Connected for healthier soils
Face to face learning and WhatsApp combine to strengthen peer to peer soil health knowledge sharing across the Inverell district.
Capacity building - LEP23-024-05
The issue
Gwymac Landcare’s Mastering Soil Health Group was created to support local landholders interested in soil health and regenerative agriculture practices. The group has strong engagement through bi-monthly workshops and farm visits, however members identified an opportunity to stay better connected between meetings to continue discussions, share experiences and build on knowledge gained during group activities. Seasonal conditions, farm workloads and the realities of rural life can make ongoing collaboration challenging, creating a need for a simple and accessible way for members to remain engaged and continue learning from each other.
The solution
After several successful face to face meetings and farm visits, a WhatsApp group was established to support ongoing discussion and knowledge sharing between events. Existing relationships and trust helped create strong participation and open conversation, reflecting research showing online learning is more effective when participants have first connected in person. The group became an informal community of practice where members shared photos and videos of multispecies crops, grazing management, landscape rehydration works and biological applications, while discussing soil tests, seasonal conditions, management decisions and useful articles and podcasts.
The impact
The WhatsApp group has strengthened social connection and increased knowledge sharing across the Mastering Soil Health Group. Members now engage in ongoing conversations outside meetings, maintaining enthusiasm and learning throughout the year. The group has created a practical peer to peer learning network where landholders share real time observations, photos and experiences from their own farms, helping build confidence to trial new approaches and management practices with advice from their peers. The platform has also improved accessibility for members unable to attend events, helping build a stronger and more resilient community of practice focused on soil health.
Learnings
Building relationships through face to face meetings before establishing the WhatsApp group created trust and encouraged participation.
Simple, low cost communication platforms can effectively support ongoing peer to peer learning and sharing in rural communities.
Members were comfortable sharing both successes and challenges, creating valuable discussion and practical learning opportunities.
Combining face to face workshops and farm visits with online communication has strengthened engagement, maintained momentum and supported continuous learning between events
Key facts
- Established an active online community of practice
- Bimonthly face to face meetings supported by ongoing WhatsApp communication
- Members share photos, videos and real time on farm observations
- Discussions include soil and leaf test results, grazing management and biological inputs
- Group buying products as a result of the group keeping costs down
- Articles, podcasts and workshop resources shared between members
- Supports peer to peer learning and continuous knowledge exchange
- Improved participation for members unable to attend every workshop
- Strengthened social connection across the Mastering Soil Health Group