productivity and profit (GAPP), will run discussion workshops in March 2022 and a regional networking event in June 2022 called Filling the GAPP – a forum for future farmers.
Birchip Cropping Group chief executive Fiona Best said providing opportunities for the farming community to establish professional networks to exchange ideas, challenges and solutions will be a key element of the project.
“Farm business resilience can be enhanced by having a strong support network of peers to engage with – this is particularly important during times of drought,” Ms Best said.
BCG Events Coordinator Lynden Burns said the emerging generation of farmers had identified that building strong social and professional networks is fundamental in what can be an isolated profession.
“This project is needed to facilitate the opportunity for early career farmers and young local agribusiness professionals to come together to share ideas about farming business practices: what is working and what is not in a positive supportive environment, with local context,” Mr Burns said.
“Local climate drivers and trends for the short, medium and long term and risk management strategies and how they should be used for operations and business planning will be an emphasis.
“BCG members have also identified addressing the challenges of climate change as an area of priority with an emphasis on identifying practical mitigating strategies.”
The workshops will be held across the Wimmera, Mallee and West Wimmera and will provide an opportunity for young farmers and their partners and friends to connect with peers and industry professionals.
For more information contact BCG on 5492 2787.
