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Purpose: This paper reports how different extension roles and their functions – or contributions - were identified within an agricultural innovation system to inform their evaluation. Methodology and findings: This study co-developed eight extension functions and evaluation measures through case studies of teams working to reduce agricultural pollutants entering the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, off the North East Australian Coast. Practical implications/value: This provides a practical approach for effectively evaluating a range of extension functions in agricultural innovation systems. Theoretical implications: Develops a full set of extension roles, contributions and measures for evaluating impact of several extension functions within agricultural innovation systems.

Purpose: This paper documents and evaluates collaborative learning processes aimed at developing farmer?s knowledge, skills and aspirations to use seasonal climate forecasting (SCF). Methodology: Thirteen workshops conducted in 2012 engaged over 200 stakeholders across Australian sugar production regions. Workshop design promoted participant interaction, stimulated discussion, collected farmer experience of regional climate variability, improved understanding of climate drivers and increased participant skill in interpreting SCF linked to management decisions. Post-workshop surveys collected quantitative and qualitative data for statistical analysis and manual thematic coding. Findings: Over 68% of participants identified improved decision-making and risk reduction as the main benefits of using SCF products. High median self-evaluation ratings for gains in skills, knowledge and understanding of climate forecasts and perceived benefits in using climate forecasts in on-farm decision-making were found across stakeholder groups. No significant differences in self-evaluation rating gains were found between farmers, extension officers and millers, suggesting extension officers are less than optimally informed and skilled to support farmers in understanding and applying SCF. Practical Implications: Developing the capacity of extension officers to understand and interpret SCF may increase adoption of improved climate risk management in farmer networks. Theoretical implications: Collaborative learning activities in the agriculture sector, designed using experiential learning principles and evaluated using a logical framework, provide a robust model for improving the capacity of farmers to manage climate risk. Originality/Value: This paper contributes an example of evaluation of collaborative learning in facilitated agriculture climate risk workshops and discusses the value of learning through small group discussion.

From 2012-2014 the Queensland Government delivered an extension project to help sugarcane growers adopt best management practices to reduce pollutant loss to the Great Barrier Reef. Coutts J&R were engaged to measure progress towards the project's engagement, capacity gain and practice change targets. The monitoring and evaluation program comprised a database, post-workshop evaluations and grower and advisor surveys. Coutts J&R conducted an independent phone survey with 97 growers, a subset of the 900 growers engaged in extension activities. Of those surveyed 64% stated they had made practice changes. There was higher (74%) adoption by growers engaged in one-on-one extension than those growers only involved in group-based activities (36%). Overall, the project reported 41% (+/-10%, 95% confidence) of growers engaged made a practice change. The structured monitoring and evaluation program, including independent surveys, was essential to quantify practice change and demonstrate the effectiveness of extension in contributing to water quality improvement.

[Executive Summary]: The Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health received funding from the Foster’s Community Grant for an innovative program aiming to improve the mental health of farmers through the use of industry Advisory and Extension Agents (AEA) trained to recognize behaviour raising concern for the mental wellbeing of their farmer clients. The funding has covered the cost of coordinating, monitoring, reporting on and training the AEAs; and from partner organizations — the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water, the Queensland Murray Darling Committee and the Condamine Alliance and AgForce — there has been recognition and endorsement of the project, encouragement of participation by their AEA employees in the program and support for them to participate. As a result of this training AEAs will be able to:  recognize signs of mental health problems and offer support;  build resilience in farmers though support and advice;  advise the farmers on resources, whether educational materials or health professionals;  develop local networks of information and referral pathways; and, with regard to their own development,  demonstrate an observable improvement in reflective listening and empathy skills.

The purpose of this project is to explore whether training Advisory Extension Agents (AEA) in mental health first aid will reduce their anxiety and increase their confidence to deal with farmers exhibiting signs of mental ill health. The issues of depression and suicide in rural communities are very well-known. One of the biggest problems is that of ensuring that farmers receive support, given their reluctance, and in many cases a lack of awareness of the need for support. Another factor that is a barrier to them gaining support is the lack of appropriately skilled people for them to approach. This project provides people who are in contact with them with the skills to recognise need and the knowledge of where to refer them for appropriate support. It is increasing the knowledge of mental health symptoms and pathways amongst AEA who see farmers regularly and feel powerless to help on mental health issues. The project uses a pretest / post-test design assessing the effects of the existing and well researched course in mental health first aid on a group of AEAs. A control group will also be subjected to the pre and post test for comparison. For ethical reasons the control group will be offered the course after testing.

Lunchtime forum given 17 June 1993. Jeff Coutts (Principal Extension Officer, Toowoomba) gave an overview of the extension strategy of the department, and talked about current and future practices. Beth Woods (A/Director, Rural Extension Centre) spoke specifically on some issues relating to the Rural Extension Centre. Shaun Coffey (Regional Director (Central)) talked about information management and some implementation and timetable issues of the new extension strategy.