Evaluating and improving d t bilit f f iadoptability of new farming

practices:

The adoptability toolThe adoptability tool

Rick Llewellyn, Geoff Kuehney ,

Aim

PREDICT - Producing a model-based tool and process to predict likely rate and level of adoption for specific p y p ppractices and inform R,D & E strategies.

INFORM - Making adoptability knowledge and considerations readily available understandable andconsiderations readily available, understandable and applicable for R, D & E managers and practitioners.

ENGAGE - Collaborating with projects to assist with development of adoptable technology packages

Who is involved?FTE

Who is involved?

ResearchersFTE

Geoff Kuehne (CSIRO) 0.95( )Rick Llewellyn (CSIRO) 0.20Perry Dolling (DAFWA) 0.10David Pannell (UWA) 0.05Roger Wilkinson (VicDPI) 0.05Allan Curtis (CSU) 0.05Diana Federenko (DAFWA) 0.10

PProgress

• Started April last year• Concept version produced and tested with• Concept version produced and tested with

potential end-users (09-10)V i 2 b ilt (J 2010)• Version 2 built (June 2010)

• Use of version 2 in CRC projects (2010)• Validated version of tool due mid 2011

T tiTesting

• Concept tested as part of the GRDC Grain & Graze 2 program developmentp g p

• Used by GRDC project coordinators in 5 regions (agronomists consultants farmer groups)(agronomists, consultants, farmer groups)

• Post-use evaluation with project coordinators and funders (2 GRDC program managers)and funders (2 GRDC program managers)

S h t i it?So what is it?5 Pages data entryg y22 Questions

ExampleInnovation trialability:

ExampleInnovation trialability:

To what extent can a farmer trial the innovation on their farm before deciding to invest in full adoption?

1. Not trialable at all 5. Very easily trialable

What does it generate?What does it generate?

AdoptabilitDescription o

the Inn bility Report for - Enter text here...P

Enter text here..

Enter text here...

Adoptio

on of Innovation

Description of the Population

6 0 %

7 0 %

8 0 %

9 0 %

L l f P k d ti .

Years to Peak Adoption could be expected to be

At this time the Peak Level of Adoption could

The above predictions are based o

Group InvolvementAd Ente

Learnability characteristics

of population

Peak Adoption Level

..ption Speed

2 0 %

3 0 %

4 0 %

5 0 %

Level of Peak adoption

#NAME?

ould be

#NAME?

d on the following information that you entered:

A majority are involved with a group

Advisory support

A minority use an advisor

Existing local awareness and knowledge

Almost all are aware th

Relevant Existing Skills & Knowledge

Ab

Reasoning for answer...Reasoning for answer...Reas

Trialable

Enter any other comments here...

Learnability characteristics

of innovation

Reasoning for answer...

0 %

1 0 %

1 9 7 4 1 9 7 5 1 9 7 6 1 9 7 7 1 9 7 8 1 9 7 9 1 9 8 0 1 9 8 1 1 9 8 2 1 9 8 3 1 9 8 4 1 9 8 5 1 9 8 6 1 9 8 7 1 9 8 8 1 9 8 9 1 9 9 0 1 9 9 1 1 9 9 2 1 9 9 3 1 9 9 4 1 9 9 5 1 9 9 6 1 9 9 7 1 9 9 8 1 9 9 9 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 4 2 0 0 5 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 8

Year

Years to Peak adoption re that it has been used or trialed in their district

About half will need new skills and knowledgeModerately trialableWill involve slightly complex chang

Observability

Very easily obs

.easoning for answer...Enter any other comments here...

Relative advantage for innovation

Innovation Complexity

Reasoning for answer...Reasoning for answer...Reasoning for answ

Adoption CostEnte

Years to Peak adoption

angesobservable

Large initial investment

Reasoning for answer...

swer...nter any other comments here...

Concept

Population

Technology

Information-learning Actual advantage

Influence Diagram

E l ti f li i t lEvaluation of preliminary tool6 Grain & Graze 2 regions• 6 Grain & Graze 2 regions

• Used by GRDC project coordinators• Used by GRDC project coordinators in 5 regions (agronomists, consultants, farmer groups, State agency)

P t l ti ith j t• Post-use evaluation with project coordinators and funders (2 GRDC program managers) p g g )

Examples of the 32 practice changes:Low labour sheep breedsLow labour sheep breedsPasture croppingTwin sowing of annual legumesTwin sowing of annual legumesLucerne establishment/termination practicesStubble management practicesStubble management practicesSeparate crop & grazing landPPermanent pasture areasForage cropsPerennial options

Feedback

• The rate of adoption calculated was often really slow –The rate of adoption calculated was often really slow depressing! Even fast was 5 to 10 years. It shows good reasoning why it would be slow....

• There would be some valuable learning to be gained if people could appreciate the reasoning behind the question, based on extension theory.

• The useful bit was that it made you think why, especially when the results were slower than we anticipated. This did prompt us to go back and question thingsto go back and question things.

• It has great potential to be used as a learning tool for extension both public and private It could be used as aextension, both public and private - It could be used as a training opportunity.

• It is simple to use and didn’t take hours and hours to do

• I reckon this tool has great potential to improve our extension effort IfI reckon this tool has great potential to improve our extension effort. If we can make show which attributes are positive for change and which are holding us back, we should be able to actively address both of them.

• It could be used to evaluate projects to invest in – or it could be used with advisors, farming systems groups, NRM groups, and i di id l f t d t d thindividual farmers to understand the process.

Where toWhere to from here

• Small group sessions with local CRC project teams –adoptability reports – Wagga, Cootamundra & Alburyp y p gg , y

• Improving, justifying, validating.

• Use with industry groups eg MLA, RIRDC, ongoing with GRDC, y g p g , , g g ,grower groups, CMA’s

• Produce guiding text and process

• Explore potential for extent of use by adopters to be included

Where toWhere to from here

• Shift to web-based format late this year• PREDICT: ENGAGE: INFORM: & DELIVER:INTEGRATE

• Longer-term – integrate with industry/population databases, RDC toolstools.

ThankYouYou