For the past two decades, producers in the Woorak region have struggled to understand and manage large variations in seasonal conditions, including extended dry times and unseasonal storm events depositing large amounts of moisture. The group applied to the Producer Technology Uptake Program, under a co-contribution model, to install soil moisture probes and weather stations over a 90km2 zone.
Converting the percentage of moisture in a soil profile to match the classified soil types in the region to determine water availability to crop. With this knowledge, they are incorporating soil moisture into water use efficiency calculations, so farmers are aware of yield potentials and apply crop inputs that close the yield gap. They are also developing a spatial map to show real time fire danger ratings across their sites.
Matt talks us through the decision making process for the network and the benefits of co-contribution models.