Reef Water Quality Protection Plan: Extension and ... · Scope 8 Extension and education roles 9 Targets 12 ... Plan Extension and Education Strategy (2010) and takes into account

Reef Water Quality Protection PlanExtension and Education Strategy Update and Implementation Guide June 2014

Contents

Executive summary 3

Key recommendations and actions 4

Purpose 6

Background 7

Scope 8

Extension and education roles 9

Targets 12

Building extension capacity 15

Collaboration—ReefNet Framework 16

Monitoring and evaluation system 19

Glossary of terms 20

Acronyms 21

© State of Queensland, 2014.The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of its information. The copyright in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY) licence.

Under this licence you are free, without having to seek our permission, to use this publication in accordance with the licence terms. You must keep intact the copyright notice and attribute the State of Queensland as the source of the publication.For more information on this licence, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The Queensland Government shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information.

Image credits: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Tourism and Events Queensland.

This document has been developed for the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 by Dr Jeff Coutts of Coutts J&R Pty Ltd with funding from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) under the guidance of the Management Practices Advisory Group (MPAG).

Reviewer: Dr Jeff Coutts (Coutts J&R)

MPAG Working Group: Adam Knapp (Queensland Farmers’ Federation), Don Pollock (Terrain Natural Resource Management), Matt Kealley (Canegrowers), Piers Harper (Fitzroy Basin Association), Carla Wegscheidl (DAF)

MPAG Support: Rachael Djamaludin (DAF), Jenny Daly (DAF)

2www.reefplan.qld.gov.au Extension and Education Strategy Update

Executive summary

The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan) 2013 highlights the need to provide a range of extension and education, incentives/grants and Best Management Practice programs to landholders to maximise adoption of management practices and systems that improve Great Barrier Reef water quality while maintaining and enhancing business performance and resilience. It emphasises that a key to achieving this is through targeted and coordinated delivery across these programs, responding to regional priorities.

As a deliverable under Action 5, the Reef Plan 2013 Extension and Education Strategy Update and Implementation Guide (Extension and Education Strategy Update) aims to provide a framework for the coordinated delivery of extension and education, working in conjunction with Best Management Practice and incentives/grants programs to collectively achieve Reef Plan land and catchment management targets. It builds on the strong base of the original Reef Plan Extension and Education Strategy (2010) and takes into account changes in the extension and education landscape, government policy and funding, advances in scientific consensus and industry initiatives. The original strategy provides significant background and direction that remains relevant and should be referred to in conjunction with this update.

Core principles and goals of the Extension and Education Strategy Update include:

• Maximising the effective integration of extension and education, Best Management Practice and grants programs through regional and state level coordination.

• Improving water quality outcomes in the context of a holistic approach to farm management, which involves maximising water quality outcomes whilst ensuring productive and profitable agricultural enterprises.

• Prioritising and targeting extension and education effort where the most progress

towards regional water quality targets can be achieved.

• Facilitating management practice change requires a mix of extension and education activities.

• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting capacity gains and practice changes resulting from extension and education activity in a consistent format for Reef Plan reporting and to prioritise and plan future delivery.

New or enhanced roles and processes identified in the Extension and Education Strategy Update include:

• Reef Plan Extension and Education Regional Coordinator (Regional coordinator) role to facilitate collaboration and information sharing between Reef Plan programs in priority areas1.

• Information/analytical support role to capture the outcomes of extension and education activity in Paddock to Reef program reporting and feedback practice adoption information to stakeholders for decision making purposes.

• Group extension, on-farm development and technical roles/methods need to be strengthened in the mix of extension and education activities.

• Capacity building in relevant extension and technical skills for extension and education deliverers.

• Monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework based around capturing gains in capacity and practice change in farm management.

Implementation of these processes to improve the targeted, coordinated delivery of Reef Plan extension and education is detailed in the list of key recommendations and actions and in the respective sections of the Extension and Education Strategy Update.

1 Priority areas as per the Scientific Consensus Statement www.reefplan.qld.gov.au


http://www.reefplan.qld.gov.au

Key recommendations and actions

Action/Activity Responsibility Notes

Extension and education roles

1. Update the audit of current Reef Plan related extension and education programs, resources and positions against the different roles and identify gaps—provide to Management Practices Advisory Group (MPAG) and organisations providing regional coordination.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)MPAG

There is some good documentation already and more information was collected in this review.

2. Ensure that the mix of extension and education roles fulfils the regional needs in relation to roles identified in the strategy. This would be by means of reallocation, negotiation and cross-organisational cooperation.

MPAGDAFOther extension and education deliverers

It is important to maintain on-farm trials and demonstrations as well as producer discussion groups as part of the mix.

3. Extra information/analytical support position for extension and education information in Paddock to Reef.

MPAG to negotiate with stakeholders to see what is possible

This would assist MPAG members and regional extension and education deliverers to better understand and coordinate priorities and progress.

Targets

4. Use SMART2 objectives when defining desired outcomes of extension and education programs within Reef regions.

Extension and education deliverers This is already clear in some cases—but may need to be modified in line with aspirational Reef Plan targets.

5. Identifying priority sub-catchments and regional locations for targeted water quality related practices to guide extension targets and share with other regional extension and education deliverers.

Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies

This would be a normal part of developing Water Quality Improvement Plan priorities which would inform NRM regional plans. It would identify priorities for grant projects and is also relevant to extension and education beyond the grants program.

6. Target extension and education towards those producers who most impact on the identified priorities in the nominated catchments/regions.

Extension and education deliverers This would include engaging those in these priority areas who have previously had limited interaction with extension and education programs.

Building extension capacity

7. Identify current and potential providers of extension capacity training/mentoring and what is available/offered and compare to that described in the strategy as being needed to maximise the effectiveness of the extension and education effort.

DAF in association with relevant Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and other providersOrganisations with the Reef Plan Extension and Education Regional Coordinator (Regional coordinator) role

Training does not have to be accredited. Mentoring schemes should also be considered.

8. Develop a guide and checklist for organisations and individuals to systematically look at training needed for the regional roles. Discuss and coordinate with trainers/mentors to meet needs and fill gaps.

DAF in association with relevant RTOs and other providersOrganisations with the Regional coordinator role

This could be linked to current Training Packages offered through RTOs as well as through other providers.

9. Develop a list of key capacities for extension staff to be able to rate their own level of competence/confidence and progress they make through training and mentoring.

Extension and education deliverers The use of a standardised electronic skills passport around these capacities could assist in managing these training needs.

2 Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Realistic – Time bound


State level coordination (MPAG)

10. The Terms of Reference and make-up of MPAG reflects its role in overseeing the implementation of the strategy update and in facilitating the coordination of extension and education across the Reef catchments and links to grants and Best Management Practice/Farm Management System programs.

MPAG Terms of Reference should be reviewed regularly (annually) to reflect any changes to Reef Plan and extension and education provision.

11. Instigate an annual facilitated reflection on progress over the year, the influence that MPAG has had and any issues, needs and a way forward.

MPAG This is different to a regular MPAG meeting. It is a structured reflection, externally facilitated to allow learning to emerge and continual improvement of the effectiveness of MPAG.

Regional level coordination

12. Develop guidelines for regional coordination and negotiate between stakeholders as to which organisation might take responsibility and undertake the Regional coordinator role—as well as any cross-organisational support that may be needed.

DAFMPAG

The way regional coordination is achieved will vary from region to region, building upon existing coordination mechanisms. This may be a rolling role—with one organisation taking responsibility for a time period and moving to another. The critical thing is to have a firm commitment within each Reef region.

13. Establishing and maintaining an on-line Calendar of Events, training and service providers, and resources in a regional context.

Organisations with the Regional coordinator role

This may be done on a cross-regional basis with the ability to search by region.

14. Facilitate regional industry-based meetings to identify areas for extension and education collaboration and cooperation and share resources and information. This includes support for relevant Best Management Practice/Farm Management System needs and links to grants programs. Undertake an annual reflection on different approaches used, what worked, what didn’t, issues identified and changes needed.

Extension and education deliverersOrganisations with the Regional coordinator role

This may already be happening in some industries and regions and/or it may need to be initiated or broadened. It will vary from region to region.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

15. Develop a Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework in conjunction with other stakeholders for Paddock to Reef reporting on the outcomes of extension and education activities. This may include a suggested guide for monitoring and evaluation data collection. It should include a simplified format for providing a summary of relevant regional information to MPAG.

DAFMPAG

The aim is to guide the way progress and issues around extension and education and collaboration is collected, collated and shared to assist with decision-making. This information is needed for Paddock to Reef reporting and could also be used to discuss effectiveness of extension and education programs and help in planning future delivery.

16. Use the Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework to provide regional information to MPAG on the type of extension activities, progress against targets, gaps, needs and issues and use this in the annual facilitated reflection process.

Extension and education deliverersOrganisations with the Regional coordinator role

The intention is for extension and education deliverers to provide a summary of regional extension and education delivery and outcomes to regional stakeholders and MPAG. It is not to duplicate reporting requirements, rather to ensure a summary of reported information sent to MPAG.


Purpose

The purpose of the Reef Plan 2013 Extension and Education Strategy Update and Implementation guide (Extension and Education Strategy Update) is to provide a framework for the delivery and coordination of extension and education to maximise the uptake of management practices and systems that maximise water quality improvements for the Great Barrier Reef while maintaining and enhancing resilience, business performance and environmental outcomes.

This Extension and Education Strategy Update provides a framework for a common understanding of the role and practice of education and extension for this purpose and to facilitate cooperation and collaboration between stakeholders to maximise Reef Plan outcomes within available resources.

It updates the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan Extension and Education Strategy 20103 (2010 Extension and Education Strategy) and provides guidance on its implementation.

This document builds on the strong base of the original strategy and takes into account changes in the extension and education landscape, government policy and funding, advances in scientific consensus and industry initiatives. The original strategy provides significant background and direction that remains relevant and should be referred to in conjunction with this update.

3 Stockwell B (2010) Reef Water Quality Protection Plan Extension and Education Strategy 2020 Focus on best practice. Queensland Government www.reefplan.qld.gov.au



Background

2010 Extension and Education StrategyThe Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan) was first introduced in 2003 to address the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef from adjacent catchments, primarily aimed at non-point source pollutants from broad-scale agricultural land uses. A revised version of Reef Plan, endorsed in 2009, identified a need for continued action to provide coordinated extension and education services to landholders to increase the uptake of land management practices to improve Reef water quality. Under Reef Plan 2009, there was a specific action which aimed to review and reset the strategic framework for extension and education in order to accelerate the adoption of land management practices that maximise Reef water quality improvements. A review was conducted in 2009 into extension and education services throughout the Great Barrier Reef catchments and, based on this, the Reef Plan Extension and Education Strategy 2010 was developed and endorsed.

The 2010 strategy provided the overarching principles for coordinating and delivering extension and education services to achieve best practice land management and contribute towards Reef Plan targets. The goal of this strategy was to outline the priorities for extension and education services to achieve the management practice targets, to halt and reverse declining water quality from rural catchments, and be recognised for its efficiency and connectivity. The 2010 strategy distinguished between the water quality targets and management practice targets—with the underlying link that changes in the latter would positively impact on the former. In essence, extension and education can only focus on changing practices. The 2010 strategy was implemented via a pilot project in 2011–2012 and has been rolled out more broadly since.

Reef Plan 2013In 2013 a new Reef Plan4 was released and new actions have been identified for the next five years, with a focus on working more closely with industry through extension, incentives and Best Management Practice programs to accelerate the uptake of improved practices. This approach will include a much more coordinated and integrated effort at the regional level. Extension is explicitly mentioned as one of the key voluntary adoption methods needed to proactively engage landholders and engender change towards practices and systems that achieve cost effective reductions in pollutant loss. By working in conjunction with complementary Best Management Practice and incentives/grants programs, extension will contribute to achieving the land and catchment management targets by 2018:

• 90 percent of sugarcane, horticulture, cropping and grazing lands are managed using best management practice systems (soil, nutrients and pesticides) in priority areas

• minimum of 70 per cent late season dry season groundcover on grazing lands

• the extent of riparian vegetation is increased

• there is no net loss of the extent, and an improvement in the ecological processes and environmental values, of natural wetlands.

These targets were calculated to contribute to these water quality targets (by 2018):

• at least a 50 per cent reduction in anthropogenic end-of-catchment dissolved inorganic nitrogen loads in priority areas

• at least a 20 per cent reduction in anthropogenic end-of-catchment loads of sediment and particulate nutrients in priority areas

• at least a 60 per cent reduction in end-of-catchment pesticide loads in priority areas.

4 www.reefplan.qld.gov.au



Update of Extension and Education StrategyIn responding to this challenge, Action 5 of Reef Plan 2013 aims to deliver targeted and coordinated extension, Best Management Practice and incentive activities to maximise uptake of management practices and systems. This Extension and Education Strategy Update is a deliverable under Action 5 of Reef Plan 2013 and takes into account changes in the extension and education landscape, government policy and funding, advances in scientific consensus and industry initiatives. It is the result of a review of the original 2010 Extension and Education Strategy.

It was initiated by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and undertaken under the guidance of the Management Practice Advisory Group (MPAG) in 2014. The pilot project implementing the 2010 strategy concluded that the principles in the strategy were sound and provided a good framework for enhancing extension delivery and coordination. This document provides recommendations for implementing the 2010 strategy principles in light of changes in the Reef Plan landscape.

Scope

Reef Plan extension and education refers to the range of extension and education programs, projects and activities delivered in the six Queensland Great Barrier Reef regions (Cape York, Wet Tropics, Burdekin, Mackay Whitsunday, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary) that directly or indirectly target practice change in agricultural enterprises that will contribute to improved water quality outcomes. This includes extension and education delivery by government (DAF), the relevant Natural Resource Management bodies, industry and environmental non-government organisations with funding coming from a range of sources including the Australian and Queensland governments, industry producer levies and private sources. The major programs under the Reef Plan extension and education umbrella at the time of this Extension and Education Strategy Update are:

• the Australian Government funded Reef Water Quality Grants Programme (with an integrated extension approach) managed by Natural Resource Management bodies

• DAF Reef Water Quality Extension projects

• Industry Best Management Practice (BMP) (SmartCane, Grazing, Grains, Banana), Farm Management Systems (FMS) (Growcom) and Dairying Better ‘n’ Better (Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation) programs.

There are other organisations, programs and activities that provide extension or education that contribute towards Reef Plan outcomes.

Extension and education therefore complements —and is a key component of—other government and industry initiatives (including Reef Water Quality Grants and Best Management Practice frameworks) to continually improve farming practices to maximise water quality outcomes for the Great Barrier Reef. Extension and education provides awareness, understanding, engagement and facilitation to assist co-learning, develop capacity and support effective practice change in a sustainable way. New initiatives including the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan and Reef Trust will also contain extension and education components and have flagged the need to bring programs and activities together to ensure greater coordination, efficiency and effectiveness.


This document focuses on the extension and education component of programs addressing farm practices while recognising the interplay between extension and education, grants, Best Management Practice/Farm Management System approaches in facilitating practice change. It does not seek to advise how grants or Best Management Practice/Farm Management System programs should be administered but does address coordination/collaboration of the extension and education components directed towards management practice change to maximise their collective effectiveness. Given that extension and education programs are being funded and delivered through a range of programs and organisations with their own objectives, approaches, milestones and resource commitments, this Extension and Education Strategy Update guides how the extension and education components can best collaborate, be better targeted and undertake those activities for the best outcomes for Great Barrier Reef water quality. The aim is to maximise the

effective integration of these approaches through regional and state level coordination.

The Extension and Education Strategy Update is concerned with improving water quality outcomes in the context of a holistic approach to enabling best management farming practices on farms and properties in the Reef catchments. The holistic approach is about maximising water quality outcomes whilst ensuring productive and profitable agricultural enterprises. As such, changing practices requires an understanding of the value proposition and implications of the changes for the producer. The Extension and Education Strategy Update acknowledges that there are a number of government, industry and other organisations working towards these same outcomes. The aim is to provide a framework for a common understanding of the role and practice of extension and education and to facilitate cooperation and collaboration to maximise outcomes within available resources.

Extension and education roles

DefinitionsExtension and education relate directly to enabling voluntary change—as opposed to change imposed by legislation or regulation or brought about by providing grants/co-funding. As policy instruments, they are best used in conjunction with other approaches. Extension and education can assist producers to be aware of applicable regulation and available grant opportunities and assist them in complying or applying in the change process.

Education is the process of developing awareness and understanding of the need to change (regulatory imperatives or opportunities to improve profitability, enterprise sustainability and/or contribute

to community environmental objectives) and includes activities such as formal training, agricultural economic advice, compliance assistance and incentives advice.

Extension is turning this awareness and understanding into action and involves assisting producers to develop the needed capacity and skills and to evaluate, trial, adopt, integrate, review and innovate to best implement changes in their enterprise context.

A Reef Plan education and extension role is one that is specifically directed towards improving water quality outcomes in the Great Barrier Reef catchments in the context of a holistic approach to improved management practices.


Extension and education rolesThe 2010 Extension and Education Strategy described a series of extension and education methods that are required to achieve the management practice targets of Reef Plan. Given the piloting of the strategy and the changes and initiatives that have occurred since 2010, the current extension and education roles or methods (with more than one role often undertaken by the same individual) needed in the Reef Plan domain include:

• Best Management Practice (BMP)/Farm Management System (FMS)/grant program facilitation encouraging producers to participate in BMP/FMS/grants, facilitating the process and providing information and links to extension and/or education support.

• Training/education workshop facilitation and delivery of training programs (with or without accreditation) supporting BMP/FMS, grant projects and/or skills and understanding in targeted practices.

• Group extension delivery running shed meetings and/or one-off group extension activities around specific topics or needs, also using webinars/social media to engage producers [Best practice coach in 2010 strategy].

• Learning/discussion group facilitation working with new or established on-going farmer groups who meet regularly to learn from each other and explore options for their enterprises [Best practice trainer in 2010 strategy].

• On-farm development overseeing on-farm trials, demonstrations and associated farm walks and field days to develop understanding and trust in practice recommendations and adaptation based on local farming systems [Technical extension officer/trainer in 2010 strategy].

• Technical advice/mentoring one-on-one support for individual action such as development of nutrient management plans, looking at financial implications of changes or product sales support.

• Information support providing technical and economic information in hard copy or via the web, through mass media and/or via tools and decision-support systems.

• Communication ensuring that producers and other stakeholders are aware of needs, where to access information, support and assistance and being kept up to date with activities and outcomes.

• Economic support providing the basis for understanding the economic implications of management practice changes.

The argument is that each of these roles plays an important and complementary task to the other roles. The distinction needs to be made between awareness raising (use of media, newsletters, web sites, webinars, field days, talks at shed meetings), developing skills and understanding (workshops, training days, e-learning) and close engagement to facilitate learning, problem solving, trialling and adoption (learning groups, one-one visits, mentoring, interactive social media). Figure 1 shows the importance of going beyond awareness to provide opportunity for comparing (practicality

5 Botha N and Coutts J (2006) Extension and Consultancy—current thinking. Primary Industry Management Journal New Zealand

Rejection

Ignorance

Awareness Interest Comparison

Testing

Adoption

Figure 1: Stages of the adoption process5


and the value proposition) and adapting to specific farm contexts.

Supporting grower groups who wish to trial and learn from each other is a critical part of the extension and education effort to gain on-farm perspectives and ownership from the producer community. This is consistent with the recognition that producers’ experience, and farm knowledge is important in the process of facilitating positive changes in on-farm management and practices.

Different organisations may be providing different roles—hence the importance of collaboration and coordination. For example, Best Management Program/Farm Management System/grant program facilitators use these programs to assist producers in identifying opportunities for farm improvement. Once identified, there may be a need to seek assistance and training from technical advisors and/or trainer educators from other organisations.

Gaps and additional roles needed A gap evident in the review and identified in the rolling out of the pilot was that of dedicated regional coordination. Some good coordination is happening in some industry programs and within some catchments. To ensure the effective on-going coordination of extension and education activities across reef catchments, this type of role is central:

• Reef Plan Extension and Education Regional Coordinator (Regional coordinator) role—a role with a mandate and responsibility to facilitate collaboration between programs with an extension and education function (including grants and Best Management Practice/Farm Management System programs) and sharing of information within and across industries within a Great Barrier Reef region.

Ideally, this would be a dedicated position within the priority areas6. This will have to be negotiated

6 Priority areas as per the 2013 Scientific Consensus Statement www.reefplan.qld.gov.au

with stakeholders on a region by region basis to reflect different regional needs, capacity and resources available. It may mean broadening the role of staff currently facilitating collaboration at a project level, reallocation of current roles or modifying existing roles to incorporate this role as a key component. The role could sit within government, a Natural Resource Management body or industry and could be jointly funded. It is important the role is recognised and supported by the organisations in the region. Key responsibilities for the role would include:

• Being aware of the different extension and education needs and mechanisms (regional targets, high risk sub-catchments, priority pollutants and management practice changes required) of the region in relation to management practices that impact on water quality outcomes—and the different organisations and activities working in this area.

• Working with the providers of extension and education (including Best Management Practice/Farm Management System/grant programs including providers who are working on relevant projects which are outside of the scope of Reef Plan) to map activities and seek opportunities for collaboration and cooperation—as well as identifying gaps and future opportunities.

• Coordinating opportunities for identified training and capacity building needs for producers and delivery staff across different organisations and regional boundaries.

• Collating regional information and providing it to extension and education deliverers, industry and MPAG on education and extension activities in priority areas, reported impacts (use of grants, capacity and practice changes) using standardised data sets and supporting existing Paddock to Reef reporting, and gaps and issues that need to be addressed.

• Providing input into regional calendars, facilitating annual reflection of industry programs and providing other coordination support as able.




This role and that of the state-level regional coordinating body (MPAG) would be much assisted by having stronger access to the information generated through the Paddock to Reef program to provide the information/analytical support needed for regional and state planning and decision-making. This may require jointly supporting an extra position/support in the Paddock to Reef team through re-allocation of current funding. This extra capacity would assist in collecting relevant information for Paddock to Reef reporting by working with the Regional

coordinators to ensure outcomes from extension and education activity are captured as well as feeding relevant information on practice adoption back to Regional coordinators and MPAG so they can use it for decision making.

MPAG would then be in a position to better highlight progress, gaps and needs and negotiate with organisations to work better together to address those issues.

Targets

Investment in extension and education programs and activities is based on the notion that the investment will yield:

1. a higher rate of adoption in targeted practices than would have occurred without the intervention

2. a greater geographical and demographic spread of adoption—accessing individuals and localities that may otherwise have not engaged

3. a better application of adopted practices—outcomes being more effective than they

might have been without the extension and education support.

This is demonstrated in Figure 2 which shows the gains that can be achieved by effective investment in extension and education over and above ‘business as usual’. The left vertical axis is the percentage of producers to whom a change is relevant and the horizontal axis refers to the time period over which change occurs.

There is also the added value of including feedback from extension engagement into catchment modelling to better inform planning and directing future extension investment towards higher priority areas—a benefit to industry and the science community.

Extension and education impact directly on capacity and practice change. The targeted practices are based on research, science and experience which determine the correlation between these practices and desired outcomes—such as improvements in water quality. Because of this, extension and education targets should be described in terms of the extent of targeted practice changes which contribute to the higher level Reef Plan water quality targets.

100%

0%1 Year 20 Years

Coutts J&R 2013

10 Years

Increasedrate ofuptake

Increasedreach and

peak

Increased effectivenessof application andbenefits arising

50%

Figure 2: Gains from investment in extension and education over and above ‘business as usual’

Reef Plan management targetsExtension, education, grants and Best Management Practices/Farm Management System work together to facilitate practice change. Each adds value to the others. Change is also a step by step process and, as such, the Reef Plan management practice targets (page 7) should be seen as aspirational targets guiding the extension and education objectives, activities and reporting. As more detailed monitoring and evaluation data are gathered, then priorities can be identified and targets modified. Some regions have already established regional targets or are in the process of establishing/refining targets.

Regional targetsAllocation of extension resources and effort should be guided by the priority regions and industries identified in the 2013 Scientific Consensus Statement7 (and modified as updates become available). Regional priorities should be based on at-risk areas identified in Natural Resource Management Regional Plans (i.e. through Water Quality Improvement Plans) developed through the Natural Resource Management bodies in consultation with their stakeholders—taking into account the latest science as it pertains to their catchments.

Practice targets should be negotiated based on need and capacity of the extension and education services to deliver. They should be based on the priority needs, how these are being covered in the range of existing programs, gaps identified and strategies to address them. Regional targets should be developed together with the major Reef Plan extension delivery programs or organisations operating in the region (in the context of their own specific contracted targets, informed by data from Paddock to Reef and program commitments) and inform the development/target setting of Natural Resource Management plans or as a source of credible evidence.

7 www.reefplan.qld.gov.au

They should be couched as ‘SMART’8 objectives for each industry targeted in the format of engagement/improved capacity (numbers and area), adoption and water quality outcomes (example only):

Over the next (three years) Reef Plan extension and education objectives in (the cane industry) in this region are to:

• develop awareness of needs and opportunities across the 500 enterprises in the targeted area

• increase understanding and skills covering (100 enterprises, 5000 hectares of cane lands/tonnes of cane) in the high risk sub-catchments of (identified catchments)

• work with (30 enterprises, 2000 hectares) resulting in one or more changes in the targeted practices of (specific practice areas in line with the targets)

• leading to an expected benefit of (increased productivity/profitability of XX amount; reduction in pollutant load/improvement in water quality of XX amount) in the (nominated sub-catchment).

This would also inform the reporting of progress by the different deliverers at a regional/catchment level and feed into the Paddock to Reef monitoring, modelling and Report Cards. Figure 3 (page 14) illustrates how regional/catchment targets can be used to identify priorities for extension and education delivery and the range of delivery programs (extension and education, Best Management Practice, grants etc.) contributing to practice change and progress towards regional and Reef Plan targets.

8 Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Realistic – Time bound



Regional Level State Level

Paddock to ReefCapacity

gainsPractice changes

Best Management Practice/Farm Management

System

Grants

Extension and education

Reef Plan water quality targets

Reef Plan land and catchment management targets

Regional/catchment targets(i.e. Water Quality Improvement Plans, Natural Resource Management plans)

Information used to identify extension and education priorities, gaps, opportunities

Targeting practices and producersSpecific practice targets for Reef Plan extension and education should be based on the Reef Water Quality Risk Framework (currently available for grazing and cane) developed through the Paddock to Reef program. They should be prioritised based on those practices relevant to the industry and region/catchment with the objective to move practices from the moderate to high risk categories to the low to very low risk categories.

This framework is based on the 2013 Scientific Consensus Statement and has been mapped to the Grazing Best Management Practices program, SmartCane Best Management Practices program and ABCD frameworks. Until the Water Quality Risk Framework has

been developed for horticulture, targets should be based on moving practices identified as impacting on water quality in the Growcom Farm Management System and other Best Management Practice programs from below industry standard to industry standard and above.

The issue is not one of targeting the ‘middle 60 per cent’ (producers who do not regularly participate in extension and education programs) as such, but rather targeting those producers who most impact on the identified priorities in the nominated catchments/regions—regardless of their former level of interaction with extension and education programs. This would include engaging those in priority areas who have had limited interaction with extension and education programs.

Figure 3: Progress towards Reef Plan targets


Building extension capacity

It is noted that there is market failure (a lack of resources and staff allocation in the non-government sector) in the core roles of:

• group extension deliverer

• learning group facilitator

• on-farm development practitioner

• technical adviser/mentors.

Although there are a range of private and industry extension providers, changing industry structures and government priorities means there are fewer extension deliverers actively engaged in facilitating learning/discussion groups (different from shed meetings and workshops) and undertaking on-farm trials and demonstrations where water quality outcomes are a focus (along with productivity). The importance of these pro-active on-farm oriented activities in facilitating management practice change means they need to be strengthened as a key part of the extension/education mix of activities.

For this reason, DAF staff will continue to be critical in the short to medium term in providing input into pro-active extension activity with a focus on water quality outcomes—especially in the area of group and on-farm development activities under Reef Plan. To allow private providers and industry extension groups to increasingly take on this role, training and resources will need to be provided in the future to allow (extra) staff to provide this focus in addition to other industry and producer demands. There are already precedents where Natural Resource Management bodies have contracted private and industry bodies to undertake such extension activities and where government has provided funds for positions within other organisations.

There is an issue of on-going capacity building in both relevant extension and technical skills for people undertaking extension roles under Reef Plan. Key capacities to be supported and developed include:

• Planning and undertaking extension and education programs and activities—including underlying theory and practice of delivery and working with demand-driven extension approaches.

• Understanding the practices that impact on Reef water quality (for example as included in the Reef Water Quality Risk Framework used by the Paddock to Reef program) and the implications for prioritising extension and reporting practice change resulting from extension.

• Understanding the science behind the practices and the technical and economic implications of changes at farm and industry levels and the implications for working with producers.

• Having the technical agronomic knowledge and skills to provide training and support in the priority practice areas.

• Training, facilitation and mentoring skills—how best to work with groups and individuals to enable them to best learn, contribute and apply learning to their own enterprise.

• Use of new technologies such as webinars, on-line videos, apps and other tools to assist producers (and advisers) in accessing information, record keeping and applying it in their context [use of new technology (and understanding of it) is also needed by producers and extension/education needs to be able to provide this support as well].

• Monitoring and evaluation planning, implementation and reporting.



Providers of skills in these areas should be identified and opportunities provided to extension and education staff to develop these skills. As noted earlier, the proposed Regional coordinator role would be instrumental in identifying needs and facilitating opportunities for such training. Given that some organisations already provide some of this training and mentoring to their own staff, there is an

opportunity to expand such training to make it (more) open to staff from other organisations.

A guide to key capacities and providers should be developed and circulated to organisations providing extension and education services and roles. This should include a list of key capacities for extension staff to be able to rate their own level of competence/confidence and progress they make through training and mentoring.

Collaboration—ReefNet Framework

Background—ReefNetReefNet was described in the 2010 Extension and Education Strategy as an enhanced networked government model for coordinating and delivering extension and education services under Reef Plan. It envisaged a systematic linking from grower clusters to district server hubs to regional router hubs/industry Reef portals that was coordinated by a Reef-wide domain coordinator.

There was a strong emphasis on collaboration and networking at all levels, between organisations, sectors, with a ReefNet model to guide this. It was based around champions at the local level to facilitate sharing at individual and group level with an enhanced role for Natural Resource Management groups in bringing together service delivery representatives in a hub to maximise coordination of effort. Links would be made between the different industry and issue groups and committees to guide the overall effort.

The ReefNet model does not yet operate in a comprehensive fashion. There is currently no effective platform or network operating across all programs and organisations involved in providing extension and education in the Great Barrier Reef catchments. The Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 2010 Extension and Education Strategy pilot sought to

implement improved collaborative platforms in the pilot regions with mixed success. It proposed a modification to the model based on existing industry groups at district and catchment levels, linking to regional commodity groups and a multi-commodity group which then linked to a Reef-wide advisory group. It emphasised the value of a network structure that was flexible and tailored to local industry nuances and current projects. New groups were needed only where there were gaps and broadening the role of existing groups where possible was the preferred option. One recommendation was to have a dedicated facilitator and operating budget. The Management Practices Advisory Group was seen as the logical statewide group that could have a key role in coordinating Reef Plan extension and education activity.

Regional levelThere are a range of collaborative platforms operating within industries under the Reef Plan umbrella. The Australian Government Reef Water Quality Grants Programme has technical and selection panels drawn from a range of stakeholders as well as contracts with other organisations to deliver on the grants and associated extension program. Industry and government have come together to fund and deliver on Best Management Practice/Farm Management System programs.


There are regional committees addressing technical issues in the sugar industry. There are some examples of committees at a regional level taking a broader industry view. There are gaps between extension delivery programs that need to be addressed while avoiding duplication and maximising synergies.

The Reef Plan Extension and Education Regional Coordinator role is one way to fill this need. This role would assist in facilitating the planning process and working with programs and organisations to collaboratively address and report on the targets in the priority Great Barrier Reef catchments. This role would need to be negotiated on a region by region basis, taking into account regional differences in delivery models, resources and capacity.

Depending on how this role was undertaken (dedicated position/person, modified job description of existing staff), this function might be undertaken within DAF, a Natural Resource Management body or an industry group. Guidelines would be developed around the setting of targets, extent of buy-in by the deliverers, evidence of collaborative activities and increased synergies, and reporting of progress. The emphasis should be on industry-based collaborative meetings at regional or catchment level—with the state coordinating group taking a more multi-industry focus.

Processes to address collaboration and information sharing within this context are:

• Using the Natural Resource Management regional planning and reporting process to bring together delivery organisations to more effectively address water quality outcomes: This is described in the previous section and aims to bring extension and education deliverers, Best Management Practice/Farm Management System and grants facilitators in the catchment together to agree on needs, priorities and targets and plan how they will meet these targets together.

• Regular meetings around Best Management Practice/Farm Management System programs: These meetings should be led by the organisation responsible for delivery in the region and include industry, Reef Water Quality Grants Programme regional representatives, DAF extension deliverers and others with a potential role in supporting the program through training or other extension support. The focus should be on progress to date, identified needs and matching activities to needs. This could inform reporting to the Paddock to Reef program and MPAG.

• Annual regional reporting and reflection workshop: This workshop should include producer representatives and extension and education delivery teams from the different programs and industries. They should be structured around learning across organisations and programs—what worked, what did not, where the needs are and what we can do better together. External facilitation is an advantage.

• Online Reef Plan extension and education calendar of events, directory of training and service providers and list of/links to resources: This should be regionally relevant and searchable by industry and topic—and include links to programs. It could also provide an opportunity for on-line discussion and sharing of ideas. This could build on—or be informed by—existing calendars.


State/cross-catchment levelThere are a range of collaborative platforms at cross-regional, state and national levels which provide a framework for strategic direction setting. One of the key responsibilities for MPAG is providing a support role for the Reef Plan Extension and Education Strategy (under Action 4 and 5 of Reef Plan, which encompasses Best Management Practices, extension and education and grants). This function clearly identifies its role and contribution to the overall activities and water quality objectives in Great Barrier Reef regions.

To fulfil this role, the state level coordination group requires a number of elements:

1. Appropriate membership: To be able to provide advice on strategic direction, MPAG requires membership from the main funders and deliverers of extension and education (multi-industry) including those who are responsible for outcomes and can impact on resource allocation and priorities. The Paddock to Reef team should also be represented to provide updates and results from across the Great Barrier Reef regions.

2. Focus on management practices that also address water quality outcomes: Ensure there are adequate, well-resourced and staffed proactive extension and education activities directed at achieving practice change in priority regions, industries and practices. The aim is to ensure this policy instrument fully fulfils its niche and potential.

3. Information: To be able to provide strategic guidance, MPAG will require structured and collated information about extension and education priority industries, regions, sub-catchments and practices; extension and education regional targets; programs working towards these targets and the available resources and staffing—and the gaps; extent of collaboration and synergies; progress made and barriers and needs being identified in delivery and adoption. Paddock to Reef information would also inform MPAG.

4. Resources: By identifying gaps and needs, MPAG will be able to provide evidence-based reasons to advise on the priorities, allocation of resources and activities undertaken by member organisations.

5. Direct linkages with the regions: As well as having organisational representatives of funders and delivering organisations, MPAG needs direct links to the regional activities. This would come from having the role/part role of Reef Plan Extension and Education Regional Coordinator.

6. Review and reflection: An annual review and reflection should be undertaken with the MPAG members to look at impact they have had, progress and gaps in the extension and education system, and to plan ahead.


Monitoring and evaluation system

In the targets section (page 13), this strategy emphasises the need for regional targets to be set against priority practices that impact on water quality. These would provide a basis for evaluating and reporting on progress to funders and the Paddock to Reef program. To enable ease of collation of data between industries and regions—and effective reporting to the Paddock to Reef program and MPAG—a consistent monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework will be needed. The Paddock to Reef information support role could work with Regional coordinators to ensure the necessary data is collected. Regional coordinators could use this data to assist with regional decision making and provide regional information on extension and education delivery and outcomes to MPAG.

This framework should be based around capturing gains in capacity and practice change in farm/land management practices that contribute to improved water quality outcomes. This includes those identified in the Reef Water Quality Risk Framework (or horticulture Best Management Practice/Farm Management System programs where these are not yet mapped to the Framework) and targeted in regional industry programs in relation to industry and regional priorities. It should link these gains to number of enterprises, hectares and sub-catchments involved, and highlight gaps, needs and issues. Key headings would include:

• extension and education activities undertaken in region/catchment during period

• collaborative actions undertaken

• extent of engagement through collective activities—by industry, number of enterprises, hectares, location (sub-catchments) and practices as per the Reef Water Quality Risk Framework (or industry equivalent)

• evidence of capacity change (increased understanding, skills, intention to implement new practices)

• reporting of extent and types of practice change—against Reef Water Quality Risk Framework (or industry equivalent) supported by documented changes, narratives and case studies

• issues, gaps and needs—what are helping/hindering changes, where the gaps are and what is needed to better support change through education and extension.

The aim is to capture the extent of movement from higher to lower water quality risk practices in each priority sub-catchment over time. Baselines of these practices are being captured through the Paddock to Reef program and through industry Best Management Practice/Farm Management System programs but also may need to be supplemented by targeted practice surveys.

The intention is not to develop a data management tool across industries and regions, but to capture a summary of the information being collected for Paddock to Reef reporting from the different programs and projects operating in each region, in a simplified format. The key is consistency in which the information is provided.

The organisations within the regions with the responsibility for the Regional coordinator role would be best placed to:

• collate this regional information across the various deliverers in their region

• evaluate outcomes against nominated practice targets by region, sub-catchment and industry in hectares

• adjust this information to account for overlap between reporting programs.

This information will assist with Paddock to Reef reporting as well as providing the basis for information sharing with and decision making by MPAG.


Glossary of terms

ABCD framework—a management practice framework used for reporting practice changes under the Paddock to Reef program. These are generally developed for each industry and used by regional Natural Resource Management groups.

Banana Best Management Practice (BMP)—the best management practices program for the banana industry, led by the Australian Banana Growers Council and DAF.

Dairying Better ‘n’ Better—the management practice program for the dairy industry led by the Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation.

Education—the process of developing awareness and understanding of the need to change (regulatory imperatives or opportunities to improve profitability, enterprise sustainability and/or contribute to community environmental objectives) and includes activities such as formal training, agricultural economic advice, compliance assistance and incentives advice.

Extension—the process of turning this awareness and understanding into action involving assisting producers to develop the needed capacity and skills and to evaluate, trial, adopt, integrate, review and innovate to best implement changes in their enterprise context.

Extension and Education Strategy—the original 2010 Extension and Education Strategy was developed to provide the overarching principles for the coordination and delivery of extension and education services to achieve best practice land management and contribute towards Reef Plan targets.

Grains Best Management Practice (BMP)—the best management practices program for the grains industry, led by AgForce Queensland, Fitzroy Basin Association and DAF.

Grazing Best Management Practice (BMP)—the best management practices program for the beef industry, led by AgForce Queensland, Fitzroy Basin Association and DAF.

Growcom Farm Management System (FMS)—the farm management systems program for horticulture.

Holistic approach—maximising water quality outcomes whilst ensuring productive and profitable agricultural enterprises.

Paddock to Reef program—the Reef Plan integrated monitoring, modelling and reporting program.

Management Practices Advisory Group (MPAG)—a multi-stakeholder Reef Plan advisory group providing advice on increasing the adoption of management practices to progress Reef Plan targets.

Natural Resource Management (NRM) plan—plans developed by regional Natural Resource Management groups outlining key natural resources in their region, threats and abatement measures.

ReefNet—a concept proposed in the 2010 Extension and Education Strategy as an enhanced networked government model for the coordinated delivery of extension and education services under Reef Plan.

Reef Plan—a joint commitment of the Australian and Queensland governments designed to improve the quality of water in the Great Barrier Reef though improved land management in reef catchments.

Reef Water Quality Risk Framework— a framework that has been developed for the sugarcane and grazing industries listing practices in terms of risk to Reef water quality (low, medium, high risk etc.). This framework is used for reporting management practice adoption through the Paddock to Reef program.


SmartCane Best Management Practice (BMP)—the best management practices program for the sugarcane industry, led by the CANEGROWERS organisation.

Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIP)—plans developed by regional Natural Resource Management groups to identify water quality issues and prioritise future investment and/or effort.

Acronyms

BMP Best Management Practice

DAF Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

FMS Farm Management System

GBR Great Barrier Reef

MPAG Management Practices Advisory Group

NRM Natural Resource Management

RTO Registered Training Organisation

SMART Descriibes performance measures: Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Realistic – Time bound

WQIP Water Quality Improvement Plan

www.reefplan.qld.gov.au Extension and Education Strategy Update DPC4

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Documents

Reef Water Quality Protection Plan: Extension and ... · Scope 8 Extension and education roles 9 Targets 12 ... Plan Extension and Education Strategy (2010) and takes into account