Program Overview

Strategies and Expectations 2008-09

Key strategies for 2008-09

• support scoping studies that place agricultural industries in a regional context by identifying non-agricultural and regional infrastructure activities and issues and their relationship to the agricultural sector
• identify how demographic and land ownership changes are impacting on inter-relationships between farming and physical and social infrastructure (e.g. education and schooling, community support services)
• explore the use of non-profit decision drivers (e.g. individual preferences and lifestyles, local resource recognition and culture and land attachment) to manage and adapt to change (as opposed to traditional efficiency and market considerations)
• identify industry and community needs for leadership, education, training and leadership, and increase awareness of education, training and leadership alternatives for particular rural market segments (for different stages of adoption cycle)
• research different approaches to training and extension, learning through groups, support to implementation after training, and methods to encourage continuous interaction and learning process and cultures

Expected key outputs for 2008-09

• evaluating the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the livelihood of rural communities
• regional development diversification and addressing the rural labour shortages
• online Planning Network for Aboriginal Natural Resource Management
• Revisiting Missed Opportunities-a re-evaluation of women's contribution to agriculture and mining

Expected key outcomes for 2008-09

• development of an understanding of ICTs on the livelihood of rural communities by policy makers and community leaders
• policy development and implementation about rural women informed by the Revisiting Missed Opportunities report
• the role that online systems can play in natural resource management by Aboriginal communities understood by a range of stakeholders, including policy makers