The RiskWi$e Project

Supporting on-farm decision making strategies, better understanding risk and providing simple risk management tools to maximise returns.

National Project Overview

RiskWi$e: the National Risk Management Initiative (NRMI) is a GRDC initiative extending over five years that aims to understand and improve risk-reward outcomes for Australian grain growers through participatory action research (PAR).

RiskWi$e seeks to understand and improve the risk-reward outcomes for Australian grain growers by supporting grower on-farm decision-making.

  • 5-year national initiative (2023-28)
  • GRDC investment of $30 million + in-kind contributions of $13 million
  • 26 grower/adviser/extension groups
  • 10 research partners
  • 6 action research group leads
  • National project lead (CSIRO)
  • Principal partner (GRDC)
Focus

How do we improve grower decision making – particularly for decisions that have large profit and/or sustainability implication…when the outcome is uncertain!?

Aim

80% of grain growers articulate their production management decisions in terms of probability of upside returns (reward) offset against the associated downside risks to improve the quality of on-farm decision making.

Commencement: January 2023 | Completion: December 2027

Funding body: Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC)
Lead Organisation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
WA Action Research Group Lead (ARG): Grower Group Alliance (GGA)

What does RiskWi$e look like on the ground?

The West Midlands Group (WMG) will be working with the Mingenew Irwin Group (MIG) and other smaller grower groups across the Northern Agricultural Region of WA to investigate the risk associated with many of the common decisions made during the growing season by farmers. Involving local industry stakeholders and researchers in the conversation will also help to find new solutions to many of the hard decisions that farmers face, often made on the fly while keeping farming operations moving.

This approach is called ‘Participatory Action Research’ (PAR) and differs from the traditional approach to extension where farmers are ‘told’ what best practice should be. In the PAR model, farmers, industry, and researchers are on common ground in designing and executing research activities, and interpreting the findings to drive better, more locally applicable research outcomes.

Local groups of farmers will meet 2-3 times per year on a farm in the area to have input into the research activities under this project, to review results to date, and learn from other farmers, industry, and researchers about the issues they identify as important for their local area. We also aim to share many of the learnings between groups in the region so that participating growers have the greatest opportunity to learn and share knowledge and practices.

A theme PAR Group meeting in progress, Badgingarra 2023

There are five broad themes that each group can work across, depending on the needs of local farmers:

  • Nitrogen (N) decisions: A whole-of-system approach to help growers assess N decision strategies encompassing fertiliser and legume use.
  • Sowing decisions: Develop long-term strategies to help determine sowing location, varietal selection and sowing timing while considering landscape, farm and paddock conditions.
  • Enterprise agronomic decisions: Investigate crop sequence decisions from crop choice, fallow choice, soil amelioration and weed/disease management strategies.
  • Enterprise financial decisions: Investigate decision making related to farm economies of scale, operating costs, commodity prices and marketing, grain storage availability and labour management.
  • Managing natural resource capital: Explore the value behind improved soil health and soil carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and non-chemical weed control.

Would you like to take part in Riskwi$e?

WMG are looking to include as many growers, industry stakeholders, and researchers that are aligned with the research activities of each local group under the themes outlined above. We will publish more of the groups aims in the future as they firmly establish their own directive in this project.

Growers

The risk associated with grain production has escalated and growers need additional tools and knowledge to maintain a competitive advantage in an increasingly variable market and production environment. Grower decision making is the key focus of the RiskWi$e project so it goes without saying that grower input is essential to the success of the PAR process.

Industry

Often industry stakeholders are best placed to see what is happening across regions as the visit many farms and see the impact of many of the management decisions made by growers. Having them in the room allows for a broader discussion and a wider range of alternatives to many of the decision-based problems that we face – hopefully with a little less risk!

Research

Research organisations have the specific technical knowledge on many of the topics that are related to agricultural production, as well as the decision making process. Applied field research and social science research brought together and included in the local groups can help to understand why some things work and others don’t.

At a glance…

Who: Farmers, industry, researchers interested in reducing the risk around farm management decisions

What: Explore the risk behind many common farm management decisions, design and carry out trials, review results and learn with peers

When: Meet pre-seeding (March/April) and during the growing season (July) to look at local trials and review the latest findings to date

Where: Become involved in a group near you:

  • Yerecoin/Calingri/New Norcia Group
  • Dandaragan/Moora/Badgingarra Group
  • Three Springs Group
  • More groups to come across the region – register your interest!

Why: This project will support local growers to develop confident approaches to decision making and avoid costly mistakes in their farm operations.

How: Register your interest below!

Join a RiskWi$e PAR Group now!

Latest Updates

  • Understanding machinery efficiency in broadacre operations
    Machinery efficiency is emerging as a key driver of timeliness and investment decisions across the region. This article explores how small improvements in logistics, labour and workflow can lift real operating capacity, and links these insights with WMG’s ongoing RiskWi$e Project learnings.
  • WMG Shares Machinery Investment Insights at 2025 RiskWi$e Conference
    WMG shared early findings from the Northern Agricultural Region Machinery Decisions Survey at the 2025 RiskWi$e Conference, gaining insights and connections that will strengthen ongoing work on machinery investment risk and decision-making in local farming businesses.
  • Farmer-Led Nitrogen Strip Trials: Establishing a Local Benchmark
    Local growers trialled nitrogen strip comparisons in 2024 as part of the RiskWi$e Project. Read how early results, response curves, and grower reflections are helping shape practical, paddock-specific nitrogen decisions for future seasons in the West Midlands.
  • New RiskWi$e N Banking & Long-Term Soil CRC Trial Sites Seeded
    Two new trials seeded at Dandaragan and Wathingarra are now underway, focusing on nitrogen strategies and soil resilience in local systems. Learn what’s been sown, who’s involved, and what to expect from the season ahead.
  • Making Timely Machinery Decisions in the Face of Late Season Breaks
    With late season breaks continuing to narrow sowing windows, this article explores how planning, machinery capacity and post-season review can reduce risk and help ensure crops are sown at the right time.
  • Understanding Machinery Investment Decisions in WA’s Northern Agricultural Region
    Early insights from WMG and MIG’s machinery investment survey highlight how growers balance timeliness, cost, and capacity. From mixed ownership models to seeding strategies, the data reveals what drives equipment choices across WA’s Northern Agricultural Region.
  • Rotation Diversity: Exploring Break Crops and Nitrogen Efficiency in the West Midlands
    How can diverse crop rotations improve nitrogen management and long-term profitability? Explore the benefits and challenges of integrating legumes, pastures, and break crops, sharing insights from local trials and farmer discussions on balancing input costs, risk, and soil health.
  • Focusing on farm efficiency with a critical control point approach
    WMG CEO Nathan Craig reflects on how a Critical Control Point approach can help transform farm efficiency, ensuring a focus on the right tasks at the right time to achieve better performance and save time and stress.
  • Fertilising For Profit Crop Walk – Farmer Summary
    Get a look into what attendees at our recent Fertilising for Profit Crop Walk discussed, including K fertiliser strategies, Summit’s range of N inhibitors, and the complexities and economic impacts of fertiliser decisions on farm management practices.
  • Balancing Importance and Complexity in On-farm Decision Making
    Join WMG CEO Nathan Craig as he explores how farmers navigate daily and significant decisions using experience, intuition and data, and discover how strategies to simplify complex decisions can enhance farm business profitability.
  • Rowes Road Crop Nutrition Tour – Farmer Summary
    The WMG & CSBP Rowes Road Crop Nutrition Tour showcased trials across three different sites, exploring legumes, potassium cycling, and nitrogen inhibitors. Read on for a synthesised farmer summary of the key learnings and discussion points of the day.
  • Silver Bullets, Step Changes, and One Percenters
    WMG CEO Nathan Craig explores the major advancements in agriculture and the impact of ‘one percenters’ on productivity and profitability. Learn how WMG aims to help farmers leverage these small changes for sustainable growth.
  • Getting more time & enjoyment back in farming
    WMG CEO Nathan Craig discusses helping farmers manage risk and reduce stress, the RiskWi$e Project, and focusing on the ‘1%ers’ in farm businesses – small changes that can lead to significant improvements in time management and profitability.
  • CEO Report – Farmer discussion groups going gangbusters!
    Three new farmer discussion groups have been formed this month! Learn how these smaller, interactive gatherings help farmers, industry, and researchers share insights and strategies to improve farm management across the Northern Agricultural Region of WA.
  • New Ground: WMG Introduces RiskWi$e to Yerecoin Farmers
    WMG recently hosted its first farmer discussion event outside the West Midlands region in Yerecoin, marking an introductory session for the RiskWi$e Project. Discover how the group explored risk and strategies for informed farm management.
  • Three Springs RiskWi$e Discussion Group – An Introduction
    WMG recently connected with the Three Springs Farm Improvement Network at their committee meeting to discuss our involvement in the GRDC RiskWi$e project. Discover how this collaboration aims to support local farmers by addressing key farm management decisions and risk.
  • Talking Crop Nutrition, Stubble Management & Risk
    Discover the insights and key discussions from our recent Crop Nutrition Day, where local farmers and industry experts gathered for a deep dive into nutrient decisions, stubble management and risk in farming.
  • Nitrogen modelling, collaboration and risk: What’s in store for 2024?
    Using APSIM modelling, collaboration, innovation and participatory action research to investigate the factors that optimise the profitability and risk profile of cropping systems across the West Midlands region and Australia.

Want to get involved?

Get in touch with our Executive Officer, Gabby Carrivick.

Mobile: 0438 924 208

Email: eo@wmgroup.org.au