Purpose: This article outlines the emergence of programme teams in the Australian dairy farm sector as a response to counter weaknesses in the institutional environment for agricultural innovation which favours technology adoption/diffusion approaches. Design/methodology/approach: The strengths, weaknesses and risks of different approaches to…

This paper reports on research into the learning aspects of adopting integrated parasite management practices for sheep (IPM-s) applying a workplace learning framework. An analysis of four primary data sources was conducted; a postal survey of Australian wool producers, a Delphi process with IPM-s researchers, focus groups and interviews with wool…

Managing the competing interests of productivity growth, environmental concerns, landscape change and societal expectations presents challenges for agricultural industries. Innovation projects supporting knowledge development to address these challenges often involve partnerships with commercial farms, a methodology which promises much but has…

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION HAS LONG ASSUMED THAT IF FARMERS ARE GIVEN INFORMATION, SOME WILL USE IT, AND THAT IDEAS WILL DIFFUSE FROM INNOVATORS TO OTHER FARMERS. HOWEVER, RESEARCH FINDINGS INDICATE THAT ABOUT 16 PERCENT OF FARMING POPULATIONS USE THE INFORMATION PROVIDED AND THAT WIDESPREAD DIFFUSION MAY TAKE UP TO 10 YEARS. DIFFERING VALUES AND…