Developing the Capacity of Farmers to Understand and Apply Seasonal Climate Forecasts through Collaborative Learning Processes

Autor/inn/en	Cliffe, Neil; Stone, Roger; Coutts, Jeff; Reardon-Smith, Kathryn; Mushtaq, Shahbaz
Titel	Developing the Capacity of Farmers to Understand and Apply Seasonal Climate Forecasts through Collaborative Learning Processes
Quelle	In: Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 22 (2016) 4, S.311-325 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1389-224X
DOI	10.1080/1389224X.2016.1154473
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Agricultural Occupations; Climate; Prediction; Cooperative Learning; Decision Making; Workshops; Extension Agents; Skill Development; Statistical Analysis; Surveys; Risk Management; Stakeholders; Experiential Learning; Group Discussion; Coding; Summative Evaluation; Case Studies; Australia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Agriculture; Occupation; Landwirtschaft; Beruf; Landwirtschaftlicher Beruf; Klima; Vorhersage; Kooperatives Lernen; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Lernwerkstatt; Schulung; Kompetenzentwicklung; Qualifikationsentwicklung; Statistische Analyse; Survey; Umfrage; Befragung; Risikomanagement; Experiental learning; Erfahrungsorientiertes Lernen; Gruppendiskussion; Codierung; Programmierung; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Australien
Abstract	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. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01