KPCA – Innovation, Adoption and Extension Officer

Summary

This project facilitated the creation of newly developed KPCA position(s), Innovation, Adoption and Extension Managers who have provided, KPCA, KPCA members, MLA, Universities and other commercial organisations with a single point of contact to identify RDEA priorities through the development of property adoption plans.

The project enabled KPCA to reach out to its members who represent 71 pastoral properties covering over 16 million hectares across the Pilbara and Kimberley managing almost 500,000 head of cattle.  

The new position has provided both a resource for members (i.e. individual pastoral companies) and KPCA group resource to develop and submit requests for innovation funding. The project was funded by the KPCA, DPIRD (under the entity Western Australian Agriculture Authority) and the MDC.

Objectives

By March 30th 2021 via the new Innovation, Adoption and Extension Officer(s) the KPCA will have delivered: 

• an annual work plan each year of the project by September 30th and a 3 year work plan to articulate how the objectives on this project will be met
• a private Innovation and adoption strategy for each of its members
• a communication network of members developed and used to share information
• private member innovation/R&D applications developed and submitted to relevant funding body
• KPCA strategy has been influence by the collective needs of the members
• KPCA innovation/R&D applications developed and submitted to relevant funding bodies
• co-ordinate a minimum of 12 visits from industry stakeholders into the field
• undertaken a minimum of 1 day per week of innovation and adoption communication and networking
• 50% of KPCA member properties mapped, sampled for water quality, feed quality and land health.

Key findings

• Adoption plans were completed and the first steps taken towards actioning priorities and developing strategies to support practice changes through grants and strategic partnerships and information dissemination (for example themes discussed at KPCA conferences).

• The need for further external support, both in terms of extension staff and project funding and management support was highlighted as many producers lack the skills and resources to tackle larger initiatives and practice change “projects” in isolation.

• It is hoped that collectively KPCA / DPIRD and MLA can identify strategic initiatives to enable progress at a producer level in the next phases of this initiative.

• Producers, industry groups, Government agencies and Research and Development Corporations found alignment around key outcomes that springboard off a shared understanding and identification of underlying problems/issues and priorities.  This will give them a better chance of supporting producers to make behavioural changes to ultimately change practices.

Benefits to industry

Adoption plans were completed for individual beef enterprises and the first steps taken towards actioning priorities and developing strategies to support practice changes through grants and strategic partnerships and information dissemination.

The process highlighted the need for further external support, both in terms of extension staff and project funding and management support as many producers lack the skills and resources to tackle larger initiatives and practice change “projects” in isolation. 

It is hoped that collectively KPCA / DPIRD and MLA can identify strategic initiatives to enable progress at a producer level in the next phases of this initiative.

MLA action

Areas such as human resources, work, health and safety, rehydration, fire management and improved pastures (including irrigation) have been identified for future action.

• MLA and DPIRD have progressed Producer Demonstration Site programs around Pain Relief and Supplementation.
• MLA and KPCA are pursuing opportunities around irrigated pastures as well as supporting the development of a group to work with the NB2 program.
• In partnership with DPIRD, MLA have identified linkages with Beeflinks.
• There is clear support from KPCA members to continue to engage around the themes; Business Management (including profitability and implementing systems) and; Breeder Management (including improving fertility, weaning rates and reducing calf losses). These themes, coupled with the strategic approach to support adoption provide a clear line of sight to NB2 key pillars.
• • calf wastage
  • low profitability
  • low level of adoption.

Future research

• This position, working in collaboration with MLA and  DPIRD will provide a good industry led outcome for northern producers in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of WA.

• Engagement with NB2 initiatives and the comprehensive literature review being undertaken to underpin NB2 will identify priority research needs for the region. 

Related resources

MLA's EDGE network

Northern Breeding Business (NB2)

Producer tools and calculators