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Agricultural Advisory Practice & Theory (AGRI90092)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
A common and important role that agricultural scientists play is supporting farmers to implement strategies for continuous improvement on-farm to achieve sustainability and productivity goals. This subject will provide students with the theory and practice of how to support change on-farm through professional advisory practice.
The subject covers the four main aspects of professional advisory practice in contemporary agriculture: the farmer-advisor relationship; building your professional network/s; ethics in advisory practice; and reflexive praxis (theory-practice). To achieve competency and professionalism in each of these aspects, advisors must understand both the practical strategies for working with farmer clients to achieve on-farm improvements, as well as the theories that support such change processes, including: adult learning approaches (e.g. joint fact finding, sense making, valuing different knowledge/s); dynamics of social network formation (e.g. social learning, social capital); perspectives on ethical practice (e.g. role of trust); and reflexivity (e.g. understanding how to tailor messages and communicate effectively with a range of different people.)
Topics covered in the subject include:
- Key concepts and approaches in agricultural advisory practice and theory to support improvements in farm productivity and sustainability
- Rural social science research theories and methods to understand and work with farmer clients (e.g. segmentation, stakeholder analysis, social network analysis)
- In-depth consideration of the factors influencing farmer decision making (e.g. values, beliefs, worldviews, context)
- The dynamics of social networks in agricultural change and the role of the advisor in facilitating and coordinating collective action for supporting on-farm practice change (e.g. concept of the knowledge and innovation broker)
- Attributes of effective leaders and the role of the professional agricultural advisor in supporting on-farm change
- Design and delivery of effective extensions strategies for a diverse farmer-client base in a whole-farm-systems context (e.g. social media, models of advisory practice)
- Introduction to approaches to strategic development of advisory business models to cater to farmer client needs
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students will
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of theories of farm practice change and the implications for advisory practice design and delivery
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role and capacities of agricultural advisors in supporting farm practice change
- Design and plan advisory support to diverse farmer-clients in a whole-farm-systems context
- Critically reflect on and evaluate and agricultural advice that meets farmer-client needs and sustainable and productive change on-farm
- Assess and apply effective knowledge transfer and communication tools and techniques for supporting farm
Generic skills
- A profound respect for truth, intellectual and professional integrity, and the ethics of scholarship
- Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning
- An ability to derive, interpret and analyse social, technical or economic information from primary and other sources
- Familiarity with appropriate communication technology
- Capacity for creativity and innovation, through the application of skills and knowledge
- Ability to integrate information across relevant disciplines to solve problems in applied situations
- Highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
- Highly developed oral communication skills to allow informed dialogue and liaison with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
- Appreciation of social and cultural diversity from a regional to a global context
- Ability to participate effectively as a member of a team
- Ability to plan work, use time effectively and manage small projects
Last updated: 8 November 2024