Overview
- Turning data into better decisions: Real-time monitoring tools are giving rice growers clearer, timely insights to support more confident, informed on-farm decisions.
- Earlier visibility, more targeted management: Growers can identify issues earlier and manage variability within paddocks, enabling more precise use of inputs and improving productivity and profitability.
- Strong uptake and proven value: With up to 95% grower use and a six-to-one return on investment, the dashboard is already delivering tangible benefits for the rice industry.
An AgriFutures Australia levy-funded project is helping rice growers turn real-time data into better on-farm decisions, with practical insights that support productivity and profitability, confidence and targeted management.
For many rice growers, the challenge is not simply growing a crop. It is making the right decisions at the right time, in a production system where the margin for error is narrowing.
Australia’s rice industry contributes more than $1 billion annually to the national economy. It underpins regional communities, supports export markets and plays an important role in irrigated agriculture.
The production area can fluctuate significantly depending on water allocations and seasonal conditions.
At the same time, the operating environment is becoming more complex. Water availability remains constrained, input costs are high and seasonal variability is harder to predict. With that in mind, access to timely, practical information is no longer optional. It is central to maintaining productivity and giving growers confidence in the decisions they make.
This is where digital innovation will make a tangible difference on farm.
Developed through an AgriFutures levy-funded research project at the University of New England (UNE) in partnership with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and SunRice, the Real-Time Rice Management Dashboard gives growers and advisers clearer visibility into what is happening in the paddock. The project, led by Associate Professor James Brinkhoff, brings together satellite imagery, weather data and crop modelling to generate practical insights into biomass, nitrogen uptake and crop development throughout the season.
Most importantly, the information is actionable.
Growers and agronomists can identify emerging issues earlier, in some cases weeks before they would be visible through traditional methods, creating a critical window to respond. That might mean adjusting fertiliser strategies, refining topdressing decisions or responding to variability before it begins to impact yield potential.
One of the most significant shifts is the ability to predict key dates such as panicle initiation, drainage and see variability within a paddock. Rather than managing uniformly, growers can pinpoint areas that are performing well and those that are lagging, enabling more precise and targeted management. That level of insight supports better resource use and better returns.
For advisers working across multiple farms, the dashboard is just as valuable. Having consistent, data-backed visibility supports more informed conversations with growers and strengthens the confidence behind recommendations. It shifts discussions from observation alone to evidence-based decision-making.
The results from this work are already being seen on the ground. In the most recent rice season, dashboard utilisation reached as high as 95 per cent among growers, reflecting the value being placed on timely, data-driven insights. This strong uptake has been supported by the dedicated efforts of Rice Extension, a partnership between AgriFutures, SunRice and the Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia.
Importantly, an AgriFutures benefit-cost analysis found a six-to-one return on every dollar invested by levy payers, reinforcing the tangible value of this investment for the industry.
While tools like this do not replace grower experience or local knowledge, they do provide another layer of insight that helps connect the dots earlier and with clarity.
The dashboard has now moved into a commercialisation phase. This will allow future enhancements to be progressed, helping ensure the tool remains practical, relevant and accessible for day-to-day farm management.
There is also potential beyond rice. The same principles of combining agronomic expertise with real-time data have strong application across other cropping systems. As these tools continue to mature, their role in supporting productivity, profitability and sustainability will only grow.
Australian rice growers have a long history of adapting to change. What’s changing now is the quality, timeliness and accessibility of the information available to support those decisions.
When growers have better information, they can make better decisions. And when decision-making improves, the benefits flow to individual businesses and across the broader industry.
Samantha Beresford
General Manager, Levied and Emerging Industries
AgriFutures Australia
