Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation

Research Compendium 1993 - 1994

Research Project

AUSTRALIA-PACIFIC EXTENSION CONFERENCE

Objective

To provide critical input into the extension conference activities from an extension users' perspective by sponsoring extension users to attend the Australia-Pacific Extension Conference.

Background

In October the Queensland Department of Primary Industries conducted the Australian Pacific Extension Conference under the auspices of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Resource Management (SCARM). SCARM recommended that the Conference be structured around the changing nature of public extension services, future relationships between public and private extension, and extension and environmental issues.

Research

Thirteen extension users from around Australia representing a broad cross section of industries were invited to participate in the conference to expand the number of perspectives focusing on extension practice and theory, and to provide critical input into the Extension Conference activities.

Outcome

The value of having extension users involved in the conference was apparent. Two presented papers and one presented an address in the plenary session. All participants were conspicuous in the question periods that followed papers or poster sessions, and in informal discussions at other times. They suggest that extension providers/funders/policy makers need to communicate underlying extension processes far better than is currently being done.

Implications

The success of involving extension users in this process of critical review suggests that extension users participation be expanded to other scientific conferences, and other processes even down to individual project planning and implementation. Procedures to fund extension users in these roles need to be created. The benefits of user participation will be a widening of the perspectives brought to bear on a problem situation and ownership of the work from the beginning.

RIRDC Project No: DAQ-158A

RESEARCHER: Mr N A Hamilton

ORGANISATION: Queensland Department of Primary Industries

PHONE: 076 62 2322

Last updated: 10 October 1996
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