bCG nexus
Short Term Accommodation & Communal Space _ Birchip VIC. Australia _ Design Stage
Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) Nexus represents a bold new vision for agriculture, regional communities and the state. It will provide the missing link between researchers who are pushing the boundaries of agricultural science, and farmers who will actually use the innovations being developed.
Australia is fortunate to have education institutions and universities, corporations and multinationals all focusing on increasing innovation and investing in growth. Research, however, is often carried out in a vacuum – it is far removed from the sites where it must eventually be implemented, and this disconnection has created barriers. Conducting research on agricultural best practice while distanced from the application of these sciences is inefficient and often futile.
BCG Nexus will allow researchers to work closer to farmers to ensure research and development advances are relevant, practical, effective and implemented. BCG is centrally located in the beating heart of farmer-led agricultural innovation and has access to farmers across Victoria’s north-west region - some of the harshest, but most efficient and productive farmland in the state. This region is the ideal location for researchers to test their theories and carry out on-site trials with experienced farmers across north-western Victoria, yet it lacks critical infrastructure to support this vital work. The region lacks dedicated on-site accommodation to support its community and to house researchers and academics, students and workers. BCG Nexus will provide a desperately needed facility that will deliver enormous benefit to local farmers, researchers, and the region.
Residential accommodation will include 6 student/college-style suites (king singles with individual ensuite and BIR) and 3 professional one bedroom apartments (with ensuite and kitchenette). The residential programme will be supported by conference facilities to cater for small/medium-sized groups and events, with ancillary spaces to support both functions which include a community kitchen, shared dining room, shared living room/library and outdoor recreation areas (including rooftop garden for star-gazing). The proposed accommodation is to be primarily used by visiting PhD students, researchers, and professionals so that they can comfortably undertake longer periods of in-paddock research as required by the industry, providing the opportunity for better research programs. BCG’s newest board member, Stefano de Pieri, has views on the possibilities of Australian grain and legumes, and plans to use the communal/community kitchen to serve as a platform for education and workshops.
The next 30 years will have challenges. Our local farming businesses (whether they be livestock or grains production) must adapt to address changing consumer expectations regarding transparency around the use of chemical applications, biotechnology, land management, animal welfare and carbon emissions. In addition to this, our seasons will be hotter, drier and less predictable, with growing season rainfall expected to decline. Variations in growing seasons will become more acute, and the need for soil preservation will continue to increase. Our relentless adoption of practices that extract maximum yield gain from available water will be even more crucial.
The impact that COVID-19 has had on regional economies cannot be understated. Many of the townships that relied on tourism have struggled to make ends meet, and the logistical challenges globally have given us a renewed appreciation and focus on strengthening our local food production industry. BCG Nexus will lead the way by allowing the vital collaboration between farmers and researchers to occur to ensure the future of our agricultural industry in Victoria.
BENT Team:
Paul Porjazoski, Michael Germano, Lana Blazanin, Merran Porjazoski, Alison Hui
