Helping advisers support better farm decisions

By Bret Ryan, Southern Farming Systems | Published On: 5 June 2026

Good decisions are central to drought preparedness. During dry seasons, farmers are often making complex choices under pressure, including decisions about feed, water, stocking rates, sowing, business risk and family wellbeing.

Through the Barwon and Great South Coast Regional Drought Resilience Plans, Southern Farming Systems worked with Cam Nicholson from Nicon Rural to pilot a Farmer Decision-Making activity. The aim was to build the skills of trusted local advisers so they could introduce practical decision-making tools through their usual work with farmers.

A training manual was developed, supported by a one-day workshop at Marcus Oldham College in December 2025. Participants came from a mix of sectors including livestock, cropping, dairy, rural financial counselling and natural resource management. They were introduced to 17 practical exercises and then asked to test at least three of them with farmers.

Despite a short delivery window, 19 activities were completed between January and March 2026, reaching 147 farmers across Barwon and Great South Coast. Around half were delivered through one-on-one consultations, with the remainder through discussion groups, workshops or training courses.

Participant feedback was enthusiastically positive. For many, this was the first time they had been given a structured framework to help farmers think through decisions, rather than simply providing recommendations.

The pilot showed that relatively simple tools can help structure farm decisions. Examples included reflecting on past decisions, separating simple, complicated and complex decisions, and exploring the “head, heart and gut” influences that shape choices.

The potential of this approach has already been recognised beyond Victoria, with South Australia’s Livestock SA and the SA Drought Hub expressing interest in similar training.

An online advisor register has now been created for the Barwon and Great South Coast regions, listing local service providers trained through the activity. Further information is available via the links below.