This story was published in the Climate Supplement of Groundcover March - April 2007, and appears courtesy of GRDC.

A new series of one-hour, web-based seminars will enable rural producers to improve their climate forecasting skills without leaving their front gate.

Webinars are the next 'big thing' for internet users. With just a computer, broadband internet access and a headset, rural producers can take part in real-time, totally interactive web-based seminars. The two-way data transmission means no matter what their location, everyone can interact as if they were in the same conference room.

A FarmBis-funded pilot project has successfully tested the web-conferencing concept in Queensland.

Developed by Partners in Grain (see below), Conservation Farmers Inc. and professional development company Apsilon, the program delivered five one-hour webinars on a range of agricultural topics.

A post-participation survey revealed the most popular webinar in the pilot series was the weather presentation by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Ann Farrell, a senior meteorologist with Queensland's Climate Services Centre, is convinced that webinars are the most time and cost-efficient way of delivering information to people in rural and remote locations.

As plans are being made for a new series of 19 webinars, Ms Farrell has put her hand up to present a range of weather and climate-related discussions.Communication, she says, is the key to improving the use of the massive amounts of information the Bureau of Meteorology can provide.

As a starting point, her initial webinar late last year gave an overview of what is available on the Bureau of Meteorology website.

Darryl Lewis, from 'Cooby Downs' just north of Toowoomba, was logged on for the webinar and is now hooked on the new technology: "I can do the webinar while I have lunch. A field day as a rule would cost me at least half a day."

He had used the Bureau of Meteorology website sporadically in the past and was excited by the new options he discovered during the webinar. He now intends to use the website more frequently: "It's another tool to help make decisions."

But like many producers in desperate need of drought-breaking rain, he is frustrated by the ambiguity of weather predictions. "Until they can tell us where and when it's going to rain, weather forecasting is basic at best."

Ms Farrell understands the concern. She says the numerical models used for short-term weather forecasts offer good reliability, but for long-range forecasts it is hard to model the exact timing of major weather systems. "We're trying to utilise the best information we can, but we can't be certain."

Ms Farrell says the Bureau's water and land page, www.bom.gov.au/watl, is a good starting point for those wanting high-quality information for their part of the world. "It has a mix of information, including eight-day rainfall forecast maps."
Meanwhile, rural producer Darryl Lewis is keen to log on for the next webinar series as he believes being given easy access to good information can only help his business.

GRDC Research Code PIG00003
More information: Jillian Condell, director, Apsilon, 0423 248 608, jillian@apsilon.com.au; to find out more about the upcoming webinar series, email wendy@apsilon.com.au