Current and future use of personal computers by farmers

Objectives

• To examine factors affecting the present use of PC's in farm decision making.
• To identify the views, attitudes and perceptions of producers in relation to their needs for computer software packages and the current interest by, and experiences of, PC users in using presently available software.
• To determine training needs of rural PC users in order to provide focused, interactive training at local levels.
• To utilise the results of the study to assist training course providers, specialist computer extension staff and computer software agencies to enhance the adoption of PC's to assist in farm management decision making.

Despite large amounts of money being spent on software development, promotion and extension programs by both private enterprise and government agencies, it appears as yet there is only limited personal computer (PC) penetration into farm operations. It was considered important to assess the views, attitudes and perceptions of rural producers about ownership, operation and effectiveness of PC's, the impact of currently available software programs in support of decision making, and the future needs of producers for training courses in PC use and for access to, and use of, electronic communication systems (eg: E-mail, Bulletin Boards, Internet).

Research

Focus Group Interviews were conducted with farmer groups selected to give a mixture of producers using, interested in, not using, and disinterested, in PC's for farm management purposes. Focus Group distribution was chosen to cover major rural industries by region on a national basis. Discussions were also held during the project with representatives of organisations and companies involved in computer training, computer and program supplies and service, and specialist computer extension.

Outcomes

Factors affecting the current and future use of PC's in farm management range from farmers' attitudes and perceptions to technical limitations of equipment and support services available. The more important factors included: age and habits; time available; interest in records; equipment suitability; cost benefit; information sources; electronic communication potential/problems; software evaluation; and training inadequacies. Most of these factors affect the likelihood of use by non-users, as well as the ability of users to make full use of their computers for farm management.

Implications

Matters identified as needing attention to increase the adoption of computers for farm management include: provision of computer equipment more suited to the farm environment; development of an independent advisory service for computers and programs; software development based on farmer needs; conduct of special training courses for farmers; encouragement of PC User groups; and improvements in technical and information standards of electronic communications.

RIRDC Project No: PTP-4A

Researcher: Arthur Stubbs *

Organisation: Primary Tasks Pty Ltd, Unit 58, Level 2, 247 Drummond Street, CARLTON, VIC 3053

Contacts: Phone: 03 9844 1135     Fax: 03 9844 4554     E-mail: akstubbs@compuserve.com

* Co-Researchers were Nadine Markham and Warren Straw, Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Fostering the relationship between private and public extension

Objectives

• To review the current and proposed links and information flows - both formal and informal - that exist between agricultural extension personnel working in the private and public sectors in Australia.
• To conduct a national workshop in collaboration with all state departments of agriculture and key private sector personnel to discuss the content of this review and determine desired future directions.
• To use the information generated from the review and the workshop to recommend strategies that will enable the construction of effective and reliable partnerships between the sectors that operate in the interests of the industry, and to publish these findings in a report that determines a strategy for the future.

Provision of agricultural extension in Australia is undergoing dramatic and rapid change. State departments of agriculture and primary industries have been subject to a process of review and re-structuring that has affected the nature of the services they are prepared to provide and the ways that those services are provided. The relationship between public and private sector extension providers is changing, as the private sector takes on an increasing role in the provision of extension services and the public sector withdraws from some areas of service provision.

Research

Information for the report has been based on available documents and reports and extensive formal and informal consultation with public and private sector personnel. A draft report was modified with the benefit of debate and discussion following a RIRDC-sponsored workshop, involving key public and private sector personnel, held at the Australian National University in Canberra on September 17^th and 18^th 1997.

Outcomes

The final report "The New Environment for Agricultural Extension in Australia: The Changing Roles of Public and Private Sector Providers" is a review of the changes occurring in Australia and elsewhere that are affecting the relationships between public and private sector personnel working in agricultural extension and research. The report has two major aims: to document changes to the provision of agricultural extension services that are occurring in Australia, and to identify and discuss the lessons, issues and challenges arising from these changes. The overall purpose of this report is to make some early assessment of the consequences of policy change in these areas.

Implications

Agricultural extension in most Australian states seems destined to face the same problems as have emerged in other countries which have implemented similar changes. This work should help identify appropriate responses to address emerging problems, and allow relevant Australian institutions to learn from positive and negative experiences in other institutions, other states or other countries.

RIRDC Project No: UWA-32A

Researcher: Dr. David Pannell

Organisation: University of WA,   NEDLANDS WA 6097

Contacts: Phone: (08) 9380 2538      Fax: (08) 9380 1098

Implement and evaluate an integrated extension model for new pasture plant cultivars that enables faster and more widespread uptake by farmers and graziers

Objectives

• To develop, implement and evaluate an integrated extension model for new pasture plant cultivars that would enable faster and more widespread uptake by farmers and graziers.

Concern amongst pasture research funding bodies and plant breeders that the rate and extent of adoption of new pasture plant cultivars was less than optimal. This was delaying the transfer of benefits to farmers that these new cultivars offered and also restricting the flow of royalty income back to the stakeholders.

Research

Three new pasture cultivars, Gosse and Denmark Subclover and Holdfast Phalaris were chosen for the project due to their suitability for widespread use in the high rainfall grazing zone of Southern Australia. An extension model was developed to stimulate demand for these cultivars in two target areas within this zone. A marketing plan based on the model was implemented over a two year period followed by a detailed evaluation of the project.

Outcomes

The project was successful in generating some awareness and uptake of the cultivars within the target areas during the two years of the project and more particularly excellent sales of all three cultivars since the principles of the extension model have been applied on a national basis.

Implications

The project demonstrated that the use of a coordinated extension marketing program such as that used in this project can successfully be used to launch new pasture cultivars onto the market leading to rapid and widespread uptake by farmers and maximising returns to all stakeholders.

RIRDC Project No: SED-5A

Researcher: Mr. D C Jury

Organisation: Seedco (South Australian Seedgrowers Cooperative Limited),  78 Burbridge Road,  Hilton SA 5033

Contacts: Phone: 08 8234 9333    Fax : 08 8234 6133     E-mail: seedco@seedco.com.au

Managing farm safety program – Production of guidance notes

Objectives

• Development and publication of the information section of the Managing Farm Safety package of Farmsafe Australia

Farmsafe Australia, the national organisation of agencies working to improve farm safety, has produced a package, or risk management tool, to assist farmers to manage occupational health and safety (OHS) risk on the farm workplace. The package, Managing Farm Safety, has taken into account OHS risks on Australian farms as well as the legislated OHS responsibilities in each state.

The package has 5 sections:

Parts 1 & 2: Farm safety checklist (farm audit tool, specific to commodity)

Part 3: Register of farm chemicals

Part 4: Register of training of farm workers

Part 5: Guidance notes on specific hazards and risk

This project has assisted the development of the Managing Farm Safety package and training program through the development of Section 5: Guidance Notes. While the key objective has been the completion of the Managing Farm Safety packages, the Guidance Notes can stand alone as a useful collation of resources (a loose-leaf ‘textbook’ of farm safety risk management) not currently available in Australia.

Research

A Research Officer worked with an Editorial Panel of relevant persons, nominated to provide advice in the research and development of the Guidance Notes, targeted to meet the information needs of farm owners/managers, farm managers/supervisors and rural training lecturers and teachers.

Outcomes

15 Guidance Notes were produced within the project, in 2 versions - a summary versions and a full version. These are available from the Australian Agricultural Health Unit. A further Guidance Note on Woolshed Safety was produced in association with the International Wool Secretariat funded project on OHS in the Sheep Industries. A further 5 Guidance Notes are in draft form and will be produced by the Australian Agricultural Health Unit, in the similar format to those produced by this project. A further 5 Guidance Notes are being researched or planned as at March 1998.

Implications

• The production of the Guidance Notes has constituted an essential step in development of the Managing Farm Safety package and program in Australia, and the work will be ongoing in terms of reviewing the Guidance Notes already in use, and in terms of production of Guidance Notes addressing other key hazards on farms.
• Use of these Guidance Notes targeting farmers and farm managers, has highlighted the need for another set of guidance material to be developed targeted at farm workers. Such would lay more stress on safe practice as distinct from risk management, would detail workers responsibilities for safety in the farm workplace, and provide both workers and their supervisors with authoritative material to improve safety.

A catalogue of publications is available from the Australian Agricultural Health Unit

RIRDC Project No: AHU-2A

Researchers: Lyn Fragar, Shelley Blakely, James Houlahan

Organisation: Australian Agricultural Health Unit,   PO Box 256,   MOREE NSW 2400

Contacts: Phone: (02) 6752 8210     Fax: (02) 6752 6639

       Last updated: 28 August 1998 Copyright © RIRDC http://www.rirdc.gov.au/comp98/hcc1.htm