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On the Effectiveness of Participatory Research in Agriculture

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On the Effectiveness of Participatory Research in Agriculture On the Effectiveness of Participatory Research in Agriculture J Jennings Doctor of Philosophy Thesis 2005 University of Western ydney " J Jennings, 2005 Dedication This thesis is dedicated to all farming families (custodians of our natural resources) who dare to embrace the great challenge of change for the better of all in their own lives, communities, and industries. I owe much to Rufus for patiently behaving himself on farms throughout New outh Wales, for his ability to stic, in farmer-s minds so they could, by association, remember who on earth I was, and for his unswerving loyalty as navigator throughout our seemingly endless road trips. Acknowledgements In completing this research I am deeply indebted to my supervisors for their patience, guidance, and, for their e.pertise. In particular I would li,e to than, Alan Andrews, Roger Pac,ham, Tony Dunn, Michael 0riend, and, Nadara1ah ris,andara1ah for loo,ing on from afar. Within the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect I benefited greatly from the time and resources provided by all members of the pro1ect management team and especially its first coordinator Mi,e Ison, John Read who assisted my navigation of government departments, and the two dairy farmer members 2avin Moore and Irene Carle for ,eeping all our feet firmly on the ground. The Profitable Pastures Pro1ect depended upon the good will of dairy farmers and their local communities, and I am grateful for their enthusiasm in contributing to the pro1ect either individually or within their collective Regional Dairy 2roups across New outh Wales. I am similarly than,ful to the institutions that made this research possible including Dairy Australia, the Dairy Industry Development Company, the University of Western ydney, Charles turt University and N W Agriculture. tatement of Authentication The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in full or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution. JE JENNIN2 ignature4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Date4 5 5 5 5 ... 5 Table of Contents 6ist of figures and bo.es ii Abbreviations iii Abstract iv Preface vii C7APTER 1 9 INTRODUCTION 10 1.1 Research conte.t 10 1.2 The research :uestion 16 1.3 The PhD-PPP Relationship 20 1.4 Thesis structure 22 C7APTER 2 9 METHODOLOG REVIEW 24 2.1 Choosing :ualitative methodology 24 2.2 Theory-generating versus theory-directed research 32 2.3 Action Research as methodology 33 2.4 E.tension as methodology 43 2.5 Combining methodologies for this research 55 C7APTER 3 9 METHOD SELECTION 58 3.1 Method selection for this thesis 58 3.2 Elements of ethnography 61 3.3 Qualitative research techni:ues 64 3.4 0oucauldian method 68 3.5 ummary of method selection A5 3.6 Ethical conduct and researcher frame of reference AA C7APTER 4 9 PROFITABLE PASTURES PROJECT IN THEOR AND PRACTICE 80 4.1 Birth of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect 80 4.2 E.periences from the field C2 4.3 Transformations from Phase 1 to Phase 2 108 4.4 Case tudies from the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect 112 4.5 The Profitable Pastures Pro1ect in perspective 126 C7APTER 5 9 PRIMAR TIER RESEARCH: LEARNINGS ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF AL/AR WITH NSW DAIR FARMERS 131 5.1 Theoretical distinction between Action 6earning and Action Research 131 5.2 Clarifying the method of A6DAR 145 5.3 Principles of A6DAR for agricultural development 156 5.4 Reflective behaviour and industry accountability 15C 5.5 0armer 0orums 165 C7APTER 6 9 SECONDAR TIER RESEARCH: PARTICIPATION THEOR 1A4 6.1 Why a theory of participationE 1A5 6.2 0our general principles of Participation Theory 1AC 6.3 The Participation Decision 18A 6.4 Applicability of Participation Theory 188 6.5 The Three Modes of A6DAR and Participation Theory 1C2 C7APTER A 9 TERTIAR TIER RESEARCH: THE ORIGIN OF EXTENSION 1C6 A.1 Premise for researching the origin of e.tension 1CA A.2 General History, defining e.tension and locating its origin 1C8 A.3 Archaeology of the origin and history of e.tension 201 A.4 2enealogy of agricultural wisdom 220 C7APTER 8 9 IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS 22C 8.1 Primary tier research implications 230 8.2 econdary tier research implications 236 8.3 Tertiary tier research implications 240 8.4 Conclusion 245 References 248 i List of figures and bo-es Figures 0igure 14 2eography of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 11 0igure 24 Profitable Pastures Pro1ect organisational chart. 13 0igure 34 Theory and practice in the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 16 0igure 44 Research tiers of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 18 0igure 54 Methodologies, methods and their application. 25 0igure 64 Types of action research and their main characteristics 43 0igure A4 Rogers- categorisation of adopters and the sigmoid logistic curve. 46 0igure 84 Pluralist and isolationist methodologies and their methods. 60 0igure C4 Research roles. A6 0igure 104 ample of Regional Dairy 2roup data C5 0igure 114 Rowan-s impact of types of research. CC 0igure 124 Phase 2 logo of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 111 0igure 134 Participation levels at teleconferences and farmer conferences. 11C 0igure 144 Comparison of farmer conferences. 126 0igure 154 Total e.penditure and in-,ind support by Regional Dairy 2roups. 128 0igure 164 Aggregated proportional value of Regional Dairy 2roup pro1ects. 12C 0igure 1A4 chematic illustration of activity levels within the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 130 0igure 184 pectrum of spatial and temporal boundaries. 156 0igure 1C4 Communities of Practice. 16C 0igure 204 Determinants of Participant Commitment Capacity. 1AC 0igure 214 2eneral principle of Participant Commitment Capacity. 180 0igure 224 2eneral principle of Participation. 181 0igure 234 Manifestations of Participatory Cost. 186 0igure 244 2eneral principle of the Participation Decision. 188 0igure 254 Definition of agricultural e.tension applied in this research. 1CC 0igure 264 2rowth of English farming publications 1523 to 1860. 204 Bo-es Bo. 14 E.pected Industry Outcomes of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 14 Bo. 24 PhD Position with the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 21 Bo. 34 Bac,ground to the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 81 Bo. 44 Industry consultation by the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 82 Bo. 54 PPP brochure. 85 Bo. 64 Methodology of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 88 Bo. A4 Method and stages of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. 8C Bo. 84 Transferring results in the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. C0 Bo. C4 Aims, ob1ectives and output of the Profitable Pastures Pro1ect. C1 ii Abbre.iations A0 A Australian 0arming ystems Association A6 Action 6earning A6DAR Action 6earning D Action Research APEN Australasia-Pacific E.tension Networ, AR Action Research C T Critical ystems Theory C U Charles turt University DA Dairy Australia DA00 Department of Agriculture, 0isheries and 0orestry DCP Data Collection Point DIDCO Dairy Industry Development Company DRDC Dairy Research and Development Corporation 0 R 0arming ystems Research 2 T 2eneral ystems Theory I0 A International 0arming ystems Association 6Ddha 6itres per dairy hectare 6T 6eadership Team MFE Monitoring and Evaluation M C Most ignificant Change N W New outh Wales N W Ag N W Agriculture PAR Participatory Action Research PPP Profitable Pastures Pro1ect PPP6T Profitable Pastures Pro1ect 6eadership Team Practical A6DAR Practical Action Research RDFE Research, Development and E.tension RD2 Regional Dairy 2roup Technical A6DAR Technical Action Research TT Technology Transfer U DA United tates Department of Agriculture UW University of Western ydney WUE Water Use Efficiency iii Abstract This thesis e.amines the effectiveness of participatory research processes as a form of agricultural e.tension within the Australian Dairy industry, and specifically, addresses the :uestion4 Does Action Research provide an effective methodology and method(s) for enacting farmer-driven research? The e.periences of the Dairy Australia-funded Profitable Pastures Pro1ect (PPP), delivered to farmers across New outh Wales from 1CCC to 2003, provided the conte.t within which Action Research was assessed. Data were derived from 1ournal records of the researcher-s personal e.periences as a participant-observer, a PhD candidate, and pro1ect coordinator. The other main data sources were industry reports that trac,ed the progress, outputs and outcomes of PPP. A three tiered research framewor,, consisting of Primary, econdary and Tertiary levels was devised as a basis to direct research, and interpret results. The primary tier of research results suggest Action Research is an effective tool for enacting farmer-driven research, although a variety of procedural modifications to the method of delivery are suggested. These include4 (1) the clarification and consistent usage of terms within participatory research and e.tension methods (eg the distinction between Action Learning and Action esearchG (2) the development of the concepts of spatial and temporal boundaries for use with Action Research processesG and (3) facilitating reflective behaviour within farmer-driven Action Research as a mechanism to achieve local pro1ect and industry accountability. A further finding within the primary tier of research was that dairy farmers were capable of increasing their role in local level learning and research activities, which in PPP were supported by Emancipatory Action Research method and iv related methodology. PPP provided its farmers with an unprecedented share of control over their learning and research agenda and its implementation, which critically included pro1ect resources. As a result these farmers e.perienced higher levels of ownership and responsibility for on-farm change than would have been e.pected from conventional top-down e.tension. This thesis reports a range of e.tension innovations that facilitated an increased role for farmers within industry learning and research processes. These innovations include conferences where farmers play dominant roles in both the conference presentation and audience participation aspects within a professional conference format.
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