The Victorian Grower Group Alliance
Presentation to Ghanaian Agricultural Extension
Professionals Delegation
Melbourne, 21st February 2014
Tony Kent
VGGA Coordinator
Task Advisors Pty Ltd| Postal: P.O. Box 278, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, AUSTRALIA
Mobile: +61 418 101 788 | Tel/Fax: +61 3 9458 2559 | Skype: tony.nails.kent | Email: tonykent@taskadvisor.com.au
Overview
• The origins of grower groups in Australia.
• Why have Grower Group Alliances emerged?
• The Victorian Grower Groups Alliance
“Grower” groups in Australia (i)
o
Long tradition of farmers working together to address common
concerns:
– Formal and informal groups, local community to national,
– Farmers’ unions (apolitical ), representative political parties, marketing
cooperatives, buying groups, farm bureaux, soil conservation, vermin &
noxious weed control groups, catchment management, environmental
conservation, district fire brigades
o Increasing acceptance of an adult education/learner centric model of
extension coincided with increasing use of local groups by agencies as a
preferred vehicle for farmer education & extension of new practices:
– From the 1960s, district & enterprise-based farm management discussion e.g.
dairy, grains, grazing, wool, pigs
– From the 1980s, some focus on business management skills e.g. FarmFacts,
FM500
– From the 1950s to commodity marketing e.g. Prime Wheat Association,
SEPWA, Best Wool,
– Farm conservation practices e.g. Landcare, catchment protection, Potter Farm
Plan, Farm Advance
“Grower” groups in Australia (ii)
o As withdrawal of corporate and government services from
regional areas gathered pace, the decentralised, communityled model for service delivery was grasped by policy makers
and community leaders
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Family & community support services
Financial counsellors & farm debt lobby groups
Health services , farm safety
Small Towns Study late 1980s – LOCAL LEADERSHIP CRITICAL
o Today:
– Most industry/private benefit advice and training is delivered through
commercial networks e.g. input suppliers, consultants, and NFP
grower/industry-led groups, aka “grower groups”.
– Services delivered include training, extension projects & applied R&D
– This approach is now institutionalised into the fabric of rural Australia.
Many grower groups have been operating for 20+ years.
Why grower group alliances?
• Do individual group have the scale, capacity and
resources to effectively deliver on the expectations of
membership and stakeholders?
• While groups compete for grants, sponsorships and
sometimes members, they have many common needs
and interests outside the competitive space and much
to gain from cooperative action in agreed areas.
• Existing models in SA Ag Excellence and the WA
Grower Group Alliance now in its 12th year of
operation.
VGGA members & industry coverage
VGGA Origins
o 2008 discussions between DEPI & number of
Victorian groups led to 2009 conference.
o DEPI agency view (then) that a single grower
network covering all grain-producing regions of
Victoria would be better able to deliver statewide
projects in the absence of DEPI field extension
services.
o DEPI seed-funded creation of a Victorian alliance,
with expectation this would gain industry and
other support and perform a range of functions
previously undertaken by agency.
The VGGA Mission
• To improve the research, development, and
extension outcomes for farmers in its
members’ regions through cooperation,
collaboration, and communication between
member groups, within and between regional
D&E networks, national rural research
programmes, and centres of excellence.
VGGA now
o Incorporated association of 7 member groups with independent chair and
part-time coordinator
o Guiding principles – no competition for funds with member groups, equal say
regardless of size (see notes for details), facilitate cooperation between
members.
o Regular meetings of all members represented by Chairs and EOs.
o Strong interaction and project/operational cooperation now between
members’ organisations Sharing of research equipment and field machinery
sharing and significant financial and in-kind support for joint applied R&D and
extension projects.
o Members pay annual fee which tops up DEPI grant and pays for projects and
coordination.
o DEPI remains engaged through nominated executive contacts
o 2010-11 capacity review and risk assessment of VGGA member groups
completed. Members agreed on priorities to be addressed on their behalf by
VGGA
o Led to VGGA project: Improving Grower Groups’ Capacity & Risk Management.
o Phase 1 underway targeting Improving OHS Systems & Procedures at member
groups.
o From mid-2014, GRDC project funding for 2nd phase of Deepening
relationships between staff of member groups.