Table 7.2 . Suggested characteristics of extension programs required to support management practice improvements for water quality outcomes in the Lower Burdekin sugarcane industry .
Design of the extension projects / programs
Delivery model
Outcomes by 2025
� Projects are driven from the ground up and farmers are engaged in developing priorities ; growers can see what ’ s in it for them .
What is needed to achieve the outcomes
� Ideas need to be generated from growers through a facilitated process . Identify some common issues through extension officers , collectively discuss and work together with a group of growers to identify approach .
� On-ground extension staff feeding up the ideas they get from growers . Use BCEG as a mechanism to progress the ideas . This requires flexibility in work plans but need to ensure that there are opportunities to inform project / program design . Establishing links into policy and research agendas is important . � Extension staff need to understand how related projects funded through different programs fit together . � Ways to overcome issues with collaborative arrangements with other providers that are delayed in their delivery – more challenging than running it by yourself . Can be less efficient . � Recognition of the role of multiple providers . � Benchmarking can be used to get over the ‘ pet ’ issues . e . g . solid business analysis and KPIs around profit . Use the benchmarking to reset their thinking and open up a line of enquiry – why they are in a certain position relative to others . Can go into some more foundational work -more likely the most critical issues to growers but necessarily the focus of your outcomes ( use their known drivers and motivators ) if you know you ’ ve got 3-4 years ahead to target outcomes .
� Implement the longer-term changes ( things that will be enduring ) with sufficient financial support e . g . change farm layout , enable automation , install recycle pits as opposed to 2-3 years of N rate reduction alone where might revert back . Ensure that the additional support required for ongoing implementation is built in .
� Adoption of a grass roots approach . |
Development of a proposal utilising the following steps : |
1 . |
Identify strengths and weaknesses in the region with regards to extension and staff . |
2 . |
Get agreement on delivery capacity . |
3 . |
Agree on priorities in the region . |
Data / evidence requirements
Prioritisation of effort
� Strong evidence base in place . � Investment decisions based on strong foundation of data . � Locally relevant and contemporary knowledge . � Data is used to direct programs and practice change . � Property based data to support decision making .
� Increased confidence in what reduction in N rates means for DIN reductions .
� Targeted effort to deliver the greatest gains towards Reef 2050 WQIP nutrient , sediment and pesticide targets .
� Nitrogen management not so difficult as information exists ; water use is currently very challenging – need data e . g . volume of water applied . Need to start with something !
� Practice level evidence – comparative data on representative soil types . Implement a simple demonstration program of efficiencies and inputs , backed up by a smaller number of fully instrumented replicated monitoring sites that are carefully chosen ; may shift location depending on needs .
� Need to have a metric on a scale of risk so that farmers can see where they are in the scheme of things – growers respond to scales . This will help to optimise investment into the higher risk situations . Need to work with specific numbers to compliment the P2R data as the benchmark dataset . E . g . Yield estimates are still about 20 per cent above actual ; could produce yield map . Work towards established proxies for assessing risk in nutrients and water .
� Partly about communication and translation of existing collected data ( P2R , SRA , BPS , Smartcane , compliance ) – how can it be fully utilised to support local needs ? � Nutrient Use Efficiency approach has enabled key differences to be identified and what needs to be done to address it . � More evidence is a high priority . � Need a farming system approach . � Equity and equality of funding is considered to be important - still a social issue in prioritising between the BRIA and Delta . � Pick the easy wins – people you are willing to work with you , identify specific inventions and work out what they are going to cost and fund them until the money runs out . Generally for Reef - often more money available than projects interested – so hasn ’ t historically been strong need for tight project selection .
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