utilising peer learning and benchmarking to drive practice change chris reichstein 2014 nuffield...
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Utilising Peer Learning and Benchmarking to Drive Practice
Change
Chris Reichstein
2014 Nuffield Scholar
Why This Topic ?
• History of industry Involvement• Frustration at lack of adoption of
practice change• Questioning of extension
effectiveness• Declining public investment in Ag• Changing face of extension• Declining TFP growth
Where did I go, what did I see?• New Zealand- Dairy and Kiwi fruit industry • Brazil – EMBRAPA
Large Co-operatives
• Argentina – CREA, collaborative learning
• USA- Land Grant Universities/Extension Philanthropic Foundations Monsanto
• Canada- Grower Groups Private agronomists Large private consultancy
More on where I went, What I saw
• UK HGCA monitor farms
• Ireland Dairy discussion groups
• Denmark Privatised government RD and E
• Netherlands Science of extension and innovation
Points of Note
New Zealand- levy based-Well resourced-Strong extension focus-Use of peer learning, monitor and demonstration farms-Discussion groups
Argentina – AACREA dynamic self supporting research and extensionIreland and UK- Strong growth in use of peer learning
- Discussion groups and monitor farms
Worldwide Trends
• Governments cutting back funding of RD and E• Move to levy based funding models• User pays• Private RD and E filling some of the gaps• Less co-ordinated extension• Information overloadTrend to Collaborative learning and benchmarking
Benchmarking
• Size and integrity of data base important• Ground truths performance• Highlights areas of strength and weakness• Useful driver of change at operational, tactical and strategic level• Change driven from within is most sustainable• Combining benchmarking and peer learning has proven very effective
in driving practice change
What Farmers Need For Adoption
Clear economic/time benefitClarity in decision making processConfidence in decisionSupport- peer and professionalMeasurable outcomes
The Tale of Two Technologies
No Till Farming
Clear needVisualMeasurableClear economic benefitChampionsSupported by industryBenefits validated by scienceWide Spread Adoption
The Tale of Two technologies
Precision Agriculture
Non VisualIncremental gainsUnclear economic benefitComplex interactions, NDVI, Yield, P replacement, EM 38, soil test Low level of farmer confidenceLack of support mechanismsFarmers working in isolation- low level of peer info exchangeIncompatibility of hardwareNo champions for technologyScience or industry rather than farmer drivenLow level of adoption
Where to in the Future• Information sharing facilitated by consultants and
agronomists • Well targeted RD &E• Business Discussion Groups• Consolidated benchmarking on agzone level• Greater support for Grower Groups to facilitate extension