Doing more with less - the challenges and changing landscape of research, development and extension

Angus HobsonManager, Communication & Research Adoption (on-farm)Meat and Livestock Australia

Overview

Why we’re in business“Game on” for National RD&E Towards a national extension /

adoption frameworkWeighing-up the optionsSummary

Why we’re in business

~60,000 commercial scale producers• 47,000 are MLA members

~40,000 beef holdings• 1% run 25% of herd• 13% run 65% of herd

~29,000 sheepmeat holdings • 8% run 28% of the flock• 35% run 68% of the flock

~8,000 goat (meat) producers• 10% generate 90% of product

Beef

Sheep

Goats

Why we’re in business

~60,000 commercial scale producers• 47,000 are MLA members

~40,000 beef holdings• 1% run 25% of herd• 13% run 65% of herd

~29,000 sheepmeat holdings • 8% run 28% of the flock• 35% run 68% of the flock

~8,000 goat (meat) producers• 10% generate 90% of product

Beef

Sheep

Goats

• Diverse range of needs, skills, systems, priorities, interests and motivations

• Involved in relatively complex systems• Limited resources ($, people) to work• A multitude of “distractions”

Why we’re in business

~60,000 commercial scale producers• 47,000 are MLA members

~40,000 beef holdings• 1% run 25% of herd• 13% run 65% of herd

~29,000 sheepmeat holdings • 8% run 28% of the flock• 35% run 68% of the flock

~8,000 goat (meat) producers• 10% generate 90% of product

Beef

Sheep

Goats

• Diverse range of needs, skills, systems, priorities, interests and apathy

• Involved in relatively complex systems• Limited resources ($, people) to work• A multitude of “distractions”40

45

50

55

Average farmer ageObserved Predicted

19711991

20112031

100,000

200,000

300,000

Total farmer population

Age

(yrs

)

FARMER AGE AND POPULATION

Trend in annual total rainfall, 1970-2007 (mm/10yrs)

Source: BoM (2008)

AVERAGE FARM DEBT

98-99

06-07

0200

400600

8001000

A$'000 (2007-08 dollars)

southern beef farms

northern beef farms

slaughter lamb farms

2002

2008

0

50

100

150

200

250 Index 2001-02 = 100

fertiliser chemicals

fuel / lubricant interest rates

fodder and feeds

INPUT COSTS INDEX

BROADACRE TERMS OF TRADE AND TFP

“Game on” for National RD&E

CAPACITY &CAPABILITY

for the long-term

CONTEXT &CO-ORDINATION

in RD&E application

COLLABORATION & CO-INVESTMENTin delivering R&D to industry

“Game on” for National RD&E

CAPACITY &CAPABILITY

building for the long-term

CONTEXT &CO-ORDINATION

in RD&E application

COLLABORATION & CO-INVESTMENTin delivering R&D to industry

RD&E efficacy and efficiency under unprecedented scrutiny

Collaboration and co-investment are pre-requisites

Co-ordination underpins success Capability and capacity require

balanced supply and demand RDCs can provide an integral

leadership role

A new way of doing business

“WHAT INDUSTRY INTENDS TO DO”

“COLLABORATIVE RD&E TO HELP IT HAPPEN”

Bridging industry needs and “RD&E Inc”

COMMUNICATION & RESEARCH ADOPTION PROGRAMS

MISP NATIONAL RD&E STRATEGIES

NABRC SAMRC

RBRCs SAMRCCommittees

NORTHERN BEEF

SHEEP-MEAT

SOUTHERN BEEF GOATS

PEAKCOUNCILS

SFOs

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT R&D PRIORITIES

A new way of doing business

AGENCY REPRESENTATION

INDUSTRY REPRESENTATION

Towards a national extension / adoption framework

RIGHTPRODUCERS

RIGHTINFORMATION

RIGHTSOLUTION

RIGHTTIME

Standardised monitoring and evaluation

Segmentation, needs analysis and targeted engagement

Collaborative, integrated and contextualised delivery

Appropriation of support resources “Fit-for-purpose” delivery and

delivery capacity Underpinned by guiding principles

for co-investment

AWARENESS(CATEGORY A)

KASA(CATEGORY B)

PRACTICE CHANGE

(CATEGORY C)

RE

GIO

NA

L / S

TATE

NA

TIO

NA

L / S

EC

TOR

LOC

AL

COMMUNICATION (PASSIVE)

GROUP ENGAGEMENT

(ACTIVE)

GROUP ENGAGEMENT

(APPLIED)

NUMBER OF PRODUCERS TARGETTED

$ PERPRODUCER TARGETTED

RELATIVEENGAGEMENT FOCUS APPROACH KPIs

AWARENESS IN TARGET MARKET

SEGMENT/S

• PARTICPATION RATES

• KASA CHANGE/S

• PARTICIPANT APPLICATION OF PRACTICE/S

• IMPACT CHANGES

FORMAT

• MAGAZINES• FORUMS• EXPOS

WORKSHOPS & TRAINING

PRODUCER R&D SITES

FREE

RELATIVEUSER COST

A national extension / adoption framework

FEE FORSERVICE

AWARENESS(CATEGORY A)

KASA(CATEGORY B)

PRACTICE CHANGE

(CATEGORY C)

RE

GIO

NA

L / S

TATE

NA

TIO

NA

L / S

EC

TOR

LOC

AL

COMMUNICATION (PASSIVE)

GROUP ENGAGEMENT

(ACTIVE)

GROUP ENGAGEMENT

(APPLIED)

NUMBER OF PRODUCERS TARGETTED

$ PERPRODUCER TARGETTED

RELATIVEENGAGEMENT FOCUS APPROACH KPIs

AWARENESS IN TARGET MARKET

SEGMENT/S

• PARTICPATION RATES

• KASA CHANGE/S

• PARTICIPANT APPLICATION OF PRACTICE/S

• IMPACT CHANGES

FORMAT

• MAGAZINES• FORUMS• EXPOS

WORKSHOPS & TRAINING

PRODUCER R&D SITES

FREE

RELATIVEUSER COST

A national extension / adoption framework

FEE FORSERVICE

INC

REA

SING

PRIVA

TE / EN

TERPR

ISE BEN

EFIT

AWARENESS(CATEGORY A)

KASA(CATEGORY B)

PRACTICE CHANGE

(CATEGORY C)

RE

GIO

NA

L / S

TATE

NA

TIO

NA

L / S

EC

TOR

LOC

AL

COMMUNICATION (PASSIVE)

GROUP ENGAGEMENT

(ACTIVE)

GROUP ENGAGEMENT

(APPLIED)

NUMBER OF PRODUCERS TARGETTED

$ PERPRODUCER TARGETTED

RELATIVEENGAGEMENT FOCUS APPROACH KPIs

AWARENESS IN TARGET MARKET

SEGMENT/S

• PARTICPATION RATES

• KASA CHANGE/S

• PARTICIPANT APPLICATION OF PRACTICE/S

• IMPACT CHANGES

FORMAT

• MAGAZINES• FORUMS• EXPOS

WORKSHOPS & TRAINING

PRODUCER R&D SITES

FREE

RELATIVEUSER COST

A national extension / adoption framework

FEE FORSERVICE

RDCs

DPIs

Private Sector

BENEFITS

Sustainable long-term extension capacity ***

Competitiveness (and quality) in extension **

Cost-efficiency / leverage in extension investment **

Alignment of / consistency in extension services ***

Clear accountability for extension delivery ***

RISKS

Average cost of extension may increase **

Loss / lessening of independence in extension *

Inconsistencies in DPI adoption of principles *

“Paying twice” perceptions **

Not doing something ****

A national extension / adoption frameworkWeighing up the options

Summary

It’s “game on” for increasing RD&E investment efficacy and efficiency

The need - and window - to improve the extension landscape exists National RD&E Strategies provide the mechanism Co-investment principles will help it happen

“Cultural change” required to foster consistency & recognition of value in fee-for-service activities

MLA / RDCs can play a lead role Fostering and brokering private sector activity Bridging industry priorities and RD&E capacity/capability National co-ordination and succession of RD&E resources

QUESTIONS

A template for resource deployment

• Public-good activities remain a primary responsibility for the public sector• Industry-good activities co-funded by industry bodies and the public sector • Private-good activities (increasingly) undertaken on a user-pays basis

PUBLIC GOOD INDUSTRY GOOD PRIVATE GOOD FREE USER-PAYS

RDCs

Public sectorPrivate sector

Extension co-investment principlesWHAT THEY ARE DESIGNED TO DO

WHAT THEY AREN’T DESIGNED TO DO

Underpin long-term extension capacity Provide an exit excuse for DPIs

Better leverage total extension investment Provide an exit excuse for RDCs

Co-ordinate and align extension providers and their investment Facilitate cost-shifting between RD&E

agencies

Promote consistency and accountability Offer a “free ride” to the private sector

Underpin integrated (RDC-DPI-private) delivery Prescribe one-size-fits-all extension

approach

Position industry in readiness

Foster competitiveness & quality, and appreciation of services

XXXXXX

XXXX

PRODUCER SEGMENTATION AND ENGAGEMENT

Innovators(2.5%)

EarlyAdopters(13.5%)

Early Majority(34%)

Late Majority(34%) Late /

non-adopters (16%)

= ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT = PASSIVE ENGAGEMENT

LEAD USER PROGRAM

FOCUS: GENERATION AND VALIDATION OF NEW

INNOVATIONS

MAJORITY MARKET PROGRAMS(MBfP, MMfS, GIG, etc)

FOCUS: DEMONSTRATION, COMMERCIALISATION AND ADOPTION OF VALIDATED RESEARCH

LOW / MINIMALENGAGEMENT

FOCUS: GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS