Spreading the Word: Regional Peer Networks and TEKFARM
- Keerah Steele
- 17 hours ago
- 4 min read
“Word travels fast out here.” It’s a saying that still rings true across Australia, and nowhere is it more obvious than when a good piece of technology lands on a property.
Once deployments began rolling out, it wasn’t long before neighbours were leaning on the rails asking, “So, how’s it working for you?”
Background
Across regional Australia, peer networks play a powerful role in shaping decisions about new technologies and practices. When the Farmers2Founders led TEKFARM project began supporting producers to find and deploy agtech out on properties to assist with drought resilience, word travelled quickly. Conversations in the yards, at the saleyards, on the main street, or over the phone soon became the spark that ignited interest across communities.
The Initial Challenge
Producers were curious about technology but unsure about where to start and which tools would genuinely fit their operations. Many wanted to see real results close to home before committing to change.
What Happened on the Ground
Once early adopters began using water monitors, drones, soil probes and weather stations, neighbours started leaning on the rails asking, “So, how’s it working for you?”
Producers were not watching from afar. They were tuned in to the experience of people they trust, who worked the same country, faced the same seasons, and dealt with the same pressures. Hearing how a tank monitor cut down water runs, how a drone changed mustering, or how weather data helped guide decisions carried a weight no brochure could match. It’s real, local experience! The TEKFARM project started out slowly in the North West of Queensland but before long interest grew and the calls started coming through to the advisors. Agtech Advisor Keerah Steele would receive calls saying , “So-and-so told me to give you a ring. They were showing me their monitor… or their drone… or their soil probe… and said they got it through TEKFARM. How do I get involved? ”Those conversations showed just how strong peer influence is when it comes from someone living the same reality.
Producer Insight
This wasn’t an isolated pattern. Our data reflected exactly what we were seeing on the ground:
One producer listed ‘word of mouth’ as their main source of information about the technology.
Another deployment noted simply, “From word of mouth from another producer.”
Others shared comments like, “A friend from the TNQ Drought Hub told me to talk to Keerah,” and “Sean showed us how he uses the tech and the benefits he’s seen, and that gave us confidence to go ahead.”
In another case, a grazier explained that “other producers in the area had success with thermal drones and swore by them,” which helped cement their decision.
These stories weren’t just comments. They were evidence of how regional peer networks drive adoption. Producers don’t just want information; they want confidence. And confidence grows when they can see technology working on a place that looks like theirs. It grows when neighbours share honest feedback, when family compare notes, and when advisors can connect those stories with practical support.
Producer Natalie Hughes captured this perfectly when she said,
‘We had, however, been watching drone technology advance and had seen TEKFARM work with another producer, to integrate a drone into operations. The TEKFARM advisor suggested the drone model based off other producer recommendations.’
Technology Company insight
From a technology provider’s point of view, regional peer networks are one of the strongest drivers of real adoption. Producers learn fastest from each other, and the trusted, local conversations they have carry a level of confidence that formal channels cannot match.
As one industry partner explained, “The informal flow of knowledge is stronger when people live closer together. It’s better now with more reliable internet, but in Australia we’re still behind. Those ‘pub chats’ where farmers talk to each other are where real learning happens.” When a couple of farmers get together and start comparing notes, they naturally ask, “How are you doing this?”
That simple exchange helps turn curiosity into capability. For tech companies, these moments matter because real uptake happens when producers see a tool working on a neighbour’s place and hear about it in a setting where honesty comes naturally.
Outcomes
The pattern became clear across the region. Peer influence created confidence and lowered risk for producers who were hesitant or unsure. TEKFARM advisors could then step in with practical support to help producers get started, troubleshoot issues, and build capability at a comfortable pace.
Keerah added, “I’ve seen firsthand how generous producers are with sharing what they know. That willingness to open their gates and talk honestly about what works and what doesn’t is what allowed us to organise a three-day tour across multiple properties. Producers were happy to show the tech in action and walk others through how they were using it in their day-to-day work.”
That level of openness is what keeps the momentum going and helps more people feel confident to give new tools a go. Even now, long after the formal program has wrapped up, the calls haven’t stopped. Producers continue to ask about new grants, fresh opportunities, and simply, “What do you think would work best on my place?”
Why It Matters
That’s the real power of regional peer networks and local advisors. They turn technology from something new and uncertain into something trusted and achievable. Producers don’t just want information; they want confidence. Confidence grows when:
producers can see technology working locally
neighbours share honest feedback
family members compare notes
trusted advisors provide support along the way
This creates pathways for adoption that are built on relationships, shared experience, and practical outcomes that come from seeing it work in your own landscape.
Impact
TEKFARM was not just about deploying technology. It helped build a connected community where knowledge flows easily, trust grows naturally, and innovation spreads in the same way news always has in rural and regional Australia.
Across a fence line.
Between friends.
Through the stories of the people living it every day.
This is how innovation takes root, builds momentum, and spreads across whole regions.
This program/project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
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