Ruth Nettle

Preferred presentation format: Refereed Paper

Affiliation(s): University of Melbourne

Title: Dr Ruth Nettle Position: Research Fellow in Change management Organisation: Institute of Land and Food Resources, University of Melbourne Contact email: ranettle @unimelb.edu.au Contact phone: 03 83444581

Keywords: Farmer groups, advisory roles, extension research, dairy industry

Extension delivery approaches have fascinated extension professionals and industry groups arguably more than any other topic within the agricultural extension domain. The rise in prevalence of farmer groups in extension replacing the role of one to one extension delivery has been well documented and commented upon in extension circles. More recently, extension delivery mechanisms have been the focus of discussion and debate due to the perceived problems, particularly associated with group based extension. This paper brings together extension research from three projects in the dairy industry with a view to exploring issues of extension delivery and extensions role in supporting change. Through comparing and contrasting the role and function of different extension delivery mechanisms through these dairy industry cases (ie. Supporting change in farm employment practice; Supporting change in pasture and grazing management; and Supporting improved milk quality) conclusions are drawn about the outcomes different extension delivery options provide, guidelines for decisions regarding different choices in delivery, and the different role of the extension professional in change as related to delivery choices. The paper concludes that the focus on generic (and/or least cost) approaches to extension delivery inhibits the development of appropriate and contextual extension mechanisms that could enhance outcomes for the people involved and project effectiveness. The extension profession needs to more strongly argue its case in project design and development and this paper aims to provide relevant support to this cause.

Key learning points:

• Extension delivery approaches need to address the form of learning partnership that is most appropriate for supporting change.
• The form of learning partnership will differ given the technical domain, the participants involved in change and the form of change desired
• The role of extension profession is to argue for and construct appropriate delivery approaches.