Extension for better agriculture

A Funny Thing: farmers are people.

Research into why some farmers adopt particular practices while other farmers do not has shown that farmers think ‘holistically’. That is, farmers think of their farming activities in terms of the complex interactions of all the factors involved in running a (family) farming enterprise: economic, environmental and social.

When farmers ‘fail’ to ‘adopt’ a particular practice which is thought to have environmental and/or economic benefits, it is not because the farmers cannot recognise the benefits. Rather, it is because the farmers have recognised dis-benefits which are unrecognised by those promoting the practices. Farmers make rational decisions.

Better agriculture for extension agents and coordinators.

The design and conduct of projects and programs aiming to promote better agricultural practices can be informed by Australian work in the field of extension theory which considers why and how farmers choose to adopt (or not adopt) particular practices.

Farming is a social and cultural activity. Farm management practices are the physical result of a farmer’s cultural as well as technical understanding. Frank Vanclay (2004) identifies 27 Social Principles for agricultural extension.

LINK

http://www.agsci.utas.edu.au/AJEA-principles.pdf#search=%22SOCIAL%20PRINCIPLES%20FOR%20AGRICULTURAL%20EXTENSION%20TO%20ASSIST%20IN%20THE%20PROMOTION%20%22

Frank’s work shows that farmers are not passive receivers of knowledge, but are ‘scientists’ and observers who test hypotheses and make rational decisions based on their aspirations and circumstances.

The implications of this recognition of farmers as scientists and rational decision-makers for the design of extension programs are discussed by several Australian writers. Pannell et al (2005) and Heisswolf et al (2003) provide useful insights into the features of successful extension programs.

The Better Agriculture Program Checklist below has been adapted from the RIPPER Project Checklist (Freeman 2006) to relate to the design of sustainable agriculture projects.

“The details of practice change program design should not be prescribed, but programs should be designed and delivered with attention to the principles of good extension. Extension for sustainable agriculture necessarily differs from extension for information or technology transfer because the practices of sustainable agriculture are as yet unknown and unproven. Practices which may appear to be applicable in one area or industry may not be in another. The common disagreement over whether particular practices should be referred to as Best Management Practice or Currently recommended Practices reflects an appreciation that practices promoted in the past have sometimes proven to be undesirable and even deleterious.”

Heisswolf et al (2003) have identified the principles of good extension practice in the design of programs for practice change towards sustainability:

• Processes need to be flexible to cater for the different needs of different producers and different groups
• Programs should build constructively on what producers are already doing
• Profitable practices and innovations should be identified as they are adopted more readily
• Producers need to be able to adapt sustainable practices for local conditions
• Adoption of new practices is a continuous process and occurs through a number of avenues (eg self-directed learning, peers, experience)
• ‘Real’ participation of producers and stakeholders is a key to success.

The Better Agriculture Program Checklist is based on the assumption that programs should and will be designed with a collaborative partnership and co-learning ethos. Where extension staff and program resources are funded by an authority or agency it is to be expected that those staff and agencies/authorities will be responsible for program design and delivery. The success of the program, however, may depend upon the extent to which staff and agencies/authorities can relinquish control of program outcomes and goals.

This may be scary for extension advisors and agencies/authorities, but a re-definition of their role from drivers to facilitators of change is critical to the promotion of complex issues surrounding adoption of sustainable practices.

This is critically important. Since the details of future sustainable practices are not definitively known, they cannot be prescribed. Since practice change requires farmers to make complex and risky decisions, those farmers need to be confident that the direction of the decisions is worthwhile. And since participation in programs for practice change requires farmers to be interested, they should determine the topics of interest.

The Better Agriculture Program Checklist provides a simple tool for program designers which builds on the principles above and highlights the important aspects of program design: Relationships, Information, Principles, Practices, Evaluation and Resources.

Better Agriculture Program Checklist
EVERY aspect should receive a tick as part of either program design or program delivery		P
	Relationships
1.	The appropriate program partners for a collaborative relationship have been identified.
2.	The appropriate partners are participating in program design and delivery.
	The appropriate members of the partner organisations or groups are participating.
3.	Producers are actively involved in program design and decision-making from the outset.
4.	A co-learning in equal partnership ethos is acknowledged from the outset.
	Information
5.	The partners to the relationship share a common and informed view of the social science of extension for practice change.
6.	The motivations, interests and concerns of producers have been identified.
7.	The barriers to and benefits from practice change have been identified by the partners.
	Practices
8.	The practices responsible for environmental resource degradation have been identified.
9.	The practices most amenable to change have been identified.
10.	The successful practices of local producers have been identified.
11.	Trials and demonstrations of new or desirable practices will be undertaken.
12.	Monitoring and analysis of trial results will be undertaken.
	Principles
13.	The principles for program design and delivery are acknowledged from the outset.
	Processes are flexible to cater for the needs of different producers and different groups
	Programs and projects build constructively on what producers are already doing
	Profitable practices and innovations have been identified
	Producers are able to adapt new or ‘sustainable’ practices for local conditions
	Opportunities for capacity building outside of the extension program are valued
	Producer knowledge is valued and final decisions on priorities, best practice and monitoring rests with producers.
	Evaluation
14.	An evaluation plan for the program has been determined by partners in the relationship which identifies that: Achievement against program objectives will be evaluated Achievements in practice change will be evaluated The effectiveness of program design and delivery will be evaluated Lessons from the evaluation will be documented and communicated.
	Resources
15.	Resource needs for comprehensive conduct of the program have been identified.
16.	Resources available have been identified.
17.	Program aspirations are matched to resources to ensure excellent delivery.
18.	Future resource needs (beyond the current program) are identified and sought.