Connection in the bush is in crisis. That's what growers told us during our recent state-wide connectivity push. And if it wasn't so serious, it'd be a joke.
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While we wanted to know what challenges growers were having 'getting connected', what we actually heard was that growers have bigger fish to fry. Getting connected is not even on their radar when a reliable form of communication, something we all take for granted, eludes them.
Growers cited frustration about frequency of mobile service drop outs, patchiness of mobile phone coverage from one side of the farm to the other, and concern for the health and safety of staff being without phone service should and when they may need it.
Many were still reliant on old ADSL copper wire reporting that sees them lose all communication when it rains, but also when it is windy. Others cannot even make use of their landline at particular times of the day because the line is so crackly, but are reluctant to disconnect because this might mean losing the most reliable means of making a phone call.
It was most surprising to find the locations experiencing these issues included parts of the Sunshine Coast, Lockyer Valley, and the Wide Bay. Hardly locations you'd consider rural, and certainly not remote. One grower said, "It's not woop woop you know."
The impact of limited mobile service and connectivity is that growers in these situations are unable to embrace AgTech innovation for business and production efficiencies. And while growers' desire to improve their farm management systems is strong, coupled with a genuine commitment from ag industries to close the great connectivity divide, there is a lack of confidence and digital literacy among growers to navigate options available. As one grower said, "you don't know what you don't know, if you don't know it."
The question remains, however, how are growers meant to tackle getting 'connected' when achieving a basic, reliable phone service is in itself a daunting and time-consuming task? Isn't this what we expect and deserve for what we pay. How are growers meant to run a business when access to basic connectivity is a problem and existing infrastructure so old?
We will call our growers... the forgotten ones.
