(as recorded by Alison Medhurst)

Skills needed in extension versus what is taught at university.

• Helen Scott-Orr - If applicants can’t see the link between R & E they are out - and new employees get vigorous training.
• Why do you have a compulsory agriculture degree if it isn’t providing the skills that you want?
• Helen - because we’re a scientific-based organisation.
• Double degrees are now more common.

What role can APEN have in course development?

• Helen - enormous - some opportunities but a bit of work to be done.

We have quite high levels of training, but how do we fit in as a profession? How do the domains help this?

• Jeff Coutts - an increasing recognition of extension qualifications. The Rural Extension Centre (REC) fills this gap somewhat.
• Jan Mahoney - extension undersells itself - the field is wide open - get out there and promote yourselves - researchers don’t have to get out there and do this!
• Researchers don’t have to justify themselves because the whole system is set up around them.
• Farmers base arguments on politics without reference to research or extension.

How do we raise people's (particularly scientist's) awareness of extension?

• Amabel Fulton - 25% of my time is doing this, but I have to do it on a consultancy basis. Unless management promotes this activity, it is not as effective. The more we focus on producing outcomes the more we will have people coming to our doors.

Stakeholders and the consultation process - getting a consultative process going - takes a lot of time. Are DNRE prepared to support this?

• Jan - If I had a budget allocation for this, yes. There is a a realisation in government that this has to happen to get effectiveness, and there is the issue of burnout, using the same people for every committee and organisation. This support may come from other than the traditional areas.

Have you any thoughts and ideas on creating a learning environment in your organisation?

• Jan - You have to think about it as a consultative process, creating cultural change or organisational development.

Jeff'’s analogy of oil (lubricating the process of change) - a better analogy might be "gears and levers".

Learning organisations - a critical worldwide need. Not many organisations can sustain this over a long period. It requires continuous, concious effort.

The common practice of locating of extension within research institutes - how does extension justify its existence and compete for resources?

• Amabel - it doesn’t call itself extension!

Research projects are usually developed with extension tacked on at the very end. If students do 4 years of agricultural science at university, with only 1 semester in 1 year of extension, what message does this send?

• Jan - I don’t believe that an agricultural science degree is the most appropriate training for either research or extension.