AI tools for better farm records and decisions
Helping Kangaroo Island farmers turn information into action
The Kangaroo Island Landscape Board hosted a free introductory AI workshop for primary producers to help with everyday farm records, planning and decision-making using the information they already collect.
Background
Kangaroo Island farmers already collect a huge amount of information through observation, record-keeping and experience. The challenge is often not a lack of information, but the time it takes to organise it, interpret it and turn it into useful decisions.
The workshop was developed to show that AI can be a practical support tool for farm businesses, rather than a complicated technology. The focus was on helping farmers use AI to work with paddock observations, rainfall records, livestock performance and seasonal conditions in ways that could support productivity and resilience.
What was done
A free workshop was held for Kangaroo Island farmers to explore how AI can support farm records and day-to-day decision-making.
The session was designed to suit a wide range of experience levels, from people who had never used AI before through to farmers already experimenting with tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
The workshop focused on practical applications, including summarising records, organising information, identifying trends, building templates and checklists, and using AI to support decisions around budgeting, planning and farm management.
The session also addressed common concerns directly, including privacy, accuracy and how to use AI as a support tool without replacing farmer judgement.
Results
A total of 15 farmers attended the workshop.
Feedback showed the session increased confidence and gave participants practical next steps for using AI in their own businesses. Before the workshop, many participants were unfamiliar with AI tools and unsure where to start. By the end of the session, confidence had lifted strongly and the workshop was rated as highly useful.
Participants were particularly interested in using AI to save time on admin and paperwork, organise and summarise records, support budgeting and input planning, and help turn observations into clearer actions.
One participant, Lillian Pledge, said:
“The session was a fantastic introduction into AI. It took away the hesitations I had and gave me practical tools on how to get the best results using AI. The possibilities actually blew my mind and got me really excited.”
Lillian and her husband run an 800-hectare sheep farm for wool and meat production. After the workshop, they used AI to develop a bushfire emergency plan that had been sitting on their to-do list for some time. By working through their ideas and prompting AI to ask relevant questions, they were able to turn their thinking into a useful document with practical seasonal checklists and a fridge magnet of key phone numbers.
She said the whole process took under four hours.
Take home messages
The workshop showed that AI is not just for tech people. Used properly, it can help farmers save time, organise records, build checklists, test ideas and turn existing farm information into clearer next steps.
It also showed that the biggest barrier is often not the technology itself, but knowing where to begin. Once farmers were given practical examples and a chance to try the tools in a supportive setting, many left with clear ideas about how they could use AI in their own businesses.
Just as importantly, the session reinforced that AI does not replace farmer knowledge. It works best when paired with the experience, judgement and local knowledge that farmers already bring to farm decisions.
Funding/Sponsors
The workshop was hosted by the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board and presented by Ben Finkel, Managing Director of the Australian Regional AI Network (ARAIN).Further information
More information is available through the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board., phone: 08 8553 2476 .