Understanding extension and practice change over time Prof Frank Vanclay Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research University of Tasmania

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

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’

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’

‘ 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

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

Different levels of meaning As a science/discipline/discourse/ community of practice As a policy instrument As a process/activity As an agency

As a science/discipline/discourse/ community of practice

As a policy instrument

As a process/activity

As an agency

Getting the message across Roman times (ca 2,000 yrs ago), Virgil Georgics. Poetry King George III in 18 th 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

Roman times (ca 2,000 yrs ago), Virgil Georgics. Poetry

King George III in 18 th 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

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?

the application of scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education.

How to get the message across?

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

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

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)

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)

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.

Extension is the process of enabling change in individuals, communities and industries involved in the primary industry sector and with natural resource management.

Extension is a discipline Extension has developed over time in theory, method & scope Capacity building, community engagement, social marketing

Extension is a discipline

Extension has developed over time in theory, method & scope

Capacity building, community engagement, social marketing

Extension is a policy instrument to be used in conjunction with other PIs

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

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

[email_address] 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

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