Agricultural extension policy and practice in Australia: An overview

Abstract

Rapid change in the provision of agricultural extension services is occurring in all states of Australia. In most states, policies and practices have increasingly been based on considerations of private/public goods, competitive neutrality, user pays and cost recovery. In addition, the delivery of extension has been strongly influenced by changing administrative structures and a change in the paradigm within which the extension community operates. These changes in policy/ideology/paradigm have had major impacts, including a rapid increase in the amount of extension being delivered by the private sector. In this paper we provide an overview of changes and trends in extension policy and practice in Australia, which include: - emphasis on government providing services in public-good areas; - greater involvement of the private sector in the funding and delivery of agricultural extension; - group-based extension activities directed through nationally-based programs; emphasis on development of the human resource in agriculture; and a - growing commitment to participatory processes in extension activities.