Getting connected can boost profits and combat rural isolation

BEING connected to social media can help boost your farm’s profitability, according to a new Teagasc survey.

Over half of dairy farmers feel they gain technical information by being a member of a Knowledge Transfer WhatsApp group, and a third feel that it has increased their farm’s profitability.

Teagasc grassland specialist Fergus Bogue examined how dairy farmers were using mobile phone messaging app WhatsApp, as part of their dairy discussion groups.

As part of research for his Teagasc Walsh Fellowship, Mr Bogue gave questionnaires to six dairy discussion groups in the Munster area.

“A third of farmers felt being a member had improved their profitability as they had knowledge from a range of members at their fingertips,” he said.

“They say this helped them when making decisions and led to improved efficiency.

“85pc of those who weren’t part of WhatsApp groups said they would like to be part of the group. The groups can have a positive inf luence on people.”

Mr Bogue said that while social media receives a lot of negative attention, he feels that WhatsApp is a positive way to reduce the level of social isolation that farmers can experience.

“Farmers can see that others face the same challenges on farm that they do and the WhatsApp groups were especially useful to them during the 2018 summer drought and the snow last March,” he said.

Facilitators

“There’s a lot of negativity associated with some apps due to strangers being able to write negative comments, but with WhatsApp you don’t have that risk.”

Mr Bogue recommended that an initial meeting be set up between farmers and Knowledge Transfer facilitators before they set up the WhatsApp group.

“The group should be the main drivers of whether they should have a WhatsApp group or not. The farmers themselves should decide how they want to use it,” he said.

“The group should have a meeting with their facilitator before setting it up to set up a few rules, such as response time expectations and levels of engagement.

“If all members don’t participate the benefits are reduced.”