1. Utilising Peer Learning and Benchmarking to Drive Practice Change Chris Reichstein 2014 Nuffield Scholar

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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 extension Ireland and UK- Strong growth in use of peer learning - Discussion groups and monitor farms

6. 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 overload Trend to Collaborative learning and benchmarking

7. Dairy Discussion Groups Ireland

10. 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

11. A Quick Case Study

12. What Farmers Need For Adoption Clear economic/time benefit Clarity in decision making process Confidence in decision Support- peer and professional Measurable outcomes

13. The Tale of Two Technologies No Till Farming Clear need Visual Measurable Clear economic benefit Champions Supported by industry Benefits validated by science Wide Spread Adoption

14. The Tale of Two technologies Precision Agriculture Non Visual Incremental gains Unclear economic benefit Complex interactions, NDVI, Yield, P replacement, EM 38, soil test Low level of farmer confidence Lack of support mechanisms Farmers working in isolation- low level of peer info exchange Incompatibility of hardware No champions for technology Science or industry rather than farmer driven Low level of adoption

15. 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

17. Thanks to Nuffield Australia and GRDC