• Project captures policy implications of research. A major project is focusing particularly on the policy implications that can be drawn from the 20+ research projects completed by CVCB researchers. 
• Your guide to VET. If your eyes glaze over when you hear people talk about accredited training, training frameworks and the Vocational, Education and Training (VET) system, a new CVCB report could be the answer to your prayers. 
• Better aligning extension programs and VET. Another new report on training and VET looks at extension or industry training offered under such programs as FarmBiz and identifies how well they are aligned with the formal VET system.
• CVCB research. Where to find information about CVCB research completed and in progress. 
• Work out there. Update on capacity building activities. 
• Handy links. Check these links to a facilitator's guide to collaborative projects and a recent survey identifying barriers to improving NRM.
• Steering Committee. Who’s on the CVCB steering committee.
• Contacts. Who to go to for more information about the CVCB.
• To subscribe or unsubscribe

According to project leader, Dana Kelly from UQ Boilerhouse Community Engagement Centre, their task will be to work with policymakers at national level, to take the work of the CVCB and show how it can be used help them develop policy in the future. 
Dana and the research team from Boilerhouse will be looking at four key questions during the project:

• what basis for capacity building and extension already exists from which to engage national policymakers and institutions in agriculture and NRM?
• how can existing CVCB research be used and built on to enhance capacities for policy development and institutional management in agriculture and NRM?
• how could innovative options be implemented by key stakeholders, given their roles, functions and current capacity?
• what principles can be developed to guide capacity building and extension in agriculture and NRM?

For information contact Dana Kelly, email d.kelly@uq.edu.au

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Research just completed for the CVCB by Jeff Coutts and Jim Roberts on how to better align vocational education and training with extension could be just what you have been waiting for.

The practical, 47-page report is designed to help people involved in developing and presenting training programs for land holders. It begins by explaining how the VET system works and then works through how to gain accreditation for or align an extension course. 

The section on gaining accreditation explains the six steps necessary to follow to accredit or align a course or program. There is a list for you to check the different steps you need to follow and a sample assessment plan agreement. 

Another section of the report is devoted to helping landholders assess whether a training program or workshop they are involved in is accredited under the Australian Quality Training Framework.

A copy of the report will be uploaded onto the CVCB website in December. If you can’t wait, contact John McKenzie, email john@jmaconsulting.net.au

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Training offered by the VET sector is accredited in a quality-assured national framework of educational recognition. Examples are Certificate IV in Agriculture (Production Horticulture), Diploma of Agriculture (Sheep and Wool) and Advanced Diploma of Agriculture, each made up of a number of competencies, which are set out in national training packages, particularly the Rural Production Training Package. 

While industry training hasn’t as formal, the report makes the point better alignment with the VET system would improve outcomes from investment in training, and improve rural capacity building. 

The report explores the justification for and ways of better aligning extension with the VET sector. It’s an excellent reference document. And if you are looking for examples of industry training and how well it is aligned with VET, this report will be a good place to start. Sue and Pat looked at 77 “extension products” around Australia and have described them according to a number of characteristics, including who they are targeted at, which organisation funds or provides them, whether they are mapped to competencies and whether they are linked to VET. 

The report will be uploaded in the next month onto the CVCB website. If you can’t wait, contact John McKenzie, email john@jmaconsulting.net.au

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The general consensus was that tools such as the five extension models and their principles were valuable for designing and evaluating extension projects and to validate current activities. 

The meeting also discussed the developing project to “roadtest” some of the outputs of the CVCB bringing capacity building research and practice together in onground projects. Participants agreed that there were a number of cotton extension projects that could be incorporated into this roadtest project. Further interaction with the cotton extension team will follow this meeting.

Agribusiness and consultants - a key grains industry R&D channel to growers
The Grains Research and Development Corporation has identified through its grower survey work that: 

• more grain growers are using professional advisers
• growers are very confident with that advice 
• growers have access to good quality advice in their area.

The project work includes collaboration with agribusiness and consultants in the GRDC Southern and Western regions.

It complements a recently completed a project for the CVCB examining the role of agribusiness in extension, education and training, and a followup project to maximise the connection between R&D providers and agribusiness.

For information contact Gordon Stone, phone 07 4615 2255 email gordon@stoneco.com.au 

Pathways to good practice in regional NRM governance
Environmental degradation, including biodiversity loss and water quality decline, is a major problem facing Australians. Regional delivery of natural resource management (NRM) is the main mechanism to address such issues. Yet fundamental understandings about the effectiveness and optimal design for regional NRM governance are lacking. 

Governance involves considering issues such as representation, authority, and consultation; it is a key determinant of the capacity of regional NRM institutions to make effective decisions and integrate decision-making and action across ‘triple bottom line’ concerns. 

This interdisciplinary and collaborative project, being funded by Land & Water Australia, NSW Department of Natural Resources and the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment, will assess the characteristics and quality of regional NRM governance, developing guidelines as well as a monitoring and evaluation framework for good-practice NRM governance at the regional scale. The relationship between governance and sustainability will also be explored because the structures, processes and values that regulate decision-making, the exercise of authority and engagement of stakeholders strongly determine the prospects for sustainable resource use. The work will focus on nine regions across south-eastern Australia. The key objectives of the project are to:

• develop a set of principles and related indicators for good regional NRM governance
• assess the quality of NRM governance in our nine partner regions
• identify aspects of regional NRM governance that should be targeted for improvement
• develop guidelines for good practice
• establish a monitoring and evaluation framework.

Measuring empowerment
Based on their work with the CVCB, Kate Roberts and Jeff Coutts are currently delivering a series of 2-day workshops around Australia looking at Measuring Engagement; Measuring Empowerment.  Workshops have been held so far in Melbourne, Orange and Brisbane.  Further workshops are proposed in 2007 in Tasmania (21-22 February), Western Australia (21-22 March), South Australia (9-10 May), Darwin (20-21 June) and Melbourne (25-26 July).

Day 1 of the workshop covers the five models of extension that were developed in the National Education Extension Review (2004) and how they might be evaluated. Day 2 looks at the group empowerment model in detail, including indicators of empowerment and how they can be measured.  The indicators are: critical thinking, planning, communication (including negotiation and mediation) facilitation, networks/community cooperation, leadership.

The response from workshop participants has been very positive. The feedback shows that they are helping those people who may be only familiar with a one or two models of extension. These people have benefited from an increased awareness of the range of possibilities and relevant evaluation tools. There is also a second audience, the experienced practitioner, who may not have fully grappled with the difficult issues surrounding the measurement of empowerment.  They have found the structure and tools delivered in the workshop to be helpful. 

The emphasis is on practical outcomes as verified by the following post workshop comment:

I found the workshop very useful indeed, and in fact, we have already incorporated some of the evaluation techniques into our CMA’s community engagement planning processes.

For information go to website www.robertsevaluation.com.au or contact Kate or Jeff, email kroberts@robertsevaluation.com.au and jeff@couttsjr.com.au

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The aim of the guide is to ensure smooth, effective and enjoyable running of collaborative planning and management projects. The authors say it sets out a clear, structured process and provides ready-to-use tools, as well as tips and advice for facilitation. According to the authors, the NEIP developed a “remarkable process that changed participants, changed institutions, and changed the world through collaborative decision-making and action.” 

The processes and tools in the guide are not limited to the environmental field - they will be just as useful in tackling community development, health promotion, injury prevention, economic development, and emergency management challenges. 

Survey identifies barriers to improving NRM
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has just released a useful report on a survey on how farmers deal with natural resource management. It reports that farmers spent over $3 billion on natural resource management during 2004-05, mostly on managing weeds, pests, land and soil, native vegetation and water. More than $1.1 billion was spent on weed prevention and management. 

Two-thirds of farmers felt there were barriers which limited their capacity to improve their NRM practices. The lack of financial resources and lack of time were reported as the greatest barriers, while insufficient or conflicting information was not considered a major barrier. 

These findings are from the ABS's first dedicated nationwide natural resource management survey, which asked farmers to report the extent of NRM issues on their holding and the activities they undertook to prevent or manage them. 

For more information go to www.abs.gov.au and search for Natural Resource Management on Australian Farms 2004-05 (cat. no. 4620.0).

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Kevin Goss (Chairman), CRC for Plant-Based Management of Dryland Salinity
Jane Fisher, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
Ruth Nettle, Dairy Australia
Paul Comyn, Australian Wool Innovation
Tom McCue, Grains Research and Development Corporation
Tony Clancy, Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation
Ian Bamford, Meat & Livestock Australia
Elwin Turnbull, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia
Noel Beynon, Land & Water Australia
Fiona Lynn, Murray-Darling Basin Commission
Tracy Henderson, Sugar Research and Development Corporation
Bruce Pyke, Cotton Research and Development Corporation
Richard Stephens, Horticulture Australia Ltd 
John McKenzie, John McKenzie and Associates (Program Manager and Executive Officer)

Contacts
For more information about the CVCB and its activities contact:

Jane Fisher, RIRDC, phone (02) 6271 6498, email jane.fisher@rirdc.gov.au
John McKenzie, John McKenzie and Associates, phone 0402 018 318, email john.mckenzie@rbbs.net.au

Website
For information about the CVCB and projects go to website www.rirdc.gov.au and click on the Cooperative Venture page.

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