Advice is at our fingertips
Pulse growers have a valuable resource for the 2019 cropping season after an online Grains Research and Development Corporation webinar series.
The corporation ran the five webinars as part of a Southern Region Pulse Extension project.
Each webinar covering a different pulse-crop type, featured a line-up of industry experts who provided an overview of relevant agronomic information, pulse research findings and market information.
The ‘Growing Pulses’ webinar recordings – for beans, vetch, field peas, lentils and chickpeas – are available for viewing via GRDC Youtube channel http://bit.ly/2kiesus.
Southern Region Pulse Extension Project manager Pru Cook said participants received the webinars well and recording requests were in high demand post-event.
“Each of these webinars allowed growers and other industry personnel to interact with industry experts without the burden and expense of travel and time away from their businesses,” she said.
“It meant they could cost-effectively build their skills and prepare better for the upcoming growing season.”
“More than 70 people tuned in to the live webinars and the positive feedback from those who participated proves there is great support for this type of forum.
“Comments resoundingly stated that the content was very helpful, and that the technology had additional benefits.
“For example, a participant noted that the images of diseases came through so clearly, much better than in a printed resource.
“There were also requests for more webinars on other pulse-related topics throughout the growing season and an indication that such forums would grow in effectiveness and reach as people became more familiar with the format.”
The GRDC Southern Region Pulse Extension project, called ‘Building capacity, skills and knowledge for the pulse industry in the southern region: supporting expansion of high value pulses into new areas and ensuring sustained profitability of all key pulse crops’, began in 2017.
Delivered by a consortium of organisations involved in the pulse industry across the GRDC’S southern region, the project aims to increase grower and advisor knowledge on sustainable pulse production, leading to improved farming systems and grower profitability.
Ms Cook has encouraged pulse-industry stakeholders to contact her with topics for future webinars.
People can direct inquiries or feedback to Southern Region Pulse Extension Project by emailing pru.cook@bcg.org.au or calling 0438 923 258.