Could the Influence of Monitor Farm Programmes on Practice Change Be BETTER? Lessons from Sheep Farmers and Advisors in Ireland

Autor/inn/en	Mulkerrins, M. J.; Gottstein, M.; Gorman, M.; Russell, T.; Ryan, M.; Lynch, M. B.
Titel	Could the Influence of Monitor Farm Programmes on Practice Change Be BETTER? Lessons from Sheep Farmers and Advisors in Ireland
Quelle	In: Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 29 (2023) 5, S.653-678 (26 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Mulkerrins, M. J.) ORCID (Gorman, M.) ORCID (Russell, T.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1389-224X
DOI	10.1080/1389224X.2022.2125409
Schlagwörter	Animal Husbandry; Agricultural Occupations; Animals; Productivity; Money Management; Change; Program Effectiveness; Foreign Countries; Extension Education; Ireland + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Tierhaltung; Agriculture; Occupation; Landwirtschaft; Beruf; Landwirtschaftlicher Beruf; Animal; Tier; Tiere; Produktivität; Wandel; Ausland; Erweitertes Bildungsangebot; Irland
Abstract	Purpose: To examine the influence of monitor farm programmes on practice change using the Irish BETTER farm sheep programme as a case study. Methodology: A mixed methods approach combining 16 semi-structured and 69 structured interviews with benchmarking data analysis. Findings: Provision of intensive, tailored advice helped support practice change on the participating monitor farms. They increased productivity through changes in management practices, which positively impacted on financial performance. Monitor farmers also positively influenced members of their associated discussion groups to make practice changes. Practical Implications: Practical recommendations for similar programmes are discussed such as the need for different and additional extension approaches to influence and support the adoption of more complex practices and the potential for greater input from farmers into the design and implementation of extension programmes. Theoretical Implications: From a practice change perspective evaluating the influence of a more structured participatory extension programme (PEP) on a participating farmer is easier than the evaluation of the influence of the PEP on the wider farming community, particularly when the evaluation is not incorporated into the original programme design. Originality: Adding to the relatively small number of PEP evaluations in developed countries, the influence of monitor farm programmes on both the monitor farmer and their associated discussion group peers is examined for a wide range of practices using a mixed methods approach. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01