Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation

Research Compendium 1993 - 1994

Research Project

DIGGING FOR PROFIT - A FARMER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROJECT

Objectives

• To implement and evaluate a statewide, cereal-area project to give farmers the skills to sample, dig up, identify and manage cereal root diseases, using the informal extensive network of the Agricultural Bureau in South Australia.
• To improve farmer acceptance of technological innovation by the use of locally-based practical activities.

Background

South Australia's economy is dependent on primary production, particularly cereals. Yet many primary producers are not readily adopting more technically sophisticated methods and applying them as part of daily farm practice. Many farmers have had limited educational opportunities resulting from distance, isolation and other factors.

About 4000 of the States 14000 primary producers are members of the Agricultural Bureau, an informal but extensive network operating in the State's cereal and sheep areas. Branches organise meetings, field days, workshops and farm visits to exchange ideas and discuss farming.

Research

From the outset, Digging for Profit was combined with a larger, but very similar project called Right Rotations (funded by GRDC). All cereal root disease activities undertaken as part of Right Rotations were financed by Digging for Profit, including 83 cereal root disease workshops throughout the state in the winter months of 1991 and 1992. These locally convened, half-day workshops involved about 2200 farmers with 'hands on' activities, and were supported by high quality extension materials. Both the cereal root disease workshops and the larger Right Rotations program were evaluated.

Outcome

Participants were very positive about the cereal root disease activities. Post-workshop surveys showed that more than 90% said they were in a better position to assess their crops for root disease, while 85% indicated they were willing to change the way they farmed because of the workshops.

When participants were resurveyed after three years in the program, the root disease workshops were considered the best and most effective of the five activities offered under the Right Rotations program. Furthermore, of those making the change to disease resistant and/or break crops to control root disease, most had been influenced to some extent by the root disease workshops.

Implications

The basic success of Digging for Profit and Right Rotations can be attributed to:

• its management by a group of practising farmers, using external funding to employ a professional communications consultant for program development and coordination;
• communicating the extension message by using a well-established and functional network;
• involving farmers in their own environment, with hands-on activities, farmer-to-farmer discussions, and novel, but high quality extension materials; and
• encouraging them to address problems and solutions at the local level, thus helping farmers to improve their management skills at low cost and lift their profitability through crop rotations.

RIRDC Project No: DAS-29A

RESEARCHER: Dr Jill Kerby

ORGANISATION: SA Department of Primary Industries

PHONE: 08 226 0350

PUBLICATIONS:

Kerby J, Arney J and Lamb J, 1993, Right Rotations: a fresh approach to extension. Australia Pacific Extension Conference, Surfers Paradise, 12-14 October, pp238-242.

Kerby J, 1995, The 'Digging for Profit' Project. Primary Industries SA Technical Report, Adelaide.

Last updated: 10 October 1996
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