Australia - GRDC Grower Network – Southern Region

Description

This investment is seeking applications from service providers interested in providing coordination and facilitation services for the GRDC Grower Network in the Southern region.
The GRDC Grower Network is one of several mechanisms the GRDC uses to capture constraints or opportunities to grain grower profitability and identify desired outcomes to help shape and inform GRDC RD&E investments.
This GRDC Grower Network investment includes the planning, promotion, delivery and reporting of both Grower Network Meetings and subregional Grower Forums.
The Grower Forums are held across each subregion where GRDC staff, researchers and industry experts are invited to present and discuss regionally relevant topics with participants (growers and advisors), providing a valuable two way flow of information between the presenters and forum participants as described in Output 1.
These presentations will then be followed by a facilitated discussion where participants are asked to identify locally important opportunities and constraints which are impacting on their farm profitability. The issues that are captured during the Grower Forums will provide a foundation for discussion and analysis during the Grower Network meetings.
The Grower Network meeting consists of pre-engaged representatives from across the low, medium and high rainfall zones (refer to Map1) comprising of growers, advisers, industry experts and researchers. The Grower Network members will identify, discuss and describe local issues and undertake further detailed analysis of specific issues to assist the GRDC’s investment management process, including those raised during the Grower Forums.
In depth analysis and discussion at Grower Network meeting provides important information for the GRDC on the impact on profitability, frequency of occurrence and area affected of the issues discussed using the processes described in Output 2.
Grower Network representatives provide a broader cross regional understanding and context of the opportunities and constraints impacting farm profitability. 
All information collected from the Grower Forums and Grower Network Meetings are collated to develop an analysis (brief) of each key opportunity or constraint identified as described in Output 3, providing valuable grower input and feedback which assists with the GRDC’s R,D& E priorities and investments.
The Network’s process supports growers by providing them with a direct link to GRDC’s RD&E investments activities through:  
1.     Capture – collecting local issues in the form of opportunities and constraints which directly impact grower profitability.
2.     Inform – provides locally relevant information on identified opportunities and constraints including but not limited to farming system implications, area affected, frequency, and impact on profitability, which informs GRDC priorities, more detailed analysis and need or type of response ensuring investments address identified regional needs.
3.     Extend – provides an opportunity to extend key information and research findings directly to growers.  Allowing them to engage directly with researchers and industry experts on issues impacting farm profitability to drive awareness, facilitate practice change and provide two-way communication between researchers and growers.
4.     Evaluate – these forums and meetings provide researchers, industry experts and GRDC personnel with valuable feedback to ensure new and existing research is addressing growers needs.

Opportunity closing date

12 March 2020

Value of contract

to be confirmed