Using soft systems methodology to support extension program development in the dairy industry

world Concrete world Extension Farming Systems Journal volume 6 number 1 – Industry Forum © Copyright AFBMNetwork http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/science/saws/afbmnetwork/efsjournal/index.htm 125 appropriate risk exposure for the situation the farmer currently faces. From an extension point of view this represents a significant step up in competency. In discussing the challenges associated with this several key issues emerged:  Where would any extension product fit relative to others? Will it just add to the mess?  Is there a shared view of what ‘profitable feeding’ is in the industry?  Developing business management skills is time consuming. Can we afford to do this on a large scale?  Worldviews associated with increasing milk production clashes with the view of much of the industry around maintaining viability and managing risk.  “Due diligence” is required by the extension provider on a farm by farm basis when working at ‘level 4’. This is a costly exercise. Is it a legitimate role for extension?  There is a big difference between someone ‘understanding’ this to then imparting principles to others. Who trains the trainer? A discussion was also had around whose objective it was to see farmers design and implement systems that enable appropriate risk exposure and what assumptions underpin it. It was concluded that key stakeholders were: RD&E investors such as Dairy Australia and Governments, DEC staff, and a small number of farmers who would be demanding it. It was seen as a desirable goal given that it could result in sustainable growth of milk flow, sustainable communities, votes for governments and farmers being more in control of their business. The group was then asked to take these thoughts and use them as a foundation for creating a ‘map’ of the problem situation. To aid this process, participants were guided to think in terms of the following: who are the key players? What resources, tools and activities are employed in this domain? What are the limitations to change? What worldviews underpin/thwart action in this area? The rich picture is shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: rich picture of the problem situation facing the PFS development group Through developing this rich picture the group recognised that we were not facing a shortage of tools or resources to help farmers improve farming systems design the rich picture highlighted a well-serviced industry. We concluded that given the relatively poor financial performance of the industry over the last 15 years (ABARE 2005), the issue related more to the quality of dairy farmers’ risk management strategies captured in the following problem definition: Dairy Farmer Agronomists RDP’s DA Factory field officers Feed company reps