ISHS Acta Horticulturae 672: IV International Symposium on Horticultural Education, Extension and Training
COMBINING BIOPHYSICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE TO ACHIEVE CHANGE THROUGH TARGETED EXTENSION |
| Authors: | C.J. Linehan, M.P. Krstic, G. Kaine |
| Keywords: | extension, consumer behaviour theory, qualitative interviewing |
| Abstract:
Water is a limited, precious and essential resource for the horticulture industry. Pressures on growers to sustainably use irrigation water are continually increasing as competition among industries, rural and urban communities and the environment continues to develop. In order to assist the viticulture industry to respond to these pressures, a team at the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (Australia) has been developing an innovative irrigation technique known as Partial Rootzone Drying (PRD). This technique potentially uses only half the irrigation water of current best management irrigation practices. In addition, the technique may maintain or even increase returns from the crop through improvements in quality. Initially it was thought that an extension program that promoted significantly reduced water consumption at no cost to production would be a message viticulturists would enthusiastically embrace. However, a social research study using unstructured interview techniques revealed the adoption of this technique based on the original assumptions was far from assured. Only by combining biophysical science with social science is it possible to increase the impact of biophysical science findings at the farm level. | |
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