Project Title: |
Encouraging
best practice agricultural web site design |
| RIRDC
Project No. |
BDL-5A |
| Researcher: |
Mr Jim Groves |
| Organisation: |
Baradel Consulting
82 Cypress Drive
BROADBEACH WATERS QLD 4218 |
| Phone: |
07 5526 9698 |
| Email: |
grovesc@winshop.com.au |
| Objectives |
To improve the
accessibility of Australian agricultural information on the Internet. |
| Background |
Too much agricultural information
on the Internet is inaccessible to users because it is not promoted properly,
takes too long to download, or cannot be found through site navigation
systems. This is resulting in user frustration, slowing down the adoption
and use of Internet technologies and limiting the extent to which the potential
of the Internet to transform the social and economic circumstances of rural
Australia is realised. |
| Research |
The research is based on over
three years experience in reviewing Australian agricultural Internet content,
and a formal survey of over 400 web sites included in The Australian
Farmer’s Guide to the Internet. This research show that, for example,
some 70% of Australian agricultural web sites take an unacceptably long
time to download at the telephone line speeds actually available in rural
Australia. |
| Outcomes |
To improve the accessibility of
agricultural information, there needs to be
§ A conscious
effort to assist those sites providing the most useful information to be
ranked as highly as possible against search engine searches Australian
farmers actually undertake. Further work on the identification of the keywords
used and assisting site owners/webmasters to rank more highly would be
useful. Relevant techniques include the use of descriptive tiles, meat-tags,
page summaries and placement of content on pages in order to gain maximum
placement in search engines. A range of other web site promotion techniques
is available and should be more widely adopted.
§ Improved download
speeds. There should be fewer graphics, and available techniques to reduce
the size of graphics should be more widely adopted. Similarly, there should
be a more sparing use of other file formats and more attention paid to
adopting available techniques to speed up the time taken for information
to appear on the screen.
§ Improved navigability
schema to information within sites, including design techniques and site
specific search engines.
Few Australian agricultural sites both contain all the features
nominated above and provide substantial content or services. Yet these
features could substantially improve users’ experience with the Internet. |
| Implications |
There needs to be more education
of site designers and owners on these issues, and better recognition of
these issues in available web site authoring software. Users should be
more willing to complain about poor design, and more explicit reviews of
site useability should be undertaken.
While a number of web design guidelines exist, these need
to be broadened to more adequately represent the concerns of users with
slow communication links and more adequately communicated to, and adopted
by, web designers. |
| Publications |
Web Sites for Rural Australia
– Designing for accessibility, Groves, 2000, RIRDC RIRDC publication
No. 00/13 |
| Project
Title: |
Agriculture
courses: student entry and exit attributes and industry needs |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
UCS-13A |
| Researcher: |
Dr Brian Hemmings |
| Organisation: |
Charles Sturt University
PO Box 588
WAGGA WAGGA NSW 2678 |
| Phone: |
(02) 6933 2498 |
| Fax: |
(02) 6933 2888 |
| Objectives |
1. Explore the personal attributes and backgrounds,
at the beginning and end of first year, of first year agriculture students
from rural and urban universities in order to predict success and satisfaction
in first year agriculture study.
2. Compare the personal and academic attributes of first
year students with graduation students from agriculture courses in order
to establish the impact of these courses on students.
3. Compare existing industry employment criteria and general
industry needs, as articulated by industry leaders, with the particular
exit attributes of agricultural graduates, by surveying and interviewing
recently employed graduates, graduates of longer standing, employers, and
industry leaders.
4. Establish a matrix of personal attributes, industry
criteria and course outcomes as a means of suggesting mechanisms to develop
more suitable entry selection into universities, to provide clearer direction
for course development and to better articulate employment critieria for
industry.
|
| Background |
The main aim of this investigation
was to identify the factors that contribute to success and satisfaction
with, and persistence in, tertiary agricultural study. A second aim was
to examine the extent to which the outcomes of tertiary agricultural courses
meet the needs and expectations of industry. |
| Research |
The investigation was carried
out in stages. The first stage involved surveying the relevant literature
on factors which influence: student choice of agricultural study; which
students stay on with the selected course; student satisfaction and success;
and, the development of understandings, skills, and competencies. In the
second
stage, students in rural and urban-based universities studying agriculture
were surveyed and a sub-set was interviewed. The interviews and surveys
involved students in their first and final year of study. The next stage
(Stage
3) focused on surveying and interviewing employers and employees (i.e.,
recent and longer standing graduates). These surveys were based on the
AIAST Standards. In the fourth and final stage, data from the sources
identified above were coded and analysed using a variety of techniques. |
| Outcomes |
The results of the analyses were
reviewed and a set of recommendations and implications were developed.
In general, the findings of the investigation were in accord with the literature
and the predictions made from that literature. It was found that a number
of factors influenced student satisfaction, success, and persistence, including
knowledge
of agriculture, career commitment, how well they fitted into
the course, and their feelings of confidence and capacity to succeed
(self-efficacy). Students in their final year also recognised the significance
of both generic skills such as problem solving and communication
and competencies (e.g., handling information and familiarity with
systems). Recent and experienced graduates, and employers of such graduates,
acknowledged the importance of the attributes identified in the industry
standards. Nevertheless, the two groups differed in their estimates of
the degree to which graduates displayed such attributes. |
| Implications |
The project’s findings have implications
for
§ The nature
and purpose of future courses in agriculture and related fields
§ The content, organisation
and marketing of such courses
§ The framework of
Standards to be used in monitoring and reviewing the outcomes of these
courses
§ The role of employers
and industry, in general, in contributing to the process of reviewing and
developing Standards
§ Tasks to be executed
by the professional body viz the AIAST
§ The need for further
research and development
|
| Project
Title: |
Heywire
II – The ABC Gives Regional Youth a Voice |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
ABB-2A |
| Researcher: |
Justine McSweeney
Heywire Co-ordinator |
| Organisation: |
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
ABC Local and Regional Services
GPO Box 9994
MELBOURNE VIC 3001 |
| Phone: |
03 9626 1861 |
| Objectives |
The Heywire
project is an initiative of the Rural Department within the ABC’s Local
and Regional Services portfolio and is aimed at giving young people living
in regional Australia a voice. |
| Background |
While much is presented about
the issues facing regional and rural communities and how these impact upon
young people, the actual voice of youth on the matters that affect them
is not widely heard. Heywire is the result of the ABC’s desire to present
the experience, issues and concerns of young people in regional and rural
Australia as expressed in their own words, voice and style. It is hoped
that by raising the profile of these issues and providing some leadership
training to the Heywire winners, the issues of youth have more strength
in being heard and addressed |
| Research |
Heywire makes contact with young
people in regional and rural Australian via a vast distribution of printed
material to all secondary schools, universities, TAFE’s and tertiary institutions
in regional areas; to youth groups and peak organisations; to industry
organisations and some companies. Contact is also made via promotions on
ABC Local Radio and on Triple J. Information is also disseminated via the
Heywire website.
Young people are invited to submit their story about what
life is like for them. The guidelines for entries are few other than that
the story is to be non-fiction and in the form of a script for a three
minute radio piece. They can write about any aspect of life as they know
it in regional and rural Australia. The winning entry in each of over 40
ABC regions is produced by the ABC for broadcast on ABC radio and online.
The Heywire winners are all invited to attend the Heywire Youth Issues
Forum in Canberra where they undertake a personal development and youth
issues leadership training program. |
| Outcomes |
Heywire received just over 250
entries from young people from around Australia. Many stories this year
expressed a clear sense of worth about the role of young people and their
views and a frustration at being stereotyped. The winning stories were
about a broad range of particular issues - the advantages of country life;
the misconceptions of life in other places; the clash of values in communities;
loss through suicide; learning to drive; the necessity of leaving home;
boredom leading to alcohol abuse; personal stories of making the most of
life; the value of the arts; overcoming isolation through the internet;
keeping young people in the country; the angst of making life decisions.
The winning stories were played extensively throughout
summer – in regions and nationally on networked Local Radio programs as
well as on Triple J. All stories can be heard via the Heywire website.
37 regional winners attended the Youth Issues Forum in Canberra. |
| Implications |
Heywire works on two levels –
it raises with impact significant issues for young people within the public
arena and it encourages the positive and personal development of young
community leaders |
| Project
Title: |
Update
of Rural and Remote Health Papers |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
NRH-1A |
| Researcher: |
Mr Gordon Gregory |
| Organisation: |
National Rural Health Alliance |
| Phone: |
02 6285 4660 |
| Fax: |
02 6285 4670 |
| Email: |
nrha@ruralhealth.org.au |
| Objectives |
To produce 1000
copies of an updated version of the Rural and Remote Health papers CD ROM. |
| Background |
There has been much interest over
the past decade in the state of health of people in rural and remote Australia.
Since 1991 there have been two biennial conferences running on the subject:
the National Rural Health Conference (the first of which was in
1991) and the Infront-Outback Rural and Remote Health Scientific Conference
(the
first of which was in 1992). These conferences have resulted in a large
number of research papers and reports on aspects of rural health. Since
its establishment in 1993 the National Rural Health Alliance has also produced
papers on a variety of topics related to rural and remote health. There
has also been a series of national rural health strategies, the latest
of which is Healthy Horizons (1999).
|
| Research |
RIRDC provided support to the
NRHA for the production and update of a CD ROM on which all of these papers
are collected together, including the papers from the 1999 biennial National
Rural Health Conference. |
| Outcomes |
The CD was launched in December
1999 at a ceremony in Parliament House at which the guest speakers included
Senator Ian Macdonald, Minister for Regional Services, and Dr Roslyn Prinsley,
RIRDC’s General Manager, Research.
The CD Rom has been widely publicised and made available
to both individuals and institutions. Its greatest asset is that the contents
are all searchable by key words and phrases. This makes the 8,800 pages
of hard copy information and 1,100 individual research papers and reports
accessible to all users as never before. |
| Implications |
Plans are in place for an update
in mid-2001 of this successful information tool. The Rural and Remote
Health Papers CD Rom makes readily accessible a range of facts and
statistics on health, which is a key issue for rural and remote people
and their communities. |
| Publications |
Rural and Remote Health Papers
19991-1999 National Rural Health Alliance October 1999 ISSN 1441 1849
RIRDC publication No. C99/001 |
| Project
Title: |
Accounting
concepts relating to soil quality: a study of broadacre dryland farming
in the Loddon Catchment |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
RMI-5A |
| Researcher: |
Patricia O’Brien |
| Organisation: |
School of Accounting and Law,
RMIT University,
239 Bourke Street,
MELBOURNE VIC 3001 |
| Phone: |
(03) 9925 5711 |
| Fax: |
(03) 9922 55741 |
| Email: |
Patricia.o’brien@rmit.edu.au |
| Objectives |
To determine
the extent to which farmers use market prices to manage their soil quality.
If market prices are not useful then the objective is to determine what
factors are important to farmers in the management of their soil quality
over the long term. |
| Background |
Market prices are recommended
by agriculturalists and the Australian government as the least cost way
of assessing the performance and level of sustainability of farmers. In
accounting this refers to gross margins, net margins and return on assets.
These measures are questioned for three reasons: (1) these figures give
information on short-term profits not long-term wealth; (2) not all resources
have informed markets therefore market prices are limited in the information
they provide; and (3) many on-farm resources used by farmers are not traded,
especially good land, and a transaction is a pre-requisite for entries
to be made in financial accounts. Farmers have not been asked how they
value both their soil quality and how they measure their financial performance.
To achieve this, a greater understanding of the factors connecting the
physical location, management of soil quality, and the accounting being
undertaken is necessary. |
| Research |
There were three major stages
to the research. Stage 1 consisted of a search of the literature, surveys
and other research into the field of agricultural sustainability in Australia,
the United Kingdom and the United States. The main issues resulting from
this stage identified that on-farm field studies were more informative
than those on research stations; most studies concentrated on profits,
not wealth; and gross margins were the dominant method in assessing performance.
Stage 2 consisted of a pilot study with leading farmers which was designed
to find out, from these farmers, which financial and physical activities
were undertaken for both the short-and long term. Stage 3 consisted of
a survey using a questionnaire to interview seventy-five farmers and their
spouses. The questionnaire consisted of the financial and management accounting
measures available to farmers based on ‘best practice’ and the available
knowledge on farming techniques to maintain soil quality. The responses
consisted of the interviewees’ opinions and actions. Broadacre farming
was chosen because it provided an opportunity to study the importance of
diversification as a way of managing risk. The area chosen was the Loddon
Catchment and the High Level Riverine Floodplain land management unit.
This Catchment had been chosen by the Australian Government as one of five
focal areas to be studied. |
| Outcomes |
In contrast to recommendations
in Stage 1, Stage 3 confirms that the survey farmers think in terms of
on-farm resources, they are interested in wealth more than just profits,
and do not find gross margins useful.
What the survey farmers find meaningful are cash flow
for liquidity and non-financial indicators for soil quality. The farmers
do not use only financial indicators to measure the sustainability of their
farms. The financial indicators recommended to farmers are financial accounting
reports which require a constant recording of all transactions in accounting
records. Diversification is used by ninety percent of the farmers to maintain
the quality of the soil and to reduce the market risk implicit in monoculture,
and manage cash flow therefore the usefulness of the financial accounting
system to track and assess results is limited. They do not use computers
which confirms other studies in that the commercial software packages available
at the time are not specific enough.
They do not choose market prices as the major tool to
measure their natural resources.
Market prices are scanned regularly for decision-making
purposes but this process can occur several times before a decision is
made and a transaction takes place and only then are the accounting records
appropriate. The farmers recognise that competition takes place through
better quality of their products and this is the major facet of the market
that they can influence given the depressed commodity prices. Their land
is similarly valued by them for its quality and that is unlikely to be
fully known in market prices. Significant use is made of on-farm resources
built up over many years on an opportunity cost basis.
A soil quality model based on soil depth, soil fertility
and soil structure as separate manageable activities was tested. The farmers
are clearly able to distinguish the content and process of management for
each of these three categories of soil management. They understand best
practice principles and how to overcome problems they face. The closest
correlation made is between soil quality and product quality. Problems
emanating from external sources such as water flows are becoming unmanageable
by individual farmers. |
| Implications |
Farmers have to manage competitive
commodity markets which means that using traditional accounting measures
can give incorrect signals to those outside the farm. This is because farmers
use on-farm resources that cannot show in financial reports. There needs
to be recognition of the limitations of financial indicators in that they
represent short-term results. Quality of product and quality of soil are
clearly related and this is achieved over the long term and not primarily
through the use of inputs. To correctly distinguish between sustainable
and non-sustainable farmers involves the assessment of on-farm soil quality
and the recognition of external negative influences from other farmers
and other institutional causes. To achieve this, a greater understanding
of the factors connecting the physical location and the management of soil
quality is necessary. This includes policy making at different levels of
government and regulatory bodies. |
| Project
Title: |
Farm
injury/illness data centre |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
AHU-3A |
| Researcher: |
A/Prof Lyn Fragar |
| Organisation: |
Australian Centre for Agricultural
Health and Safety
University of Sydney
PO Box 256
MOREE NSW 2400 |
| Phone: |
02 6752 8215 |
| Fax: |
02 6752 6639 |
| Objectives |
§ Maintenance
of timely data and information on farm deaths, injury and illness to support
policy and program development in occupational health and safety by agricultural
industries, government and farm safety organisations.
§ Production of occupational
health and safety profiles, hazard profiles and hazard guidance sheets
based on up to date Australian and overseas data and information.
|
| Background |
Farmsafe Australia and its member
organisations have adopted objective goals and targets and defined national
strategies for the reduction of farm injury and illness from 1996-02001.
Data from workers compensation, rural hospitals, coronial enquiries, the
National Injury Surveillance Unit and special surveys have been accessed
to define key hazards and associated risks for priorities to be established.
Implementation of programs to address health and safety in agriculture
must continue to be guided, outcomes evaluated, and performance monitored
evaluated by an effective data system. |
| Research |
This project builds on work undertaken
under a RIRDC grant which established a National Farm Injury Data Collection.
It will maintain the national Farm Injury/Illness Data Centre with a Research
Officer at the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety (formerly
the Australian Agricultural Health Unit). |
| Publications |
§ The Health
& Safety of SA Farmers, Farm Families & Farm Workers, ACASH
1999
§ Farmsafe Australia,
Goals Targets & Strategy 1996-2001 Mid-term Review November 1999¸
ACASH
§ Rural Injury in
Central Queensland February 2000, ACASH
§ Farm Injury Optimal
Dataset Version 1.2 February 2000 ACASH
|
| Project
Title: |
Traumatic
fatalities on Australian farms 1989-1992 |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
AHU-5A |
| Researcher: |
Richard Franklin |
| Organisation: |
Australian Centre for Agricultural
Health and Safety
University of Sydney
PO Box 256
MOREE NSW 2400 |
| Phone: |
02 6752 8215 |
| Fax: |
02 6752 6639 |
| Email: |
Rfranklin@doh.health.nsw.gov.au |
| Objectives |
To describe
the frequency, incidence, nature and circumstances of non-suicide traumatic
deaths on farms in Australia with the aim of providing direct and indirect
information useful for actions designed to prevent such occurrences. |
| Background |
This information regarding farm
related fatalities in Australia during 1989-1992 comes from the second
study of work-related fatalities conducted by the National Occupational
Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC). Prior to this the most recent national
information regarding fatalities in the agricultural industry was for the
period 1982-1984 and come from the first work-related fatalities study
conducted by NOHSC.
For this report, NOHSC and the Australian Centre for Agricultural
Health and Safety collaborated to analyse all farm-related fatal injuries
during 1989-92. |
| Research |
The information regarding farm-related
fatalities was collected as part of a larger study of all work-related
traumatic deaths in Australia during 1989-1992. Coronial records were primarily
used to identify all farm-related fatalities and then the relevant information
on the circumstances of the fatal incident was collected, coded and analysed.
Included in the report is specific information regarding people who are
working at the time of the fatal incident, people who are bystanders to
workplace activities or equipment and people who are fatally injured on
a farm, but not in connection with any work activity or equipment.
In the report from the study, the overall results are
initially presented and then detailed analysis has been conducted for several
areas. These areas include:
§ Specific
commodities (orchard and other fruit; vegetables including potatoes; cereal
grains; sheep-cereal; grains; meat cattle-cereal grains; sheep-meat cattle;
sheep; meat cattle; dairy; and sugar cane)
§ States and the Northern
Territory
§ Specific age groups
(children; young adults; and older adults)
§ Major agents involved
in the fatal incident (trucks; utilities; cars; two wheel motorcycles;
aircraft; tractors; firearms; dams; horses; and trees being felled)
§ Specific mechanisms
of the fatal incident (drowning; electrocution; falls)
§ Intentional fatalities
and OHS and worker’s compensation coverage information.
|
| Outcomes |
Farm related fatalities in Australia
continue to contribute significantly to the number of people fatally injured
while working. Agriculture, with its unique environment where people are
living and working at the same location, increases the risk to those not
working of being involved in a farm accident. This study of 607 farm related
fatalities collected between 1989 and 1992 provides a comprehensive collection
of farm related fatalities for those years, allowing detailed examination
of the injury event. Of these, 587 were unintentional and 20 were intentional
(homicides). There were 387 people working at the time of the fatal incident.
The rate of fatal injury was 20.6 per 1000,000 workers per year.
This study compared the information found to that of similar
studies from Australia and internationally. Many similarities were found
including rates of injury, types of injuries, agents and mechanism involved
and location on farms. This study, unlike many other studies, collected
detailed information on those who were not working but were bystanders
to work activity. Drowning especially, was unique to Australia and a particular
concern for farms where children are present. |
| Implications |
This study also demonstrated that
the traditional providers of the information of work related fatalities
underestimate the true number of farm-related deaths up to a factor of
five. However, by the continued good work of many organisations throughout
Australia and farmers, the number of deaths on Australian farms will hopefully
decline in the ensuing years. |
| Publications |
Farm related fatalities in
Australia, RIRDC 2000 |
| Project
Title: |
Missed
Opportunities: Stage 2 |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
DPI-29A |
| Organisation: |
Women in Rural Industries Section
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry -
Australia
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601 |
| Phone: |
02 6272 3984 |
| Fax |
02 6272 3025 |
| email |
Ruralwomen@affa.gov.au |
| Objectives |
The objectives
of Stage 2 are to increase women’s recognition and input within the rural
sector by
§ Applying
the strategies identified in Stage 1, and other agreed change management
strategies, in two case study organisations, in order to identify those
strategies most likely to succeed
§ Utilise the outcomes
from the case study activities to develop ‘best practice’ models for increasing
women’s input and influence in organisations within the sector.
|
| Background |
In 1997 the Rural Industries Research
and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Australia (AFFA) (formerly the Department of Primary Industries and Energy)
commissioned a national three stage research project to investigate the
role that women play in the agricultural sector. This is a report on Stage
2 of the project.
Stage 1 involved extensive consultation with a range of
players in the agriculture and resource management sectors. Its outcomes
are recorded in the report, Missed Opportunities-Harnessing the Potential
of Women in Australian Agriculture. The Report documents the potential
contribution women can make to agriculture, both directly and through participation
in decision-making. It also identifies barriers to women’s participation
in numerous areas such as leadership, decision-making and innovation as
well as identifying possible change strategies and best practices for involving
women in the agricultural sector.
The Stage 1 report identified three common issues, recurring
across different components of the agricultural sector, which need to be
addressed by those who are involved within the sector. These issues form
the basis for the work undertaken in Stage 2 of the project. The issues
are
· The culture
within the sector, which is seen to be male-oriented and unwelcoming, or
even exclusive of women as leaders and managers
· The competing demands
of work within the sector and family responsibilities, the overwhelming
burden of which still fall to women
The extent to which women’s self-perception or lack of confidence
inhibits their progress to positions as leaders and managers within their
sector |
| Research |
In line with the project design and implementation
process, the project proceeded in the following manner.
1. AFFA invited a variety of non-Government, non-profit
rural organisations to participate as case study organisations in Stage
2 of the Missed Opportunities project. Two suitable applicants were selected,
the South Australian and Victorian Farmers Federations.
2. The selected ‘case study’ organisations were consulted
in the appointment of change management consultants to work with senior
and middle management and boards of management, women staff, women members
and members of selected organisations to implement relevant strategies
from the "Missed Opportunities" report.
3. The consultants undertook a needs analysis exercise
with each case study organisation to determine what issues needed to be
addressed, the priority of identified issues, and the exact nature of the
change processes to be undertaken.
4. An ‘action research’ process was implemented with the
consultants undertaking and/or guiding a major organisational change process
within each case study organisation, and monitoring the impacts on women’s
involvement/influence throughout the process.
|
| Outcomes |
Based on the experience of two
case study organisations, several critical factors in successfully applying
organisational cultural change management in rural organisations were identified.
The following have been identified as having significance in the cultural
change process.
§ Understanding
the Need for Change
§ Strong Leadership
§ Change Agents
§ Involvement of the
target group and stakeholders
§ Evaluation
§ Reporting of the
results
§ Sharing of results
with other organisations
|
| Publications |
The Short Report No. 79 Stage
2 – Missed Opportunities, Missed Opportunities – Unlocking the future
for women in Australian agriculture |
