Track 3-08: Innovative Methods for Grassland Research and Education
Description
The sheep-wheat belt of southern Australia accounts for about 19% and 57% of total Australian beef and sheep production, respectively. Most farm businesses in this zone are family owned and contain a mix of livestock and cropping enterprises. While the focus of most research, development and extension for mixed farming systems focuses on single components of the system (lamb, wool, beef, pastures, crops), the systems are complex and dynamic and cannot be understood by analysing the components in isolation. The enterprise synergies are dependent on economic, environmental and social factors. The farmers themselves are best equipped to explain the system function and the interplay between the components.
The traditional conference format with technical experts presenting their findings was deemed to be inadequate to relay the complexity of mixed farming systems, stifling two-way information flow and the opportunity for experts to acquire tacit knowledge held by farmers. This paper out-lines an innovative extension approach based on story telling, video footage and discussion, providing technical experts with an opportunity to appreciate the complexity and farmer decision processes. This approach fostered audience participation and interaction, leading to a better understanding of the complexities of mixed farming and how conflicts between diversification and specialisation may be resolved by the management team. Facilitated discussion also highlighted potential areas of research, development and extension.
Citation
Casburn, Geoff R.; Burns, Helen M.; Anderson, Michelle; Nugent, Toni M.; Sproule, Patrick; Olsen, Matthew; and Hayes, Richard C., "Crops, Rumps and Woolly Jumpers: An Innovative Extension Approach Enabling the Complexities of Mixed Farming to Be Shared and Understood" (2020). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 6.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/22/3-8/6
Included in
Crops, Rumps and Woolly Jumpers: An Innovative Extension Approach Enabling the Complexities of Mixed Farming to Be Shared and Understood
The sheep-wheat belt of southern Australia accounts for about 19% and 57% of total Australian beef and sheep production, respectively. Most farm businesses in this zone are family owned and contain a mix of livestock and cropping enterprises. While the focus of most research, development and extension for mixed farming systems focuses on single components of the system (lamb, wool, beef, pastures, crops), the systems are complex and dynamic and cannot be understood by analysing the components in isolation. The enterprise synergies are dependent on economic, environmental and social factors. The farmers themselves are best equipped to explain the system function and the interplay between the components.
The traditional conference format with technical experts presenting their findings was deemed to be inadequate to relay the complexity of mixed farming systems, stifling two-way information flow and the opportunity for experts to acquire tacit knowledge held by farmers. This paper out-lines an innovative extension approach based on story telling, video footage and discussion, providing technical experts with an opportunity to appreciate the complexity and farmer decision processes. This approach fostered audience participation and interaction, leading to a better understanding of the complexities of mixed farming and how conflicts between diversification and specialisation may be resolved by the management team. Facilitated discussion also highlighted potential areas of research, development and extension.
