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by Prof Frank Vanclay Full details see: http://www.ruralpracticechange.org/
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www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Department ofPrimary Industries
Understanding extension and practice change over time
Prof Frank VanclayTasmanian Institute of Agricultural
ResearchUniversity of Tasmania
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
SELN is a gathering of government extension leaders and influencers from each state of Australia.
SELN strives to provide leadership and strategic direction in the development of State and National extension service delivery.
www.seln.org.au
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Drivers The word ‘extension’ is misunderstood The value of extension is not recognised The role extension has played is too
easily discounted Lack of consensus about definition and
process
Extension needs to be pitched in modern ‘policy-speak’
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
‘Extension’ by other names Practice change Knowledge
brokering Change
management Outreach Interpretation Community
engagement Capacity building Social marketing (Targeted)
communication
Health promotion Road safety
education Adult education Environmental
education Education for
Sustainability Marketing and Public
Relations Community
development Public participation
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Different levels of meaning
As a science/discipline/discourse/ community of practice
As a policy instrument As a process/activity As an agency
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Getting the message across Roman times (ca 2,000 yrs ago), Virgil Georgics.
Poetry King George III in 18th century Contemporary ‘extension’ originated at Cambridge
Uni in 1867 with community lectures – the university extending its work beyond the campus.
USA Landgrant system 1890s. State Universities required to assist the development of agriculture in each US State.
Australia, dust bowl, Soldier Resettlement schemes UK, radio programs Landcare, and NRM
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Traditional extension= Transfer of Technology
the application of scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education.
How to get the message across?
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Critique of traditional extension Extension uncritically promoted
agribusiness products Social and environmental impacts Little reflection on theoretical models Farmers’ local knowledge ignored Farmers were treated as homogeneous Farmers’ needs were ignored Social and political context ignored Farmers treated as passive recipients
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
New extension
Extension is a capacity building process that involves the use of communication and adult education processes to help diverse rural people and communities identify potential improvements to their practices, and then provide them with the skills and resources to effect these improvements. (Vanclay after Coutts, Macadam and others)
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
SELN’s definition
Extension is the process of enabling change in individuals, communities and industries involved in the primary industry sector and with natural resource management.
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Extension is a discipline
Extension has developed over time in theory, method & scope
Capacity building, community engagement, social marketing
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Extension is a policy instrument to be used in conjunction with other PIs
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Shift from old to new Production to NRM Technical to social Teaching/instructing to learning/facilitating Public to private & third sector (Greening
Aust) One-on-one to group Top-down to bottom-up From human capital to social capital Information transfer to capacity building Extension as activity to extension as policy
instrument Producer to consumer
www.RuralPracticeChange.org
Vanclay, F. 2004 “Social principles for agricultural extension to assist in the promotion of natural resource management”, Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44(3): 213-222.
State Extension Leaders Network 2006 Enabling change in rural and regional Australia: The role of extension in achieving sustainable and productive futures (a discussion document produced by the State Extension Leaders Network August 2006). Online resource http://www.seln.org.au