Creating the Cicerone Project: seeking closer engagement between livestock producers, research and extension
H. Sutherland A , J. M. Scott B E , G. D. Gray C and R. R. Woolaston D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A ‘Deeargee’, Uralla, NSW 2358, Australia.
B School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
C Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
D 30 Airlie Road Pullenvale, Qld 4069, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: dr.jimscott@gmail.com
Animal Production Science 53(8) 593-601 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11162
Submitted: 3 August 2011 Accepted: 2 March 2012 Published: 10 July 2013
Journal Compilation © CSIRO Publishing 2013 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
A unique project led by livestock producers, called the Cicerone Project, was undertaken on the Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia, following acknowledgement by those producers of a widening gap between them and research and extension information. The overall aim of the project was to co-learn, through a partnership between livestock producers, research, extension and other specialists, how to improve the profitability and sustainability of grazing enterprises in that region. It was hypothesised that closer engagement would help to guide relevant research efforts and also enhance the adoption of research findings. With the support of industry funding and the collaboration of key research, education and extension partners, the inaugural steering committee of the Cicerone Project commissioned a survey of over 300 land managers in the region to explore their research and adoption needs. The survey identified the most important issues and found a high level of commitment to the formation of this producer-led project. Negotiations between all collaborators led to the creation of a Business Plan prepared as the basis for an initial funding period of 5 years. Subsequent reviews of the project allowed for extensions with associated activities over an additional 4 years. In order to study the key farm management alternatives identified from the producer survey, the Cicerone Project Board decided to adopt an agricultural ecosystem approach which conducted studies using three whole-farmlet systems. The farmlet experiment compared three contiguous farmlets by measuring as many aspects of the farm systems as possible using an approach summarised in the motto adopted by the Cicerone Project of ‘compare–measure–learn–adopt’. A wide range of field days and seminars were held over the duration of the project to deliver the results to the producer members. This paper provides an introduction to a Special Issue containing 24 papers which report on the entirety of the project from planning, to execution, results, and reflections on the value obtained from the many research and extension activities, with particular emphasis on the farming systems trial conducted between 2000 and 2006.
References
Alford AR, Griffith GR, Davies BL (2003) ‘Livestock farming systems in the Northern Tablelands of NSW: an economic analysis.’ (NSW Agriculture: Orange) Available at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/146551/err-12-Livestock-Farming-Systems-in-the-Northern-Tablelands-of-NSW.pdf [Verified 29 June 2012]Anderson MD, Lockeretz W (1992) Sustainable agriculture research in the ideal and in the field. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 47, 100–104.
Andrew J (2003) Key features of the regional producer network for enabling social learning. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 1015–1029.
| Key features of the regional producer network for enabling social learning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Anon. (1998) Business plan for the Cicerone Project. Available at http://www.cicerone.org.au/AboutnbspUs/OurnbspBusinessnbspPlan/tabid/60/Default.aspx [Verified 8 November 2012]
Barger IA (1996) Prospects for integration of novel parasite control options into grazing systems. International Journal for Parasitology 26, 1001–1007.
| Prospects for integration of novel parasite control options into grazing systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK2s%2FotF2jtg%3D%3D&md5=26726ffb1a79a40b2af0336539b98b9bCAS | 8923147PubMed |
Bawden RJ (1990) Of agricultural systems and systems agriculture: systems methodologies in agricultural education. In ‘Systems theory applied to agriculture and the food chain’. (Eds J Jones, P Street) pp. 305–323. (Elsevier Applied Science: London)
Bawden RJ, Macadam RD, Packham RJ, Valentine I (1984) Systems thinking and practices in the education of agriculturalists. Agricultural Systems 13, 205–225.
| Systems thinking and practices in the education of agriculturalists.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bureau of Meteorology (2012) Climate classification maps. Available at http://reg.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/climate-classifications/index.jsp [Verified 21 June 2012]
Bywater AC (1990) Exploitation of the systems approach in technical design of agricultural enterprises. In ‘Systems theory applied to agriculture and the food chain’. (Eds J Jones, P Street) pp. 61–88. (Elsevier Applied Science: London)
Carberry PS (2001) Are science rigour and industry relevance both achievable in participatory action research? In ‘10th Australian agronomy conference’. (Eds B Rowe, M Donatelli, N Mendham) (Australian Society of Agronomy: Hobart, Tas.) Available at http://regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/plenary/5/carberry.htm?print=1 [Verified 21 June 2012]
Clark DA (2010) Contribution of farmlet scale research in New Zealand and Australia to improved dairy farming systems. In ‘Proceedings of the 4th Australasian dairy science symposium’. (Eds GR Edwards, RH Bryant) pp. 112–124. (Caxton Press: Christchurch, New Zealand)
Cook S, Blair G, Lazenby A (1978) Pasture degeneration. II. The importance of superphosphate, nitrogen and grazing management. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 29, 19–29.
| Pasture degeneration. II. The importance of superphosphate, nitrogen and grazing management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaE1cXhtF2qtb4%3D&md5=eb1e445201f5793668a4980db6b8a9a1CAS |
Coventry T, Sutherland H, Waters M, Dutton P, Gream B, Croft R, Hall E, Paull DR, Edwards C, Marchant R, Smith P, Scott JM, Gaden C, Hoad J (2013) Reflections on the concept, conduct and findings of the producer-led Cicerone Project. Animal Production Science 53, 856–868.
| Reflections on the concept, conduct and findings of the producer-led Cicerone Project.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Crawford A, Nettle R, Paine M, Kabore C (2007) Farms and learning partnerships in farming systems projects: a response to the challenges of complexity in agricultural innovation. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 13, 191–207.
| Farms and learning partnerships in farming systems projects: a response to the challenges of complexity in agricultural innovation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dillon JL (1976) The economics of systems research. Agricultural Systems 1, 5–22.
| The economics of systems research.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Edwards CA, Grove TL, Harwood RR, Colfer CJP (1993) The role of agroecology and integrated farming systems in agricultural sustainability. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 46, 99–121.
| The role of agroecology and integrated farming systems in agricultural sustainability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Edwards C, Gaden C, Marchant R, Coventry T, Dutton P, Scott JM (2013) Delivering extension and adult learning outcomes from the Cicerone Project by ‘comparing, measuring, learning and adopting’. Animal Production Science 53, 827–840.
| Delivering extension and adult learning outcomes from the Cicerone Project by ‘comparing, measuring, learning and adopting’.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Frank BR (1997) Adoption of innovations in the north Queensland beef industry. III: Implications for extension management. Agricultural Systems 55, 347–358.
| Adoption of innovations in the north Queensland beef industry. III: Implications for extension management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
French RJ (1995) Multi-disciplinary teams to conduct integrated research on farming systems – a challenge. Australian Journal of Soil Research 33, 659–671.
| Multi-disciplinary teams to conduct integrated research on farming systems – a challenge.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gaden CA, Cheetham BF, Hall E, Green G, Katz ME (2013) Producer-initiated field research leads to a new diagnostic test for footrot. Animal Production Science 53, 610–617.
| Producer-initiated field research leads to a new diagnostic test for footrot.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hilder EJ (1964) The distribution of plant nutrients by sheep at pasture. In ‘Proceedings of the 5th biennial conference of the Australian Society of Animal Production’. pp. 241–242. Available at http://www.asap.asn.au/livestocklibrary/1964/Hilder64.PDF [Verified 29 June 2012]
Hutchinson KJ (1997) Grazing systems. In ‘CSIRO Armidale: fifty years of pastoral research, 1947–1997’. (Ed. JL Wheeler) pp. 35–66. (CSIRO Division of Animal Production: Armidale, NSW)
Ison RL (2000) Technology: transforming grazier experience. In ‘Agricultural extension and rural development: breaking out of traditions’. (Eds RL Ison, DB Russell) pp. 52–76. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)
Kaine G, Doyle B, Sutherland H, Scott JM (2013) Surveying the management practices and research needs of graziers in the New England region of New South Wales. Animal Production Science 53, 602–609.
| Surveying the management practices and research needs of graziers in the New England region of New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kemp DR, Michalk DL, Virgona JM (2000) Towards more sustainable pastures: lessons learnt. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 343–356.
| Towards more sustainable pastures: lessons learnt.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lightfoot C, Barker R (1986) Conducting on-farm research in FSR – making a good idea work. Farming Systems Research Paper Series, Kansas State University, Networking Paper No. 13. Available at http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00054304/00001 [Verified 29 June 2012]
Lowe KF (2007) 2006 Presidential Address: the changing face of forage systems for subtropical dairying in Australia. Tropical Grasslands 41, 1–8.
McCosker T (2000) Cell grazing – the first 10 years in Australia. Tropical Grasslands 34, 207–218.
Ridley AM (2005) The role of farming systems group approaches in achieving sustainability in Australian agriculture. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 603–615.
| The role of farming systems group approaches in achieving sustainability in Australian agriculture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ryan JS (1996) The provision of rural extension in the New England region before 1955. In ‘Rural science: philosophy and application’. (Ed. JS Ryan) pp. 26–58. (School of Rural Science, University of New England: Armidale)
Savory A, Parsons SD (1980) The Savory grazing method. Rangelands 2, 234–237.
Scott JM, Gaden CA, Edwards C, Paull DR, Marchant R, Hoad J, Sutherland H, Coventry T, Dutton P (2013) Selection of experimental treatments, methods used and evolution of management guidelines for comparing and measuring three grazed farmlet systems. Animal Production Science 53, 628–642.
| Selection of experimental treatments, methods used and evolution of management guidelines for comparing and measuring three grazed farmlet systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Simpson IH, Kay G, Mason WK (2003) The SGS Regional Producer Network: a successful application of interactive participation. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 673–684.
| The SGS Regional Producer Network: a successful application of interactive participation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Southcott W (1997) Beginnings. In ‘CSIRO Armidale: fifty years of pastoral research, 1947–1997’. (Ed. JL Wheeler) pp. 11–16. (CSIRO Division of Animal Production: Armidale, NSW)
Southcott W, Bindon B (1996) Links with CSIRO in establishing rural science. In ‘Rural science: philosophy and application’. (Ed. JS Ryan) pp. 66–89. (School of Rural Science, University of New England: Armidale)
Spencer K, Barrow NJ (1963) A survey of the plant nutrient status of the principal soils of the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. CSIRO Division of Plant Industry Technical Paper No. 19, Melbourne, Vic.
Tanaka DL, Karn JF, Scholljegerdes EJ (2008) Integrated crop/livestock systems research: practical research considerations. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 23, 80–86.
| Integrated crop/livestock systems research: practical research considerations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Trompf J, Sale PWG (2006) The productivity, environmental and social benefits of increasing producer participation in extension. In ‘Practice change for sustainable communities: exploring footprints, pathways and possibilities. Proceedings of APEN international conference, 6–8 March 2006’. (The Regional Institute Ltd). Available at http://regional.org.au/au/apen/2006/refereed/1/2954_trompfjp.htm [Verified 29 June 2012]
Vickery PJ, Hill MJ, Donald GE (1997) Satellite derived maps of pasture growth status: association of classification with botanical composition. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37, 547–562.
| Satellite derived maps of pasture growth status: association of classification with botanical composition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vizard A, Foot J (1993) Animal and pasture maintenance, a partnership. In ‘Pasture management technology for the 21st century’. (Eds DR Kemp, DL Michalk) pp. 100–113. (CSIRO: Melbourne)
Watkins G (1990) Participatory research: a farmer’s perspective. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 5, 161–162.
| Participatory research: a farmer’s perspective.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Williams G (1994) Landcare in agriculture – a personal view. In ‘Is agriculture on a downward spiral? Can Landcare make a difference? Proceedings of the Northern Tablelands landcare seminar’. Armidale. (Ed. JC Prior) pp. 22–24. (CaLM: Armidale, NSW)
