This project aimed to encourage dairy farmers to take on a business culture - including improving strategic decision-making concerning pasture management. The evaluation was undertaken in 2008 near the completion of the project and used: surveys of participants and non-participants in the program; interviews with informed persons; a 'structured debrief' of project insiders; case studies and secondary data. The evaluation indicated a high level of impact on at least 20% of the industry, a benefit cost exceeding 10/1 and suggested that non participation was related more to an issue of perceived immediate relevance to specific activities and difficulty in getting away from their enterprise rather than a reluctance to learn.
The evaluation was undertaken in 2008 to see how well it met its objectives and also 'how has exposure to the information and activities of the initiative impacted on people's awareness and (re)thinking about Natural Resource Management issues relevant to the cotton industry and its catchment communities.' The project aimed to establish collaborative partnerships between Regional NRM bodies and the Australian Cotton industry; facilitate the delivery of NRM outcomes; develop and promote resources for capacity building; and increase the adoption of good NRM practice. The evaluation used: secondary data; and informed persons survey; case studies; and collated participant feedback from project activities. Among other conclusions, the evaluation found that there was good evidence that the project stimulated interest and fuelled the conversation about how NRM management is best incorporated into farm and catchment management.
This evaluation at the end of 2008 followed on from a mid-term review in 2007. It used a Bennett's Hierarchy framework to look at the impacts of the project funded by AWI and undertaken by the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (TIAR). This was an extension based project faced with a state wool industry severely affected by drought. It used grower groups, workshops, field days and a newsletter to provide support, information and foster changes in management. The evaluation used a mixture of surveys - growers involved in groups, those that participated in some events, and those who only received the newsletter; interviews with informed persons; participant observation at project events; and analysis of secondary data. The evaluation reported a high level of practice change as a direct result of project activities - in relation to the comparative level of involvement in the project.
The Burdekin, Herbert and Plane Creek CPIs were initiated by a 2001 study by McKinsey and Associates on developing the future of the Sugar Industry in the CSR mill regions. One of the strong recommendations from that study was an extension initiative based around geographically-centred grower groups using adult learning principles. Several other sugar producing regions; including Mackay, Mulgrave, and Bundaberg, have used similar principles in their own ‘productivity initiatives’.
This review is about looking forward to the next five years and developing stratgies to take the initiative into the future.
Coutts J&R are currently well into in the data collection stage of this project which is looking at the success and effectiveness of distributing incentives through workshops in the LCMA.
Interesting results are emerging and we are looking forward to reporting on our findings.
The 8x5 Wool Profit Program is an extension program to assist Tasmanian wool producers to achieve an 8% annual return on assets managed within 5 years through access to benchmarking, best practice information, group improvement initiatives and a State-wide wool profit awards program. See its website for further information - www.8x5.com.au
Coutts J&R's evaluation of the 8x5 WPP is a mid term review of Phase 2 of the Tasmanian project. Phase 1 focused on raising awareness understanding and skills to facilitate practice change in the Tasmanian sheep and wool industry through workshops, field days and information dissemination.
Phase 2 maintains many of the processes of Phase 1 but has added the establishment of small groups with producer clients and importantly uses the Continuous Improvement and Innovation (CI&I) model to take producers through a process of needs identification, planning and action and review.
In association with Gordon Stone under the QualDATA banner, Jeff Coutts is involved with the monitoring and evaluation processes for the New Opportunities for Tropical Agriculture project (NOTPA) for the Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia. This project is investigating the potential to develop new agricultural businesses in the State’s pastoral regions.
Chris Ham, the project manager, notes that “There is also interest in new and innovative production techniques, developing the use of native plants and accessing assistance to plan, prepare and manage legal and administrative process in setting up an agricultural business”.
QualDATA has developed a M&E process which includes the use of ‘pro-forma’s to systematically collect data as events happen.
With Gordon Stone, I have been undertaking a review of the report based products from the final 'harvest' year of the National Dryland Salinity Program. The evaluation is looking at the process of developing the products as well as the product themselves. It has involved telephone surveys with people who have sought copies of the products and those who were directly involved in their development or testing. A broader web survey was undertaken as well.
One of the interesting areas of work is that of evaluation mentoring. In the case of Leading Sheep - a Queensland based project looking to provide stronger support to the wool industry - I had the opportunity to review their evaluation plan with the key players and make suggestions how to strengthen and streamline the evaluation. This is interesting and a growing area of work.
Land Wool & Water is a major environmental program funded by Australia Wool Innovation (AWI) and Land & Water Australia (AWI) which is nearing the end of its first phase. Jeff has worked alongside subprogram managers and some project managers in planning evaluation activities and in pulling together evaluation findings to meet the program reporting needs. The program has achieved a lot over this initial period.
This project is based in NZ AgResearch Social Research Group (Dr Neels Botha and Hein Roth) and explores the role of consultants in the New Zealand Research, Development and Extension System - particularly as it affects the adoption of improved environmental management practices.
It has been based on an informed persons survey, case studies in the horticultural and pastoral industries and a literature review. The project seeks to highlight where consultants can be (even) more integrated into the knowledge and adoption system. This phase of the project culminates in a series of seminars in New Zealand in June 2006.
Jeff Coutts recently (2004) undertook a review of the project entitled: "Accelerating the impacts of participatory research and extension on shifting cultivation farming systems in Laos" (AIRP) for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
The project supported the FLSP- Forages and Livestock Systems Project (funded by AusAid, managed by CIAT from Laos - selected forages introduced to villages in Laos (2 provinces) using participatory research and extension methods). The combined projects demonstrated the value of participatory approaches and the "scaling out" extension processes used. It also showed the high degree of farmer innovation in using and adapting technologies and commercial opportunities.
Jeff Coutts was involved in facilitating the management and funding framework for the South East Queensland Irrigation Futures program - a State Government funded program to improve rural water use efficiency in the South East Queensland Region, Australia. The program aims to employ a number of Industry Development Officers to work with the dairy, fodder, cut flower, turf, nursery and horticultural industries to improve the way water is used in growing and post-havest.
Coutts J&R together with Dr Neels Botha from AgResearch New Zealand were contracted to look at the current extension (funding) strategy of Meat & Livestock Australia and look at future scenarios to inform planning. As part of the review, the funding and extension strategies of other Rural Development Corporations and Companies in Australia and New Zealand were also explored for benchmarking and comparison purposes.
The exercise demonstrated that there was strong funding support for extension and education from the RDCs - and that extension is seen as a critical function to bring about change on the ground.
Jeff Coutts is working with Gordon Stone (Toowoomba) to develop and coordinate the on-going evaluation of a number of related projects in North West Tasmania. The projects are aimed at increasing the participation in post-compulsory education in the general community and work across schools, the University of Tasmania, TAFE Tasmania industry and other parties to encourage participation.
Coutts J&R are part of a 2 year project looking at the Cultural Imprint of the sugar industry in the Herbert Region of North Queensland. The logic is that by better understanding the patterns and relationships, strategies can be put into place to assist people to effectively work together for a better future. To date Jeff Coutts has worked with other social researchers Ian Plowman (DPI&F Qld) and Neels Botha (Ag Research New Zealand) and a project steering comittee to look historical and other factors shaping the 'imprint'. The results were presented back to the industry for reaction/discussion. A further meeting has been held with a cross section of people who will help facilitate a larger industry workshop to look at how to build on the positives and address barriers to working better together.
Assessing the impact of the 4 year, $23 million program - funded by DNRM.
The RWUEI was programmed to finish in its current form in June 2003. This final analysis looked at whether the program achieved its goals and targets and to glean what can be learnt from the project over its four years to inform future initiatives in this area.
The evaluation included a phone survey of approximately 10% of irrigators in Queensland.
The evaluation was completed August 2003.
participatively developing a Graduate Certificate in Scientific Communication for use by the 6 PNG Universities - funded by ACIAR, subcontracted by UQ.
Dr Jeff Coutts is the Project Manager for this three year project (2002-2005) and Robyn Coutts is the project's Gender Advisor. The first year comprised of developing the course materials and training the first cohort of university lecturers from across PNG's 6 universities in their delivery. The second year will be running courses across PNG to provide accredited training in scientific communication across the university, government, NGO and private sectors.
The project was reviewed at the end of 2004 with a very positive endorsement. It has received an extension to end 2006 to assist in integration into the universities.
looking at how to improve the effectiveness and support for these positions across Australia - funded by Horticulture Australia Ltd. (HAL)
This review looked at the 6 Industry Development Officers (IDOs) funded by HAL in terms of their effectiveness and support structures. It involved groups interviews via phone and face to face of the state Management Committees, a workshop with the IDOs, a web based survey, and phone interviews with informed persons.
The review was completed in January 2003.
looking at the specific niche which the program was filling in relation to other initiatives and programs - funded by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Qld.
The RWUEI is a major government funded program across all irrigated industries within Queensland - sugar, cotton, irrigated grains, dairy, lucerne, fruit and vegetables. The project had a strong on-farm component where irrigators were assisted in benchmarking their current water efficiency and to make changes to improve it. A Research and Development program and a Financial Incentive Scheme was also part of the program.
The Synergy Analysis sought to tease out the way in which the program added value or complemented other support, legislation or incentives to improve water use efficiency on-farm.
The Synergy Analysis was completed in 2002. A report is available from the RWUEI office.
Coutts J&R revisited the evaluation of BESTWOOL 2010 - a project which provided facilitation to groups to seek their own training needs. This project was reviewed in 2002 at the end of the first phase, and this second evaluation is being undertaken in 2005 to see how much progress has been made in the second phase.
BestWool 2010 is a project aimed at improving the capacity of managers within the wool industry in Victoria. The project provides funds to groups of growers to employ a facilitator to assist them to determine and access training and information needs they require to better manage their businesses - profitability and sustainability focused. Both evaluations used a modified Bennett's Hierarchy as a framework to look at changes since the project started and the impact that it had made.
The evaluations show a strongly dynamic project bringing significant benefits to the participants and the broader industry.
Looking at the effectiveness of leadership training - funded by the NHT.
This project was undertaken in 2002. It used facilitated workshops to evaluate the effectiveness of pilot capacity building training program with community facilitators funded by the National Heritage Trust. It looked at the type of delivery and the content as well as issues surrounding VET accreditation of the course.
A two year review of "what works and why" in rural education and extension projects - funded by the Joint Venture in Human Capacity Building in Rural Industries - and partnering Roberts Evaluation.
This project looks at a range of extension and education projects across the rural and regional sectors - across rural industries and states. It uses a common evaluation framework to be able to compare and contrast projects and to draw conclusions about what elements and processes work best in different situations for different outcomes.
Each project is allocated to a "model" which describes it mode of operation and type of outcome it is after. These models are:
1. The group facilitation/empowerment model: This model focuses on increasing the capacity of participants in planning and decision-making and in seeking their own education/training needs based on their situation.
2. The programmed learning model: This model delivers specified training (in terms of content) based in an industry needs analysis or demand. It can be delivered in an adult learning approach.
3. The technological development model: This model is about working with individuals and groups to develop specific technologies, management practices or decision support systems which will then be available to the rest of the industry.
4. The personalised consultant model: This model is based on extension people working one-on-one on farm. It covers both general and specialists consultants and advisors as well as extension programs where individual farm visits are central components.
5. The information access model: This model focuses on the growing role of the internet, information CDs and distance learning. It covers approaches to establish data bases, web sites and call centres to deal with individual information seeking needs from a distance.
A database is being constructed to allow interested persons to explore the different projects and models and learn from the collective experience.
The project ends in January 2004.
This study explored the current situation in training for salinity and water quality in Australia and the role of the VET accreditation system in providing a suitable framework under which to develop appropriate courses.
It scoped out the most effective way to pull together existing training in salinity and water quality with the needs of communities and agencies, match them with the capacities of relevant providers and recommend how best to develop and deliver more comprehensive and integrated Units of Competency in these areas.
This study was conducted with Gordon Stone (Gordon Stone and Associates) and Mark Casey (Drawbridge People Learning Strategy) and concluded June 2003. It was agreed to by the National Heritage Trust Ministerial Board and funded by the National Component of the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT).
This evaluation was to provide feedback on the pilot workshop in terms of its quality, adequacy and changes that would improve its content or delivery prior to its commercial release as a training activity. This workshop is one in a series of workshops being developed through MLA EDGEnetwork for meat producers. A key part of the development is for the workshop to be piloted with producers prior to general research.
The workshop was held at Longreach 3-5 June 2003.
The purpose of this project is to monitor and evaluate the adoption component of the Cane Productivity Initiative (CPI)/PROSPER in terms of whether it is on track to acheive the productivity targets of the initiative. It is also to highlight issues and opportunities to further improve the program.
This project began May 2003 and is to run initially for one year.
Coutts J & R were contracted to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework and process for this significant farmer training project funded through the AusAID PNG incentive fund based in East New Britain at the University of Vudal in partnership with UniQuest.
An initial evaluation and review of the M & E process was completed in July 2003.