Title: Extension of key practice change messages from the GRDC
Soil Biology Initiative (SBI-II) to grain growers
Issue:
“Harnessing the biological potential of cropping soils”, commonly known as the Soil
Biology Initiative II (SBI-II) 2009-14, has funds committed through to 30 June 2014.
SBI-II is structured to deliver outputs aligned to three themes; 1) Monitoring soil
quality for better decision making (www.soilquality.org.au) 2) Management
systems for enhanced nutrient availability and 3) Suppressive Soils: Traits and
Transferability. The key messages emerging from the 16 cross-discipline projects now
requires integration and delivery to grain growers and advisers to raise awareness and
ultimately, to achieve practice change.
Project Description:
This project has been developed to address key recommendations emerging from the
Review of Communication, extension and grower engagement in soil biology (see
below). This review highlighted that SBI-II has made significant in-roads into our
understanding of the significance of soil biota in grain production systems particularly its
role in the timely release of N and P to crops and in suppressing soil-borne diseases such
as Rhizoctonia bare patch and root lesion nematodes. These outcomes, achieved in the
first 3-4 years of the SBI-II (refer to MERI Framework, Outcomes hierarchy, 2010) are
ready to be communicated to farmers to promote practice change over the medium to
long term. The main objective of this project is to raise general awareness and to deliver
clear, consistent and evidence-based recommendations (and tools) emerging from the
SBI-II investment to a wider farmer and adviser audience.
Duration: January-December 2014
Outcome:
Grain growers from all three grain production regions motivated to implement practices that
harness the biological potential of soils within regional limits.
Intermediate outcome:
Growers and their advisers informed, educated and provided with resources that allow them to
integrate the findings of SBI-II into their farm management decisions.
Outputs:
1. Communication and science writing plan developed with the SBI-II communications
project (Porter-Novelli, S Watt), GRDC regional science writers and SBI-II coordinator (P. Mele) (February 2014)
2. Participation and contribution to the GRDC soil biology stakeholder workshop
(February 2014)
3. Assess the usefulness of soil quality website (www.soilquality.org.au) through
engagement with growers, advisers and the state champions appointed on the
project ‘A National Soil Quality Monitoring Framework’ (project leader: Prof Daniel
Murphy) (March 2013)
4. Improve the usefulness (if appropriate) of the soil quality website
(www.soilquality.org.au) as a decision support tool for growers and advisers (April
2014)
5. A document that identifies and collates key messages related to soil quality
improvement and the associated management practices as they emerge from SBI-II
(and predecessor Initiative) working with SBI-II co-ordinator and project leaders
(June 2014)
6. Linkages forged with other programs (eg MPCN), grower groups, Regional Cropping
Solutions Networks (RCSN) and GRDC panels to align needs, messages and
approaches (June 2014)
7. Factsheets (6), regional information packages, applications and tools developed and
tailored to meet regional needs (July 2014)
8. Development and implementation of at least four regionally based technical
workshops and support to groups already with a significant interest in soil biology
utilising the linkages listed in 6 (October 2014)
9. An assessment report evaluating the most effective methods to engage and motivate
growers and advisers on issues related to soil biology and its management
(December 2014)
Proposed Investment: The GRDC expects to invest up to a total of $128,000 for 12 months in
this project covering all three GRDC regions.
Applying:
Applications must:

Be submitted using the GRDC Multi-stage Tender Form.

Include a detailed budget outlining the potential investment from all parties and defining the
funds sought in each year of the project.
Specific Selection Criteria:
Evaluation of the tender will take into account the Selection Criteria tabulated below.
Tenderers must address all of the generic selection criteria.
Criteria 1
Criteria 2
Criteria 3
Criteria 4
Criteria 5
Criteria 6
Criteria 7
Presentation of a clear plan on how the task(s) will be undertaken
including a detailed budget.
A sound understanding of the nature and importance of the tender to the
Australian grains industry (SBI-II investment, MERI framework)
Soundness of the extension approaches to be employed including
evidence of success in terms of end-user engagement and practice
change. Novel approaches are encouraged.
Demonstrated ‘know-how’ related to the capture, collation and
interpretation of complex technical information
Excellent track record of the project supervisor and of all key personnel in
extension activities resulting in practice change
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with a variety of
stakeholders from program participants (eg SBI-II scientists) to advisers
to grain growers.
The cost effectiveness and value for money of the tender response,
including cash and/or in-kind commitments from the applicants and
leverage in the form of domestic or international linkages that are useful,
if not essential, to progress the project
Mandatory
Mandatory
Mandatory
Mandatory
Mandatory
Mandatory
Mandatory
Procurement Method:
Closing Date:
Contact Details:
Multi-stage Tender
Monday 13 January 2013 at 1700 EDST
Wendy Bosci
wendy.bosci@grdc.com.au
Ph 02 6166 4500
Recommendations from the review of Communication,
extension and grower engagement in soil biology
ToR 1: In what ways and to what extend have the outputs being achieved in SBI - especially
in relation to communication, extension and grower engagement. This will be examined
across the three themes of the initiative –Soil Quality Monitoring (theme 1); Nutrient
management (Theme 2); Suppressive Soils (Theme 3).
Recommendation 1: The role of the state soil quality champions needs to be better
defined especially in relation to grower engagement and extension. A work plan for
the champions needs to be provided to the review team within the framework of
recommendation 1 by 1 December 2013.
Recommendation 2: Complete the collection of a more representative national soil
quality dataset by 30 June 2014. The opportunity to use at least some of the 4,272
sampling locations of the Soil Carbon in Agriculture Research Program and make
greater use of the Soil Quality Champions to identify data needs to be taken up. This
needs to be investigated and a delivery plan reported to the review team by 16
December 2013.
Recommendation 3: The plan for extension outlined in recommendation 1 needs to
assess whether or not the soilquality.org website is the appropriate mechanism to
provide soil quality information to growers and their advisers. If soilquality.org is the
appropriate mechanism consideration needs to be made of where the website
resides.
Recommendation 4: The specific detail of practices (e.g. crop residue, fertiliser and
lime management, use of nitrification inhibitors) that improve soil quality parameters
for increased profit and sustainability need to be compiled across all the SBI projects
and presented in a form agreed to be suitable by growers and their advisers through
the regional cropping solutions network and the GRDC regional panels by 30 June
2014.
Recommendation 5: Complete the analysis of the molecular data, establish
relationships with the physicochemical soil data and present in a way that
demonstrates soil type and management impacts on soil biota in a form agreed to be
suitable by growers and their advisers through the regional cropping solutions
network and the GRDC regional panels by 30 June 2014.
Recommendation 6: The management practices that improve the supply of
phosphorus and nitrogen to the crop need to be compiled across all the relevant SBI
projects and communicated in a form agreed to be suitable by growers and their
advisers possibly via the soil quality.org website and other means (eg. Crop Updates,
GroundCover, regional science writers) as part of the extension plan in
recommendation 9.
Recommendation 7: Better use of project sampling sites needs to be made of where
(disease) suppression has occurred. These sites need to be used as focus paddocks
to discuss with growers and advisers the environmental and management factors
that lead to disease suppression.
Recommendation 8: The environmental and management factors that lead to
disease suppression need to be compiled from each of the projects and
communicated in a form agreed to be suitable by growers and their advisers possibly
on the soilquality.org website and other means (e.g. Crop Updates, GroundCover,
regional science writers) as part of the extension plan in recommendation 9.
Recommendation 9: A communication, grower engagement and extension expert
who understands both soil biology and extension be engaged to deliver the required
outputs to achieve the program goals. This person will need to develop up a plan for
extension for the last year of SBI by 16 December 2013.
ToR 2: Given the outcomes from SBI (both those delivered to date and expected) what are
the key outcomes to underpin engagement with growers?
Recommendation 10: The outcomes of SBI need to form the basis of scientific
linkages with More Profit from Crop Nutrition II (MPCNII) on matching nutrient supply
to crop demand, work on soil borne diseases in GRDC Theme 3 and emerging
national approaches to handling soil data and information through the National Soil
R, D & E strategy. Ensure increased SBI participation in the research meetings of
these other initiatives.
Recommendation 11: The outcomes of SBI need to form the basis for a discussion of
implications with growers and their advisers. These discussions need to take place
within the structure of the extension plan outlined in recommendation 9.
ToR 3: What has worked well (and not so well) in communicating and extending information
on soil biology i) through the SBI ii) through other means.
Recommendation 12: (As outlined in recommendation 9) a communication, grower
engagement and extension expert who understands both soil biology and extension
needs to be engaged to deliver the required outputs to achieve the program goals.
This person will need to develop a plan for extension for the last year of SBI. This
may include stronger links with grower groups, development of technical workshops
and possible support of special interest groups and participation in field days that
allow the presentation of an integrated message.
ToR 4: What are we looking to achieve in the future through the SBI? (i.e. what does
success look like?)
Recommendation 13: Seek ways for the outputs of SBI to be included in the Crop
Update agenda. An integrated and compelling story on the outputs of the program
needs to be one of the tasks of a communication, grower engagement and extension
expert who understands soil biology and understands extension.
ToR 5: What are the linkages with other projects and organisations, outside the SBI, that
could assist with engaging with industry (growers, advisers and researchers)?
Recommendation 14: Develop a science writing plan that meets grower needs with
the regional science writers for the SBI based on the current outputs and their crop
management implications by 16 December 2013.
Recommendation 15: Meet with the Regional Panels and the Regional Cropping
Solutions Networks in all regions and networks of agronomist especially in the
northern region to present the SBI outputs.
Recommendation 16: Work more closely with grower groups and soil biology grower
“enthusiasts” to tailor management options to suit regional farming systems and
validate these management options and deliver information and training.
Recommendation 17: When the extension plan is developed meet with the
coordinators of other related programs (MPCNII, NANORP) to develop integrated
messages to manage crop nutrient inputs.
ToR 6: With proposed engagement with advisers, explore any differences required for
consultants and agribusiness advisers.
Recommendation 18: Factsheets, information packages, applications, calculators
and rules of thumb need to be collated, made available and extended to consultants
and agribusiness advisers in a coordinated way that link soil biology to key crop
management decisions and practices as part of the extension plan outlined in
recommendation 9.
Recommendation 19: Once messages from the SBI findings are developed, discuss
these with advisers on how they wish to develop integrated messages based on
some of the elements that have already been successful (ToR3) on soil health,
nutrient cycling and disease suppression.
ToR 7: What products and services could be used to facilitate the engagement?
ToR 8: What are the next steps following the review?
Recommendation 20: Any future SBI will need to have greater emphasis on
development and extension that leads to farming system change. The current phase
has provided a sound scientific base this now needs to be integrated into and
influence how farming will function into the future.
Recommendation 21: Wider consultation needs to take place with growers, advisers
and researchers in the development of any new phase in a stakeholder forum in the
first instance to be held by February 2013.