PA-DECJAN2017

10 / 36

10
of needs identified by industry
stakeholders, and Arris is eager
to hear from them. While it is
early days, a Project Reference
Group has been established
and will be used as a sounding
board for ideas in terms of
R&D extension.
“We want to use an approach
to this project which is a little
different,” Arris Pty Ltd Senior
Research Officer and Australian
Potato Industry Extension
Project Manager Adrian
Dahlenburg said.
“This is a fresh approach.
We’re strongly committed to
asking industry about their
concerns, their issues and how
we can best develop a program
that services those needs.
“We’re adamant that we’re
going to achieve that objective
of working strongly with
industry, making sure what we
do is matching their needs and
their requirements.”
Learning and understanding
new practices through on-
farm and grower participation
activities has been highlighted
as a key extension method in
this project.
Arris has begun its activities,
Potato growers throughout
Australia are actively seeking
extension activities that will
demonstrate the benefits of
improved growing practices
and new technologies. These
activities must be timely, locally
adapted and delivered in an
easily understandable manner
to be relevant and acceptable
to growers. As a result, the
outcomes of any extension
activity must have the potential
to benefit those participating,
with flow-on benefits to the
wider Australian industry.
Over the next three years,
Adelaide-based Arris Pty Ltd
will coordinate the delivery of
the Potato Industry Extension
Program, and will work closely
with a range of industry
partners throughout the project.
This includes AUSVEG, Hort
Innovation, Potatoes South
Australia, Victorian Farmers
Federation, Potatoes Victoria,
ViCSPA, Potato Growers
Association of Western Australia,
Potato Processors Association of
Australia, HortEx and South East
SA Potato Growers Association.
All extension activities for the
program will be generated out
with Dr Steve Johnson from
the University of Maine visiting
growers in late November. A
crops specialist and extension
professor, Dr Johnson spent
eight days in Australia where
he spoke to potato growers in
Victoria and South Australia
and gave them guidance on
particular topics such as soil
pathogens and soil diseases.
“The best available expertise
and human resources will
be used to deliver extension
activities to industry. The
decision on suitable providers
would be made not only
on technical capability and
subject knowledge, but also
include considerations of the
provider’s delivery capability,
their understanding of the
local production situation and
their respect with the target
audience,” Mr Dahlenburg said.
The extension program will
also create industry awareness
of new and innovative practice
changes arising from national
and international R&D programs
that project partners consider
to be of potential value to the
Australian industry. When
practical, international and
national experts could be
engaged by the project to work
in the field with growers to
demonstrate beneficial practice
changes suited to the local
production environment.
In addition, two web-based
registers have been established
to assist Arris in capturing the
extension ideas from industry
and to identify potential
extension service providers for
the project.
These registers can be
accessed at:
extension (for extension
service providers).
stakeholders (for stakeholder
registration and extension
ideas registration).
Mr Dahlenburg added
that Arris welcomes and
encourages inputs and
comments on the project
from industry stakeholders
at any time.
“There will invariably be
varying opinions expressed
of many items and we may
not be able to pick up on all
requests, however our aim
is to have a listening ear,
develop good consensus
programs and develop
acceptable compromises
when necessary.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING R&D INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO POTATO
GROWERS, AGRONOMISTS AND PROCESSORS IS KEY TO ENSURING THE INDUSTRY CAN
IMPLEMENT THE RESULTS OF LEVY-FUNDED PROJECTS ON-FARM. POTATOES AUSTRALIA
PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF A NEW THREE-YEAR POTATO INDUSTRY EXTENSION PROGRAM
THAT WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH INDUSTRY TO MEET GROWER NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS.
Growers to benefit from further potato
industry extension
Potato Industry Extension Program