Index

Introduction

WARMPlan was established as a part of a Drought Regional Initiative for the Northern Mallee. The aim of WARMPlan was to assist farmers to achieve the opportunities offered by the Northern Mallee Pipeline, and promote and conduct other activities that could help secure improved levels of drought preparedness and viability for dryland farms.

A Commonwealth-State Agreement and an Implementation Plan guides the activities under the Project. At a local level the activities are directed by a locally based Steering Committee.

The community members of the Steering Committee are farmers from the Pipeline area. Collectively the committee has extensive knowledge and experience of dryland farming, the water supply system, resource management, regional development and the financial, management and welfare needs of Mallee farmers.

Regional development in the Northern Mallee is an issue of importance to the communities in the region. Many of the communities are experiencing the reduction of services, closure of businesses, the outward migration of young people and a decline in the general population. As a part of WARMPlan’s commitment to regional development a study into the community processes occurring in the Northern Mallee was commissioned.

Objectives

1. To determine the communication processes used by the community in the Northern Mallee
2. To investigate what are the factors that encourage/discourage the acceptance and sharing of advice by farmers
3. To document the factors (socio-economic and other) that influence on farm adjustment, sustainable resource use and drought preparedness
4. To explore the strategies for improving communication within the farm (or small rural) business unit, and the benefits that can flow from this improvement.
5. To recommend what adjustment strategies can be adopted by small rural communities (300 – 2,000) to maintain their populations, effective services, social cohesion and a positive and rewarding community lifestyle

Method

The WARMPlan Steering Committee members assisted in the process of identifying people to interview that would give a representative "slice" of perceptions and beliefs of people in the Northern Mallee. People who were seen to have shown interest in the future of their community and who were actively involved in the community were specifically targeted.

Interviewing community members who were actively involved and interested in their community was seen as vital to understanding how participation in community events may be increased. As a result of the steering committee's recommendations approximately 20 people from the Northern Mallee were interviewed.

From the brief given to the investigating officer by the WARMPlan Steering Committee highlighted a number of issues they wanted to address and a series of questions were developed. A simple process of contacting the community members on an individual basis and arranging a time in which they could participate in a semi structured interview was adopted. The interviews took between one to two and a half hours to complete depending on the complexity of the topics discussed. The results were then collated as a written report and are presented here as the discussion.

Discussion

Community Communication Processes in the Northern Mallee

Communication in the Northern Mallee

There are a variety of communication processes in operation in the Northern Mallee. Communication may be of personal nature, such as over the telephone, in person or via UHF/CB radios or may have a broader approach and involve the use of media (including local and regional newspaper and radio), local organisation newsletters, or meetings involving grower groups, service clubs etc. These methods are not dissimilar to those used in other rural areas, however it is the way in which these communication processes are used which are of interest and may differ from other parts of Victoria.

Most of community members interviewed were currently involved in, or had been a member of, at least one community organisation such as a service, sporting or industry based group. These organisations tend to use a variety of communication processes in the attempt to attract new or additional members of the community and/or to maintain the number of people involved in their meetings and activities.

Groups that have a structure and committee tend to hold formal meetings, a process often used by Landcare, Lions or Apex groups or loosely formed groups may choose to have informal “get-togethers” that may or may not be centred around an existing group. An example of such a meeting in many towns is the gathering of community members at the local pub on a Friday night where people meet for a chat, a social drink and to exchange ideas and information. Participation in these meetings whether of a formal or informal nature are of great concern to many people in the Mallee. According to those who are involved in groups the number of people able and wanting to participate in community organisations is reducing significantly.

Participation in Community Groups

A number of factors may be present in the Northern Mallee and contribute to the apparent lack of interest in existing groups by the broader community or uninvolved community.

For example people who are representatives on a number of committees can have, without realising it, a significant effect on others. Some community members are involved in a number of groups and often tend to take on lead roles such as the president or secretary. The participation of a few in many groups (especially in leadership roles) may be one of the reasons for low participation rate by others in the community in the Northern Mallee. Curtis and Van Nouhuys discussed some factors that may have an impact on participation rates in their 1999 study of Landcare groups in Victoria.

1. where people occupy leadership positions for long periods groups may become excessively reliant upon a few individuals;
2. potential members may be deterred by group identification with those people;
3. the leadership aspirations of others may be stifled; and
4. groups may adopt a narrow range of activities which deters membership or participation.

According to some of the respondents (especially those who felt there was a degree of complacency in people of the Northern Mallee towards groups and activities) there is a reliance on a few of the ‘more active’ community members. The reliance on a few individuals may contribute to the apparent complacency of the community in the Northern Mallee as outlined by Curtis and Van Nouhuys (1999) however the other factors listed may also be having an impact but have not yet been considered.

To address the problem of complacency it may be beneficial for groups to develop a strategy for ‘marketing’ themselves in order to “recruit” new members. One group in the Northern Mallee had made a concerted effort to attract younger people to their meetings through personal invitations in the hope of making the group more attractive to this demographic. Making an effort to increase membership of a group such as the attempt made by the group described above is an important aspect of group survival. Curtis and Van Nouhuys (1999) stated that “the capacity of voluntary organisations to recruit new members would appear an important factor affecting group effectiveness”. The support of the broader community has also been recognised as a factor that contributes to the success of a group. McFarlane et al. (1996) noted (with regard to Landcare groups) “many groups have started but either fold or struggle for a number of years to get the community involved”. McFarlane et al (1996) went on to say “the key to success is involving the broader community in the formation of the group so that you gain their commitment and involvement.”

Another reason for why people do not become involved in community organisations could be due to their personal observations of those who are. To some member of the community, people who are involved in a group or groups may appear to be extremely busy. There were some reports that members of the community who are not part of a group may not wish for their lives to be as busy the people who are and therefore avoid joining organisations and becoming involved. The underlying reasons contributing to the lack of participation could be due to some of the factors outlined by Curtis and Van Nouhuys (1999). Potential members may be deterred by group identification with people who are involved or part of a group that is personality or belief clashes. It could also be that the leadership aspirations of potential groups members are stifled because they believe that they will not get the opportunity to take on a role within the group if they do make an effort to join. Kenyon (1994) in an address to a conference delegation on “Clues to Small Town Survival” indicated that two of the key ingredients of success for a community were the ability to positively harness and manage community conflict and an ongoing process of identifying, recruiting and skilling local leadership. This may mean that groups need to develop a process by which conflicts of interest and personalities addressed and a way in which to identify and encourage people to adopt leadership roles such as the rotation of executive positions for example that of the president, secretary etc of a group.

However, the reasons for the low participation rates in community groups may be more than simply reliance on a few key individuals and/or complacency by the broader community.

Change in community structure due to the reduction in farmer and community numbers because of structural adjustment and industry/business rationalisation may also be having an impact on participation rates in community groups. In general, farm size is increasing but with technological improvements fewer employees are needed to operate them successfully. The decline in farmer numbers combined with the reduction of services in towns which results in the employees and their families moving away from the smaller rural towns to larger regional centres for employment, results in fewer people in the community and therefore less people to participate in community activities. This trend was confirmed by the 1988 study completed by Henshall Hanson Associates “Study of Small Towns in Victoria” in which they stated that “there has been a dramatic increase in farm size and increasing substitution of farm capital for labour since World War 1”. They then went on to confirm that this decline has had major impacts on small communities and their hinterland or service area. While this trend is becoming widely recognised there is a feeling in the Northern Mallee that there are people in communities, and in a lot of cases women, who are working to try to maintain the number of organisations and or committees but with fewer people to participate in them.

An observation was made that it was rare to find someone in the Mallee who was not involved in a committee of some kind and said that people who preferred not to become involved in the community were often viewed as ‘strange’ and left alone.

Other respondents made comments about people who move into the area not being the “right type” of person. The perception of some in the Mallee is that such people move into the Mallee for cheap housing and tend not to become involved into the community in a work or social manner. However, it may be worthwhile to consider that although the new people in the community appear to be “different” and probably are, in terms of cultural, socio-economic background etc, they may be able to provide new potential in terms of knowledge, skills and labour in a range of areas. Worrall (2000) in her comments regarding social capital (social capital is the term used to describe “what creates and sustains groups of people in society”) stated that social capital is an integral part of the “mental and physical health” of rural communities. Worrall (2000) in her research also indicated that there is an “unhealthy side of social capital” which includes the distrust of strangers and the ‘them and us’ mentality that excludes people who are outside the networks. The observations by community members about the “right type of people” and those who choose to not be involved are strange may indicate there is a need to build on the social capital existing in the Northern Mallee communities.

Gender Related Issues

In terms of group participation the feeling towards gender related issues varied. To some gender did not appear to be an issue of concern. Some had found gender did not affect or restrict a person becoming involved in something. Such people believed that is was more important to be ‘conversant’ with the industry and be aware of the protocol of the organisations people have to deal with in order to become involved in a group. In addition to this some also believed that if a person of any sex wanted to become involved there was a need for that person to be conversant with the correspondence and topics of a group but there was no need for a person to put themselves ‘up in front’ of the group.

However others thought there were gender differences in the Mallee and believed women needed and seeked training and skilling in a number of areas although they were at times not recognised as being interested in farming principles and practices. The example of a woman who wanted to attend a field day but when she arrived at the field day was directed to the site office because it was assumed she was there for some other purpose than attending the field day was given to illustrate this. The woman believed this assumption was made because she was alone and she was a woman so she must have had some other purpose to be there other than attending the field day. Therefore the lesson from this example is that is important when organising group activities or selecting group roles not to discount anyone on the basis of gender as assumptions can be “dangerous” and be the final deciding factor of whether a person becomes part of a group or not.

Group Dynamics

In the attempt to increase participation rates it is an advantage to understand group dynamics. Group dynamics in terms of organisation and operation of groups may affect people’s opinions and ultimately their involvement in a group. Some examples of the impact group behaviour can have on participation rates are outlined below.

A number of groups in the Northern Mallee fail to rotate their executive positions on a regular basis and it has been said that if some members of the community did not hold the positions of “power”, such as the President or Secretary, they felt like failures. If this is common of groups in the Northern Mallee, then the effects outlined by Curtis and Van Nouhuys (1999) regarding the reliance of groups on a few individuals and the quashing of leadership aspirations of potential leaders, could be having a significant impact on group participation and membership.

A simple solution to this “problem” would be to encourage the “sharing of power” between community members. One suggestion that came from the community is to avoid having official office bearers, instead a committee in which the meeting venue as well as the chairs position was shared amongst the group ie group members take turns to act as “Chair for a Day”. Some groups in the Northern Mallee have adopted this structure and have held very successful meetings as a result. However the importance of having stable leaders for a period of time should not be forgotten. Curtis and Van Nouhuys (1999) outlined the importance of stable leadership. In the report it was stated leaders of a group who hold the position only for a short period (eg 1-2 year) may not have sufficient time to develop leadership skills and there could also be reduced accountability for the accomplishment of group tasks during a their term of office.

Another issue groups can face is the differing personality types of group members. For example some organisations may have a “loudmouth” in their group. This type of person may dominate both the discussion and the group with their own agenda. The personalities of dominant people can deter to others from joining or contributing in a group. Therefore in order to keep the contribution of dominant people limited to relevant discussion and a reasonable amount of input a “strong” Chairperson or leader may be needed to direct discussions.

To assist in addressing issues such as a dominant person it may be a good idea for a group that is in its early stages of development or for a group who is struggling to maintain direction to set some “Groundrules”.

Groundrules are a tool that can be used by groups to set the expected standards of behaviour in an explicit and agreed manner. Groundrules are a tool used when applying the adult learning principle of creating and maintaining a safe group environment (Stanfield 1997). A safe group environment is extremely important when dealing with groups of adults, especially in a learning situation. When adults are part of a group they have often come together to share information or solve problems which can involve learning from others, such as peers or experts. Adults may be worried that they will be embarrassed, made to look stupid, be unable to keep up, be looked down upon or set up to fail. By joining a group they may feel at great risk in a number of ways including emotionally, mentally and possibly even physically. Therefore creating a “safe” environment is extremely important (Stanfield 1997). By using tools such as setting groundrules, the people “running the group” can reduce the anxiety and create a safe environment which is conducive to learning and participation by all.

Over time people may lose favour with a group and leave or move from one group to another. Groups who once had a strong following may become less popular as people’s opinions of them change. Feelings towards a group may be influenced by how the group operates, its objectives and the members of the group. This change in attitude towards a group is often “normal” group behaviour, because like a living organism, groups have a lifecyle. Similar to a human, a group will have a beginning, middle and end, however the development of a group is not a simple progression from one stage to the next, rather it will go develop in a series of forward “movements” with scattered periods of regression.

It may help to address some of the feelings of group members by using a range of adult learning principle tools, just as setting groundrules can assist with setting out guidelines for expected behaviour of group members. For example to ensure everyone is happy with the way the group operates and or its objectives, it may be useful to ask the group members for their “Expectations” of the group. This is a recorded process where group members have the opportunity to and are encouraged to think about and share what they see are the groups roles and responsibilities and what they hope to achieve through the group.

The perceptions of group activities by people who are not involved in the group are interesting. While the group may be considered “strange” the activities that the group offers may be acceptable to the community eg the local arts council and the events that they organise. The point is to remember that it is a lot easier to criticise than to contribute and people setting up or running groups need to be prepared to face criticism from the community.

Starting a Group

When setting up a group it is important that before a group even considers forming that there is interest from the community. It is important not to call for or form a group “just for the sake of it” ie without a real purpose. For example in a community having trouble fielding a football team or getting people involved in an interest group (which seems to be increasingly the case in the Northern Mallee), the question needs to be asked is there room for another group in the community?

If the decision is yes, it is feasible to start a new group, then the people involved need to determine the focus or reason for being of the group. For example is it to increase the knowledge of different farming systems by farmers in the area or is it to provide entertainment to the wider community? It is important groups decide for themselves what issues and activities they want to address because adults will have expectations of what they hope to get out of a group. Time must be allowed for those who are to be involved to think about what it is they hope to get out of an event and it is important to share the expectations with the wider group. It may help to ask a question such as “What will make this event (group) a success for you?” (Stanfield 1997). By using this simple approach in the attempt to achieve similar outcomes for the group all group members have the chance to voice their opinions regarding the direction of the group.

Whatever it is a group is trying to achieve, in order to get people to participate in the event or to join a group, most people need a ‘carrot’. That is there needs to be something that will make them want to become a part of the group or participate in its activities. In the Northern Mallee it was said that a group often needed a controversial or interesting topic to attract people, especially one that ‘hit the hip pocket’. An example of a controversial but interesting topic is that of road naming - where a group could invite a member of the local Shire to discuss this topic.

However as previously mentioned it is important to keep in mind in the Northern Mallee the population decline as it is believed to be having a significant effect on the number of people available to participate in groups. For example in the period 1991-96, 382 people shifted away from the Buloke Shire (source: DOI Towns in Time) a statistic which may help explain why some communities in this shire are struggling to maintain groups.

Existing Groups

There are a number of existing groups in the Northern Mallee and these include VFF groups, Landcare groups, consultative committees, social groups, sporting associations, hospital support committees, progress associations, agricultural production based groups, hall committees, service clubs, old time dance groups, tree groups, fire groups (CFA), school councils, parents and friends groups and church groups.

An idea that has been adopted by some community groups is the amalgamation of the VFF and Landcare groups. This combination has been well received by the community because it “saves another night out” (at a meeting) and therefore allows people to have time to themselves and to relax. With the people resources in the Mallee communities being stretched to the limit this step has been seen as very important. Because some people are representatives on both groups it is a way in which a community member who is a representative on both can be involved without feeling as though they have to attend meetings constantly. It is also felt to be a good combination because a lot of the issues discussed in the VFF and Landcare meetings are related to each other and eliminates the major criticism that the meetings always go too long due to the number of reports given. Now the people who attend the meetings are those that are willing to discuss issues. One group used this method of dual meetings for a 12 month period and then surveyed if the group members thought that it was worthwhile or not. Only one person thought the new system was not suitable and there are now approximately thirty people attending the meetings.

One group in the Mallee is having difficulty in getting others in the district involved in the group. According to some group members the ‘others’ (people from surrounding areas) don’t see the need for the group and have had it ‘easier’ over the past ten years because they have not been drought affected. It may assist this group to determine what it is (or in other words the “carrot”) that will encourage new people to join the group, for example, financial gain.

An example of a group finding a ‘carrot’ to attract new members is the Women in Grains group in the Northern Mallee. This group runs activities that are decided upon by a focus group and are activities that will provide women with the opportunity to learn new skills in a non-threatening, non-political environment. This has filled a void for many women who have often been an integral part of the farm business and were in need of some skills training. Learning opportunities have included farm chemical safety, crop nutrition, communication, technology, management systems etc.

Providing some form of education, such as providing the learning opportunities as described above, is often a popular way of getting people involved in a group. Another tactic that could be used to entice new members could be to invite an ‘expert’ along to a meeting. One group did this with great success and invited the Australian Barley Board Chairman to a meeting to discuss a topical issue. There are also a number of educational institutions who will provide educators who will travel to the local area to deliver courses. WARMPlan have recently released a “Farm Training and Further Education for Mallee Farmers” brochure which outlines a wide range of training and education opportunities available and the providers of the courses.

Field days are another way in which education can be provided. Field days also give groups the opportunity to demonstrate their information in the ‘field’ which is a preferred method of learning for many farmers.

Promoting Your Cause

“Central” or “Top” People One tactic for either getting people to or increasing the participation in groups in the Mallee, which was suggested by Mallee community members, included the need for and use of a “central” or “top” person.

A central person is someone who is generally able to get people together and follow things through. A top person is someone like a “leading” farmer who will then advise the group whether or not they think the event will be a ‘goer’ or not. If the top person thinks it is a good idea then it may be easier to get others involved. ‘Top’ people can also be asked to suggest names of people, for example 10 or 12 people, who would be ‘good’ to get involved.

It was also thought that “key” people, such as the “central’ or “top” people, are often the ones most involved in groups and will be able to pass information on for you to a wide network this may be via word of mouth or other means.

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth can be an excellent communication process in the Mallee. While its usefulness depends on the situation, it is a tool often used by community members. An important point to remember is if a group is trying to promote itself or an event to as wide an audience as possible then word of mouth is probably not the best process to use. The use of word of mouth limits the audience to a select network of people (which may be large or small depending on the linkages in the community). If a group is trying to reach the “wider” community it may pay to use this technique in conjunction with others such as advertising in the print media.

Personal Contact

Another technique is to invite people to become involved in a group and its activities by using personal contact. Personal contact involves the use of telephone conversations, invitations or letters and it was found that most communities in the Mallee interviewed tended to use these techniques when suited to their needs.

When using personal contact it is important to target the invitation to suit the tastes and interests of the type of people a group is trying to attract. One group directed their invitations with a concerted effort generate interest in the “young ones”. Although this wasn’t as successful as anticipated other factors were believed to have affected its success. Factors such as the perceptions of the “young ones” about the group also other members of the family generally attend the meetings and therefore the younger community members don’t see the need for more than one member of the family to become involved in the group. An important point raised by one group member in the Mallee was, while there may be a particular audience that a group is trying to reach, it is important to develop a good relationship with all “types” of people. Ensuring a good mix of people will help the group remain balanced so that the group does not become “onesided” for example a group made up entirely of women of a particular age group.

One limitation of personal contact is there may be occasions when it can become too costly or labour intensive. Whether or not this is the case will depend once again on the situation. For example, a project requiring a large number of people from a wide range of areas to be contacted will not suit the use of personal contact as it would not be very efficient in terms of the use of resources (time and money). It may be better in such a case to place articles/advertisements in the print media and/or do a “mail out” of a generic flyer.

Flyers & Mail Outs

Flyers can be a very economical form of communication. For example, for approximately nine dollars, 100 people in a postcode area can be contacted via a flyer sent in a “mail out”. One group in the Mallee uses this method with great success. Although some of the group members live outside the postcode area, there are only a few of them and a fax is generally sent to them or they are given a phone call. However while this method has proved to be successful for this particular group, it would not be as efficient if the group had a large number of people scattered across a range of postcodes.

The disadvantage of using flyers and mail outs is that the message can often be missed. People are being sent large volumes of “junk” mail and flyers can sometimes be classed in this category and thrown away. Also it is not a personal invitation and some people feel the need to be personally invited before they will attend a meeting or activity.

Newsletters

The role of local interest group newsletter, such as the school newsletter, has also increased in importance as a communication source. Such newsletters are often a regular publication, in some cases being produced once every two weeks, and they provide a format which groups can use to promote their events. One of the limitations of this type of communication is that newsletters often only reach the people involved in the group or with networks to those who receive the newsletter. Therefore when advertising for group activities it may be wise to use it in conjunction with some other another means of communication.

Media

The importance of the media in the Northern Mallee for the promotion of group activities appears to be dependent on who the user is.

For employees of government agencies in the Northern Mallee it can be an important tool for the dissemination of information while some community groups saw it as a waste of time and money. There are a range of publications to which material for publication can be submitted. These include the Mallee Farmer, Landcare newsletters, regional and local newspapers and local news sheets.

One publication believed to be effective by one government employee in due to its readership in the Mallee was “The Mallee Farmer”. Research completed 10 years ago indicated that 85% of readers read most of the articles in the publication. However this information is considerably old and there may need to be some follow up research to determine if the readership has altered.

Local newspapers were believed to be very important communication tools in the Mallee. Publications such as the “Guardian” in Swan Hill are said to have a huge readership. However, the effectiveness of the use of such publications may depend on the readership area because in one area the use of this paper was thought to not be worthwhile. These sentiments were reflected in the Study of Small Towns in Victoria that stated “where a newspaper is based in a regional centre and has substantial daily or almost daily circulation, it tends to function as a voice for the region serviced by that large town. In effect, therefore, regional dailies do not replace the need for a newspaper at a very localised level.”

Landcare newsletters or flyers are also said to be effective due to the number of people in the area who are members of various Landcare groups. For example in the Sea Lake area it is estimated that 80-90% of the people in the area belong to a group. There are also a range of publications that differ from the locally produced newspapers. Magazines such as the “Mallee Mag”, which is a free publication, provide information to the community on social, sporting, general events and agricultural topics. Smaller newssheets are also important communication sources as they provide information to readers in a very specific area. An example of a locally produced newssheet is the voluntarily produced Walpeup News.

Some of the participants felt radio was the best form of communication, specifically the Mildura/Wimmera Local ABC radio station at 7.20am weekday mornings as they felt this had a wide listening audience in the Mallee. The operation of radio stations at a localised level, similar to the production of localised newspapers are important sources of information provision. Regional radio that operates from the major regional centres is not able to completely satisfy the needs of each individual community for news and other location communications (Henshall Hanson Associates1990). Television was also suggested as another form of communication but was rarely used due to cost.

World Wide Web and Internet

The importance of the World Wide Web (www) and the Internet in terms of a communication tool and information source varies considerably across the Mallee. In some areas use of the Internet is considered to be strong. One business said in the Ouyen and Murrayville area that 50% of their clients were “on” the Internet and this was at the cost of a local call. They also suggested that there is scope for encouraging communication processes on computers.

Sea Lake is another area thought to have a high proportion of the community with access to internet (it is estimated 40% of NRE clients have access to the Internet). The number of people in the area with internet access could increase due to the large number of farmers who bought computers due to the tax concessions available to primary producers prior to the introduction of the GST.

In the Underbool area the Internet service has only been available for approximately a year and not many people were said to have Internet access. However while the number of people with access at present is low it appears to be increasing. The rise in computer and Internet use may possibly be due to organisations such as Community Houses, WARMPlan, TAFEs and some Landcare groups running computer courses in the local areas. Courses offered included business management programs such as Quicken, Access and MYOB. The attitude of the community influences the rate of adoption and one participant suggested that there was a need to target young farmers and women. The participant suggested that women do a lot of the accounting work and attend courses available in the area, a claim that can be supported by research (More than a question of numbers 1997).

In some areas the cost of the Internet seems to be quite reasonable (eg the cost of two local calls to connect) but the limitation is that download time can be extremely slow. There for the internet and world wide web may be a tool to use in the future when more people have access and when the system has been upgraded to make it easier to use. However this form of communication tool could still be used but in conjunction with some other form of promotion.

SUMMARY

Most Successful Forms of Communication in the Northern Mallee

Local Paper

Walpeup News
• can advertise and ask people to come along to an event
• free
• run on voluntary labour for the good of the community
• posted on notice board in prominent location

Underbool Press
• good source of information
• can put things in this publication if a group is not meeting for a while
• use for notification of meetings etc

Combined Meetings
• eg Landcare and VFF
• can use VFF incorporation for incorporation of other groups such as Landcare
• groups can reinvent purpose
• meetings become more efficient in terms of number a week and time allocated

Personal Contact
• invitations – via telephone or letter
• personal nature of the invite makes people feel as though they are really needed

Flyers
• when used in a mail out can reach a wide audience

Tactics for Getting a Group “Up & Running” – & Keeping it that Way!

Initially…
1. Do a personal invitation – people quite often feel the need to be invited
2. Call or send an invite via phone or fax
3. If you are going to advertise in the media use the local papers rather than the larger nationals or regionals because this allows the targeting of an area (but remember to use the larger papers to advertise success stories)
4. Use established network newsletters to advertise they can go to a reader base of up to 500 people
5. Talk to a few people who are capable of getting other people ‘fired up’ or interested
6. Talk to your neighbours – use the grapevine!
7. Use radio programs such as the ABC at 10 to 7 and 10 to 11 in the morning
8. Organise a guest speaker who appeals to your audience
9. If your reason for forming a group is due to a topical issue – get other thoughts on the issue not just your own
10. Speak about your group or the issue at other meetings
11. Make sure people are comfortable – acknowledge their needs
12. Put something in the notice about the need to start and finish on time
13. If you have something important you want to do in the community make sure the surrounding towns are not running an event on the same day – the less competition the better!

Once the group is established…
1. Get yourself into a position where you can get up and speak in the first one or two meetings
2. Set up a mechanism for changing office bearers regularly so that people can join and become actively involved if they want to
3. Be wary of dominant people – they may put others off joining or participating in something
4. Remember if its free people will be in it so you could hold a BBQ before a meeting or event to get things started – but don’t make a habit of it or people will come to expect it every time
5. Depending on the type of group may be able to occasionally subsidise events
6. Survey how well the event went at its conclusion – this will help you improve for next time

Finally, a few words of advice…
1. Think carefully about your reasons for forming a group – it may be that there enough things going on in your area and the community might not want or need the group
2. Remember that it is easier to criticise or complain about something than it is to take action - be prepared for some negativity from people who do not like what you are trying to do
3. What ever advertising you choose to use try not to use one technique – people can be “reached” by a variety of methods

The Acceptance & Sharing of Advice by Farmers in the Northern Mallee

There are a number of factors that impact on the way farmers accept, share advice and ultimately communicate in the Northern Mallee. While some members of the community thought that in general farmers were quite accepting of sharing information (with the exception of information of a financial nature) others thought that farmers needed to make a more concerted effort in to communicate with one another.

Farmer Behaviour towards Communication

Communication is very important in the farming community. Farming businesses often use UHF (ultra high frequency) radios and mobile phones to communicate when either isolated or working together. However in some areas of the Mallee mobile phones are “out of service” which makes on farm communication at times very difficult. On a personal communication level farmers generally believed that it was important to discuss things, tell each other information and repeat it until they remember what it is they have to do or need to know and to keep asking questions. It was also felt that every place/family/business is different in the way that it communicates. For example some businesses may choose a simple process such as writing notes to each other to communicate what needs to be done whereas others may have a different system such as holding regular family/farm business meetings.

Farmers in the Mallee tend to be individuals working as bosses and, as a result of this workplace necessity it was believed that farmers were inherently not good communicators.

The most common example was that of “Dad”, a man who was used to working on his own for days on end often speaking to few people outside his family. They said this was just the way of the business and the isolated nature of the work contributed to, what is considered by some, the poor communication skills of farmers in the Mallee. It is thought by some in the Mallee that farmers are business people who tend to ‘drive’ their businesses their own way and they work as they see best fit. All the above factors may be having an impact on why farmers tend not to join together to try to achieve a goal. For example some farmers may find it difficult to share information due to their personality or isolated upbringing. As one farming woman said “If what they have been doing is working well enough on their own and if they are doing okay why would they want to change it?”

In some areas, such as Ouyen, there are people who believe the farmers are particularly ‘hard nuts to crack’ and that they are ‘kings in their own castles’. These are factors that could affect the way in which farmers communicate with each other. Farmers in this area tend to be critical of ‘tall poppies who don’t like to be told’ and some think that farmers in the area are very different to other Mallee groups. This attitude is of particular interest because in the past there has been excellent government support in the area but it has been very hard to get people involved. The farmers are thought to be very independent and those who do attend and hold the power at meetings are very influential.

The Effects of Isolation

The isolation of people in rural communities is thought to be a significant factor which affects how well farmers accept or share advice. Historically farmers in the Northern Mallee were geographically isolated. A farmer out in the north of the Mallee tended to not have a lot of connection or contact with people in the towns.

However the circumstances of farmers are changing, transportation is now faster and more comfortable and people, including farmers, are able to travel considerable distances. Due to the improvements in transportation and events such as field days, the ‘cross fertilisation’ of ideas can occur. Improved transportation coupled with the reduction in farmer numbers, some people in the Mallee, especially agency staff, believe it is getting easier to deliver information to the farming community.

Interaction between Farmers in the Northern Mallee

A factor that was considered to affect the degree to which farmers shared information was the level of interaction between them. The degree to which interaction occurs is thought to be influenced by the opinions of farmers of each other.

Some of the farmers interviewed said they had opinions of farming friends and neighbours and that they tended to talk to and share their information with such people “over the fence and among themselves” depending on their relationship with them. However one farmer said that in reality he felt he did not have that much contact with his neighbours.

Another farmer said he had one close farming friend he talked to and others he tended to not be so involved with. Other examples include farmers who have chosen not to listen to the ‘silver spoon’ or ‘hard case’ farmers, saying that there were certain people that you just did not take advice from and some people who basically just don’t want to share information.

Confidentially is also an issue and can have an affect on the level of interaction between farmers. For example some farmers were not willing to participate in the Farm$mart program because they did not want to share business information. They felt that they would know everyone present and therefore people in their community would learn about their business dealings in terms of finances, natural resources and human resources ie who doesn’t get along with who in the family etc. Also if the farm is not doing very well financially farmers do not want people to know what is happening. With a course such as Farm$mart where on occasion such information of a “sensitive” nature is discussed, some farmers do not feel comfortable. In addition to this farmers generally do not want to hear when someone else is doing well either – “this doesn’t go down well” because people don’t like to be seen as “bragging”.

When farmers are involved in a group, such as TopCrop, they tend to develop a relationship with other group members. The relationship that develops makes them more inclined to share information with another group member than they would with someone not in the group. However, it is important to note that some people do not like to share advice even if it means by banding together everyone could be financially better off this may be because they will have to share financial information in order to form a working relationship.

One TopCrop group believes strongly in the information provided by the Mallee Research Station and think of the station as an integral part of their community. The people who attend this group enjoy getting their information from the discussion group and feel that they have always been free to pass on ideas and information. Members of a Landcare group in the Mallee also expressed similar feelings of being able to share information and said that they go to Landcare meetings to specifically hear what others are doing. The decision for them they said is then is to decide what information they are going to take on because of the need to consider limitations eg. rainfall, costs, labour requirements. However not all in the Northern Mallee are as happy with such farmer oriented groups and some groups ‘tired’ of the politics of organisations have steered away from the more formal VFF, Landcare and TopCrop meetings. They now hold informal “no bullshit” meetings that is Presidents Reports, Correspondence etc. are not part of the meeting. Each member is personally invited and the highlight of the meeting is the guest speaker. The topics discussed at meetings are beneficial to the requirements of the farmers eg farm business management courses and field days are also held.

Working with Farmers

In the Mallee people who work with and who are trying to get farmers to share and accept advice need to be accepted by the farming community. For this acceptance to occur, especially for people in an advisory role, they need to have a flair for communication. Such people do not necessarily need a wide range of knowledge, but instead they need to know who to contact for further information.

In the Northern Mallee when it is important to keep advice relevant, correct and realistic and as one person said, “people working with farmers in the Northern Mallee shouldn’t pretend to know something they don’t.” It is also important to present the facts not the theories. The farming community prefers factual information that can be demonstrated on farm because this allows interaction with the new practice or product. In the Mallee it is widely accepted that farmers prefer ‘nuts and bolts’ demonstrations so that they can see and ‘have a go’ at whatever is being offered to them, such as the opportunity to use direct drilling equipment for the first time on a trial site. They need to be able to see good results and the information needs to be presented in a workable program, that is one that is suited to the needs of the farmers. If a program can be ‘put on the ground’ and demonstrated to farmers, for example, a salt bush or Lucerne demonstration site, then they will become more accepting.

This is especially important in the Northern Mallee because some farmers have been ‘burnt’ in the past with practices such as stubble retention and are a ‘bit suspicious of the NRE way of doing things”. When this (stubble retention) was introduced in the Mallee, a large number of farmers adopted the practice and the range of side effects that resulted led to many of the farmers abandoning the technique (side effects included increases in weeds, root disease and mice. People are also afraid of being seen by their peers as ‘stupid’. One government employee responded to a situation where this was a problem by organising one on one consultations regarding financial business management with people. After they were shown that they were not ‘dills’ they were willing to attend a group session.

As previously mentioned people who work with farmers need to be accepted and farmers need to have respect for and confidence in the person from whom they are receiving advice. It is rare that farmers will accept something new without seeing on farm trials demonstrating the concept. However on occasion they will adopt a new variety or practice on the advice of a person in the industry for whom they have a lot of respect for, illustrating the “power” of acceptance and respect. An example of a situation such as this is the recent adoption of the South Australian wheat variety ‘Yitpi’. A large number of farmers adopted this variety without technical information or demonstration sites that would illustrate the benefits of the variety over those currently available. It is thought that the main reason behind this was an agronomist for who a large number of the farming population had respect for recommended the variety.

The Role of the Instigator

To help farmers share information, an “instigator” may be what is needed. That is someone who is able to be a leader and make suggestions for the benefit of others. People such as the agronomist described above act in a way a ‘pied piper’ or instigator would. An instigator is a person who is able to attract people from all parts of the community and gets them to participate in what is being offered. Such a person can be anyone in the community they just need to be someone who can put things into place.

The Effect of the Need for Technology and Knowledge

As farms get bigger and the need for technology increases so does the farmers need for information. This need in turn creates ‘homework’ for the farmer. Smaller farms are slipping behind in both size and technology. Similar to the example given above of people feeling ‘stupid’ due to a lack of knowledge about finances, the older type farmer may become intimidated and frightened when they don’t have the capability to cope with a new technology.

This may be happening because some farmers do not take notice of what is occurring outside their area. They may feel intimidated when they have to ask for advice and they have a strong need to feel at ease, both physically and emotionally, when and if they do seek it. It is advisable to give such information in a place where farmers feel comfortable such as the local hotel, a social function or a barbecue for example.

The Importance of Field Trips

There has been an increase in the number of relevant field trips offered to farmers in the Northern Mallee. Ten years ago there would be one open day a year. Now there are bus trips, local field trips offered to farmers and speakers (private agronomists or chemical reps) visit the area. Farmers are starting to get valuable information out of such opportunities. On field trips or at meetings it was suggested that it is important to have someone respected such as a private agronomist speak because they are able to answer questions without bias and can talk on an overall basis. It is also worthwhile to consider building some sort of evaluation into activities. Feedback from participants helps the organiser to improve the program for the next field day, training course etc. Stories about programs in newsletters or newspaper also provide information to the peer group who may not of attended the event and the comment was made that it is essential to write the reports in simpler terms and to not make them too technical.

Effect of Peer Pressure

It was said that the farming community often needs constant reminding to perform a farming practice if the benefit of adopting the technique, especially in financial terms, does not occur immediately. An example one government employee gave was that of soil conservation and trash retention techniques.

In the 1980’s the practice of soil conservation and trash retention on paddocks was recommended. There was a huge uptake of this practice on erodable soils, even without the farmers being given a ‘carrot’ such as immediate returns for adopting the practice. However the number of farmers using this method has since reduced markedly which is believed to be partially due to the production based nature of farming (other reasons may include the side effects outlined earlier). For this reason some believe the farming community needs continual government funding and commitment to ensure such a practice continues and the long term sustainability of farming is increased.

However, one factor that may increase the adoption of a practice that does not have immediate financial gain is the effect of peer pressure. In Underbool and surrounding areas “new” people are beginning to attend functions and people are starting to adopt practices especially if their neighbours have taken on a new practice. In this area if people complain about something such as the number of rabbits on their property but have not taken action to address the situation then others who do take preventative measures will often apply ‘friendly’ pressure to encourage them to adopt a technique. Another example is that of a farmer who was very much traditional in his operation. This farmer was given ‘real’ opinions by other farmers, the farmer then attended their first field day at a site for salinity management.

Money Sells

Another point to remember is that with farmers, like most people, money sells. A good example of the importance farmers place on the financial side of the farm was the introduction of Frame wheat into the Mallee. This variety of wheat was taken up within four years in the Mallee due to the financial benefits of the variety – its adoption according to some was purely economically driven. While this may be the case it is important not to promote techniques, products etc that could be construed as dangerous to farmers financially and it is important to outline the costs and benefits of adopting a new practice.

However the prospect of making or saving money from participating in something may not be enough to attract farmers to band together. For example in some areas farmers do not wish to create a buying group even though it could benefit them financially. The farmers in one area believe that if a buying group was formed to buy fuel, chemicals, fertiliser etc it could jeopardise the future of their local dealer. If the local dealer was unable to provide them with the best deal the group would probably buy the products from another dealer outside the area. In the end the local dealer who has lost the cliental of a group of farmers may in the end having to shut down. This was a scenario the farmers did not want to face and a service they did not want to lose. Therefore they decided not form a buying group.

Note: there are other factors that will also affect whether or not farmers form a buying group. These include whether or not the farmers are approximately the same age, are of the same background or have farms of a similar size etc. While these factors were considered, the reason regarding the local dealer was apparently one of the major deciding factors of why not to form a group. There are other examples of successful buying groups such as the Murrayville Buying Group.

Need for Support

There are times when the farming community needs the support of the wider population around it more than it would normally. Periods of drought similar to what has been occurring in the Mallee over the past ten years is a time when farmers need support more than ever. There is a need by government employees to increase activities to meet social needs and to make the farming community feel as though they are achieving something in the face of adversity. People who support the rural sector must not become lethargic or disheartened when the times ‘get tough’. It is these periods when the farming community needs to be together. For example in the past feeding sheep during a drought gave people a sense of purpose and something to talk about while alleviating the feeling of not being able to do anything to help the situation.

SUMMARY

• Factors such as their upbringing and the isolated nature of the farming have an impact on the way farmers communicate
• Farmers tend to have close friends and associates they rely on for advice and information sharing
• Farmers are concerned with confidentiality and this is placed at risk it could influence their decision whether or not to participate in an event
• Farmers in groups tend to develop information sharing relationships with group members and rely on the group as a source of advice and information
• People who work with farmers need to be accepted by the farming community and it is imperative they keep advice relevant, correct and realistic
• Farmers prefer demonstrations of new techniques and equipment rather than theories but it is important to offer the theories/technical information
• Farmers can be afraid of appearing stupid and will not attend events if their social comfort could be threatened
• It is important to offer information where farmers feel at ease
• Peer pressure can assist in the adoption of practices in the farming community when the financial benefits are not immediate
• Farmers need increased support from the wider community during periods of adversity such as drought

Encouraging the Acceptance and Sharing of Advice in Communities

There are many factors that influence the degree to which individuals within communities in the Northern Mallee accept and share advice from each other. For example personal opinions and perceptions, socio-economic situations, personalities and opportunities for social interaction all impact on the ability for community members to communicate and as a result share information. An interesting comment was made that for a community in the Northern Mallee to join together it often took a crisis to bring people together and that it was felt that during such period’s (eg. drought, fire, death) communication between people improved.

There is a feeling that communities in the Northern Mallee are often insular, that is they tend to not look at the big picture. It was also thought that often it is the smaller communities that find it harder to change or accept a change in circumstance. It is important for communities to observe what is happening both inside and outside their immediate environment and then think and plan for the future. Kenyon (1994) highlighted this when he described that one of five key factors for community economic development was the ability of a community to take advantage of opportunism. According to Kenyon (1994) opportunism involves a combination of abilities including continued alertness to new opportunities, never ending search for best practice processes, development options and resources, an ability to respond quickly and positively to new opportunities and an ability to fashion opportunities and options into one’s own customised approach.

Communities like farmers need to communicate effectively. If people in communities are not able to communicate and share information then an issue will fester. The inability to communicate could ultimately become the reason for why action isn’t taken to address a situation. Therefore the importance of communication and sharing and accepting advice has been identified but what can be done to ensure it is occurring effectively in Northern Mallee communities?

Instigators

The role of the instigator has been mentioned previously in terms of motivating a group of people and a community can also often need an instigator for motivation. It is important to note that it may be possible for a group of people to act as instigators rather than one person. It has been said that in the Northern Mallee these people will help in the sharing of information, speak their minds and without such people “things won’t happen”. An example of a community in which there was an instigator was the township of Hopetoun. There was a woman in the Hopetoun community who was a voluntary staff member at a local community organisation. Hopetoun like many small towns was affected by the closure of businesses, loss of youth etc and the woman decided that while all this was happening she was not going to let her town die. She had a saying “GOYAADS” which stood for ‘get off your arse and do something” and she used to this saying to motivate people. This woman whether she did it inadvertently or on purpose took on the role of instigator in her community.

Women

Some also believe that communities are moving into a new era with women increasingly participating in groups and taking on lead roles. However people in the Northern Mallee tend to believe that their region is slower than other areas in moving into this era. For example there are some members of the community in the Northern Mallee who believe that the power in committees should be held by men such as the Presidents positions and that women should hold the more traditional Secretary and Treasurers positions. This is an important issue to address because increasing the number of women involved in community activities can add great diversity to a group in terms of life experience, education levels, the culture, expectations and traditions of the local community etc, (Hogan & Cumming1997).

In the attempt to increase the participation of women in the community it is important to recognise that not all women will be interested or have the time to attend meetings or some may have a need for childcare. Others may have work commitments and or they may already be involved in a number of community groups and some women (like others in the community) may have the need to be invited before they will become involved. Hogan & Cummings (1997) discussed the issue of women in decision-making positions and there need to not be seen as the “token” woman. It is important that women are recognised as having the skills and experience rather than being appointed to committees because it “needed more women”.

Social Capital

Worrall (2000) in her paper “Change Management in Rural Communities” discussed the concept of ‘Social Capital’. This is a concept that has received a lot of attention from sociologists recently. The concept is used to explain what it is that creates and sustains a group of people in society and relates to the types of social cohesion or “glue” that help people to work together amicably in both informal and formal situations. Such situations involved levels of expectations and trust and can range from casual sharing of public facilities to continuous, intimate and intensive interactions with families and friends. It is thought that social capital is “high” where people work well together.

It could be possible that there is a need to build on the social capital that exists in the Northern Mallee, which would then improve the way in which communities accept and share advice. It is also thought that measuring the level and distribution of social capital in a community is useful in predicting the ability of an area to cope with change and whether is able to develop processes to deal with the changes. Worrall also highlights the “core factor” of social capital is the level of social and civic trust between individuals and the variety of groups who have to manage risks and change. The need to build social capital in the Northern Mallee is of utmost importance because it is through social capital that community members will form a relationship with and trust those who are “unlike” them. Developing social capital allows people to work together, get to know one another, identify shared aims and appreciate that not everyone thinks and feels the same.

There are a number of methods for building social capital and the most widely discussed model in Australia is that of the Nebraska Project. In Australia efforts such as the Alberton Project have attempted to replicate the Nebraska Project adapted to meet Australian needs with success.

SUMMARY

• It may take a crises for a community to join forces and communicate in order to rectify a situation
• Small communities can be insular and may need assistance to “look at the big picture”
• Communities need to think about and plan for the future
• Communities need to communicate effectively
• An instigator may be needed in a community for motivation

On-Farm Adjustment, Sustainable Resource Use and Drought Preparedness

In general the farming communities attitude towards on-farm adjustment, sustainable resource management and drought preparedness was positive. While many did not take steps to prepare for these issues this was largely due to financial constraints and not because they were reluctant to do so.

Sources of Information

Some farmers, especially the older generation, were thought to have an insular outlook towards on-farm adjustment, sustainable resource use and drought preparedness. This may be because in the past the ‘stand in’ farming and social involvement mentors and educators had predominantly been their fathers. The fathers of current day farmers are the people who they took notice of and respected. As a result the farmers often do as their fathers did. These farmers have become very self-sufficient in terms of business skills and management and to some to seek assistance outside the family unit would be seen as a sign of weakness.

It is thought that technology has tended to ‘fly’ past them. One good example of this, prevalent in the Mallee, is the use of European farming methods. Although these techniques are generally unsuited to the Australian conditions and natural resources the farmers continue to use them, resulting in the question “how do we get them to change?”

Some farmers are willing to seek out information from further afield. They are prepared to leave their immediate area and look around other parts of Victoria if not further and are not content to use the skills and practices of the past. While these farmers embrace change there are others who are reluctant to address the circumstances it brings. It is thought the methodology used to deliver information to farmers has an influence on their acceptance or reluctance to take up information. Research by Kilpatrick (1996) found that farmers benefit from education and training through a greater likelihood of making successful changes in their businesses and that these successful changes resulted in superior profitability. If this is true then how best we provide farmers with information?

Kilpatrick (1997) identified ten factors that constitute effective training. By taking into consideration the following needs when working with farmers, facilitators may be able to assist farmers prepare for adverse conditions through opportunities to learn more about risk management.

1. The training is interactive and provides opportunities for discussion and interaction with both fellow participants and “experts”
2. The topics are relevant and applicable to the group’s situation
3. The facilitators their material must be creditable
4. Groups consist of people who regard each other as similar and are comfortable with each other
5. Barriers such as travel and childcare are reduced/removed
6. Session times and venues suit the target group’s personal and work lives
7. The sessions are short
8. The farmers can recognise the training is value for money
9. The learning is provided in manageable amounts
10. The learning is marketed through associations, community groups and organisations

The Influence of the Environment

The environment can also have a substantial effect on why certain practices are or are not adopted. It is thought that the environmental conditions in the Mallee can make it difficult to adapt different techniques to suit the area. Because of this many in the Mallee believe that it is important for bodies such as the Grains Research and Development Corporation to continue supporting the Mallee Research Station. The research station is considered to be very important to the farming community in the Mallee. This is because experiments can be tested on similar soils and environmental conditions to what would occur on their farms and they are able to see the results for themselves.

Diversification

In order to cope with fluctuating grain market prices and as another source of income to safe guard against poor seasons some farmers chose to diversify into other areas. This reduces the reliance on one enterprise solely for income and two of the main industries farmers chosen to diversify into are piggeries, poultry farms. These industries are popular because farmers are able to use grain they have grown which is of feed quality to feed the animals thus reducing overheads. However farmers are tending to opt out of these enterprises due to the labour intensity needed to run them and the small profit margins.

Sometimes farming businesses are fortunate to have the opportunity to diversify their businesses with the assets on the farm. One farm business was fortunate enough to have a gypsum pit located on their property. This pit is able to provide a source of income other than what the farm produces. Currently there are mineral sands mining companies looking to invest and lease land in the Northern Mallee for the purpose of mining sands. This may provide farmers with another opportunity to diversify.

Succession Planning

Succession planning is also a concern for farmers in the Mallee. One farming family who had tried to prepare for the future and looked into succession planning became frustrated when an accountant/financial planner began the financial planning process for their family farm and told them what was required but did not explain to them how to do it. The adviser told them they needed to diversify. As a result they bought more property when it became available.

The parents on this farm had to consider other members of the family when forming their succession plan and there were a number of scenarios they considered before making their final decision. To leave the farm viable for the older son meant that the other members of the family would basically miss out on an inheritance. The parents were also concerned about the possibility that the older son could sell out a year after being given the farm and they (the parents), and the rest of the family would be left with nothing. This family agreed that money availability had a big impact on what funds were allocated where and said that it all “boils down to money and lifestyle”. They have since decided to sell the farm and are now in the process of selling.

When this family was looking at diversification they looked at land and investment properties in Melbourne but decided it wouldn’t be the right choice for the future of the business at that stage. The family also investigated the possibilities of investing in shares and decided that to do this they would have had to borrow money. In the end they decided to buy more farming land because this way even though they had to borrow money to buy the land they were still accruing a physical asset. The family did say though that sometimes it is a mistake to build assets at the farm level and that they may have been better off to accrue assets elsewhere.

Drought Preparedness

One departmental employee had in the past judged a competition called the “Hanslow Cup”. The purpose of the cup was to recognise farmers who had taken a proactive attitude towards soil conservation and the competition had a strong focus on sustainability. One year of all the farms assessed in the competition only one farm had kept hay and grain reserves in case of drought. All the other farmers said that they would buy in hay or grain if and when they needed it. The farmers said they intended to do this with money they had in reserve. However it was believed that this “reserve” money was often used for other purposes and not always kept to hedge the risk of drought or other exceptional circumstances.

The lack of drought preparedness was widespread across the Mallee even though drought was now an accepted part of life. Many have a ‘deal with it when it comes’ attitude and always say that they have some money in the ‘back pocket’ just in case which is similar to what was said by the farmers in the Hanslow Cup competition.

Although some areas were better prepared for drought than others, and some farmers have better reserves (money wise) than others (especially in areas that have not had drought for quite a few years), the ‘extra’ money was not necessarily for drought management, rather in preparation for retirement.

To people from outside the areas of Ouyen and Patchewollock where drought had occurred more recently these areas appeared to be better prepared to than other parts of the region. However people who lived in these parts did not tend to feel this way. Rather they felt that for the last 10 years everyone had been in “survival mode”. The farmers in this area felt that they were not “doing well enough” to put money aside for drought and instead just had wait for it to happen. Many said that looking after on farm adjustment, sustainable resource use and drought preparedness are usually the first things “struck off the list” if farms are trying to maintain what they have. For example one family had 400-500 trees to plant but due to the lack of rain was unable to plant them. Therefore the good intentions of the farmers to look after their natural resources were abandoned.

Sustainable Resource Use and Drought

With the concern of sustainable resource use comes the need for farmers to have stock adjustment flexibility in terms of numbers during drought. Generally the practice is to sell stock at the beginning of a drought. However some farms have now allocated certain areas of the farms for stock containment although some of the areas have been prepared with drought not being the only reason for setting aside such an area (containment areas are also useful for weed and parasite control). One farm now has a couple of ‘spots’ where stock can be locked up in case of drought and where they can be easily fed and watered.

To assist in the adoption of stock containment areas farmers in the Northern Mallee may need to see someone who is “drought proof” before they may be willing to adopt aspects of drought preparation such as stock containment areas etc.

Risk Management Investments

There are a number of investment opportunties for farmers wanting to put money aside in case of exceptional circumstances.

Drought bonds, Farm Management Deposits (FMD) and Income Equalisation Deposits (IED) are an option for farmers wanting to prepare for drought or other exceptional circumstances.

Money put into these accounts during ‘good years’ can be withdrawn and used in during droughts and the money is not taxed if used for this purpose. Some people thought that this was a great scheme and that there needed to be more encouragement for farmers to use it. Others in the past had used IEDs but have since withdrawn their money. One reason given for withdrawing the money was it was thought that interest was not paid on a large proportion of the money at one stage and therefore it was not worth it. This farmer is now not up to date with what is available through these schemes but felt that they are basically not attractive. This feeling was reflected in comments made by other farmers from the Mallee who felt that they don’t know much about them, that they have other debts and needs to cover and there were more important things to justify spending the money on. One farmer had since decided to buy shares and invest in a superannuation fund instead of a bond or deposit scheme.

Farmers are encouraged to place money into bonds, store grain and hay etc, however a large number of farmers do not undertake risk management strategies. The main reason for this appears to be poor commodity prices and because of low prices farming businesses do not have the money to pay for extra things or put money aside for a ‘rainy day’. Most of the interviewees agreed that it was good to say they were going to put money aside but they have to have the money to put aside to start with. The comment was made by a respondent that it largely depended on the different levels of importance people placed on things. Another farming family made the comment “if you don’t have the spare money it is very hard to put it away when you don’t have it. We may have needed the money to buy groceries or super phosphate”. Some farmers did store grain for stock feed during “times of plenty”, and some always stored grain, but all said there were times when they had to sell the stores for money to survive.

Human Resources

There was a feeling in the Mallee that the human resources were not well looked after on farm businesses. This feeling is in line with the increased need for support during times of hardship such as drought. It is felt people tend not to look after one another well enough to help cope with issues such as suicide and stress during these periods. Some community groups, such as the CWA, are beginning to talk about what the signs are and grief counselling to address such issues. There may be a need for greater steps to be taken as the need for a social worker in the Ouyen area was highlighted.

SUMMARY

• In general the attitude towards on farm adjustment, sustainable resource use and drought preparedness is positive
• Financial constraints are the major prohibitive factors that prevent farmers from addressing these issues
• Some farmers, especially “older” farmers, need more assistance than others to cope with the need for on farm adjustment
• The methodology used to deliver information to farmers can have a significant impact on the adoption of information
• There may be a need to identify new opportunities for diversification suited to the Northern Mallee
• Farmers in the Northern Mallee are concerned with succession planning but many lack the skills develop a plan for the future of the farm and are seeking direction
• Many farmers do not prepare for drought by storing grain, constructing stock containment areas or investing money due to financial constraints
• There is a general lack of understanding and knowledge about risk minimisation investment options by farmers in the Northern Mallee
• Human resources on farms in the Northern Mallee are often neglected
• Issues such as depression and stress need to be addressed

Providing Assistance for On Farm Adjustment, Sustainable Resource Use and Drought Preparedness

There are a number of schemes available to farmers to assist with them deal with the issues of drought and other exceptional circumstances, however as previously mentioned many farmers do not adopt them.

The Role of Groups

Farming and community groups such as Landcare can play an important role in building up enthusiasm about strategies for on farm adjustment, sustainable resource use and drought preparedness. The level of enthusiasm generated will depend largely on the people or coordinators of the groups, the motivation of individual farmers and the form in which information is presented to farmers.

Presenting Information

“The better the information is presented to farmers the better the uptake rate” NRE employee NW Mallee

The success of talking to and educating farmers depends on how the information is ‘served up’. To be successful there is a need to research the needs of the people and/or the group before attempting to provide them with information. Information needs to be relevant and grab their attention therefore it is wise to ‘survey’ the needs of the people involved and target the presentation so that the audience can relate to it.

Acknowledging the Needs of the Farming Community

In the Murrayville area an excellent example of the importance of the role of a good group coordinator and the targeting of the needs of the farming community is the way in which the local Landcare network operates. The Landcare facilitator in the area has developed a network of representatives from six localities around Murrayville. Six people from these localities attend regional meetings and represent members of the community from their areas. This network is an effective method for disseminating information in both directions that is from the groups to the coordinator and vice versa and it reduces the number of meetings people have to attend.

The number of meetings some farming and community members attend is phenomenal and there are some weeks when family members can have meetings to attend most weeknights. As a result there is a general feeling around Underbool (and other areas of the Mallee) is that people are ‘sick’ of having to attend meetings. The six representatives of the Landcare network described previously who represent the interests of their community by being the only ones required to attend Landcare network meetings have helped to alleviate this feeling. This has system also has its advantages for the six people who attend the meetings. Because of the small number of people who attend the meetings tend to hold the agenda, run on time and get results.

Risk Management and Finances

Efficient meetings are just one way to help farmers remain interested in and learn more about issues such as sustainable resource use. However whether or not farmers will act on the need to prepare for risk appears to depend largely on their financial situation. Some believe that when farm businesses have ‘money to spare’ they often spend it because they aren’t used to having it (extra money). One person felt that farmers in the Mallee would never change because to have a good year and have extra money is like winning Tattslotto for many farmers and their families.

Farmers are known to ‘look over the fence’ and want the same as their neighbours. Rather than putting money aside for when a bad season occurs they may choose to spend ‘spare’ money on upgrading equipment. The ability for farm machinery suppliers are able to offer very attractive deals to farmers for tractors and other equipment also has an influence on whether or not farmers put aside money for risk management.

Farm$mart, financial advisers, banking institutions and neighbourhood houses are helping farmers to prepare or at least consider risk management but it is felt that it is very difficult to change peoples attitudes. However there was some suggestion that farmers in the Northern Mallee have recently become more open to the idea of risk management. Participants in a property management planning course said that their reasons for the doing the course was because they believed in the not to distant future they would have to have a property management plan in order to get any funding. It appears farmers are now beginning to see the need to consider risk management. According to one facilitator, when facilitators talk to farmers in Farm$mart groups about risk management the underlying factor of whether to prepare for risk is always financial impact, whether it be immediate or medium term.

To assist in attracting farmers to undertake risk management it was suggested that the information needed to be presented in a cost/benefit analysis scenario. It is possible to present information with a number of options with respect to cost/benefit analysis or in the form of option and direct benefit statements. Farmers want to know ‘what’s in it for me’. Therefore anyone wanting to assist farmers to undertake risk management will have to present the information in such a format and outline why taking such steps will assist them financially.

Schemes such as rebated incentives need to be continual because once the incentives stop the farmers will stop preparing for risk.

There is also an issue with the bureaucracy. Bureaucracy appears to go hand in hand with applying for assistance, whether it be rebates or subsidies. Farmers become disillusioned with the format, protocol, volume of literature and information needed to obtain assistance. It is difficult to involve people when this is the case because the bureaucracy wains their enthusiasm.

A number of the farmers interviewed agreed that whether or not they chose to undertake risk management did depend on the costs associated with it. They also said they wanted to know what the rewards would be for preparing for drought. For example one farmer believed that to get farmers to place money in IEDs a premium needed to be offered. He thought that if a farmer could get 6% in a bank then to get farmers to invest in IED’s a premium of 1 or 2 % would need to be offered to make it worthwhile.

Farm Business Versus Lifestyle

The reasons why some farmers choose to undertake measures to address the farm management issues being discussed here may depend on how farmers ‘see’ the relationship between themselves and the farm.

Some farmers see the farm as a business and the need to operate it as such. They view the farm from a holistic level and think about overseas prices and how to make the most of a situation by developing their marketing expertise and business acumen. Others see the farm as ‘just a farm’ and they are just farmers.

An example of holistically thinking farmers is that of a group of farmers around Lameroo. Farmers in this area bought a half share in a mill with Laucke’s Flour to ensure they had a market for their grain.

Currently there are 23 farmers who grow solely for Laucke’s and they are situated from the north to the south of Lameroo. The spread between the farmers over a wide area means that the type of year tends to not affect the amount of flour available to the mill because the combined harvest will cover market needs. Another benefit for these farmers is that they have low transport costs because of the minimal distance need to freight the grain to the local silo.

SUMMARY

• Groups can help build enthusiasm about on farm adjustment, sustainable resource use and drought preparedness
• The form of presentation to farmers is extremely important and their needs must be researched before delivering information to them
• Information to assist farmers undertake risk management may be better presented in a cost benefit analysis scenario or option and direct benefit statements
• Farmers need to know ‘what’s in it for me’
• Bureaucracy is a major issue for farmers and it inhibits the number of applications for assistance and wains enthusiasm
• A review of risk management finance plans may be needed so that farmers receive a premium for investing such schemes
• The relationship between the farmers and their farms may have an impact on their attitude to risk management

Communication Within the Farm (or Small Rural) Business Unit

A large number of farms are run by families and at times three generations of a family can be involved in the operation of the business. Some departmental staff believe that in general, communication within the family is poor. Poor communication can sometimes place people such as those employed by NRE is uncomfortable situations. Staff can be asked to discuss with families issues that they do not feel are appropriate for them to take a part in. Programs such as Farm$mart can help to address such situations as each family and/or business member has the opportunity to consider what it is they want in their future.

Some farmers may be uncomfortable to talk about succession planning with a stranger present and so prefer to discuss it with a friend, others may prefer someone they don’t know.

One NRE staff member had a close relationship with a farming family whose son in his early 30’s was only now starting to make his own decisions about running the farm. An example such as this indicates the need for better communication within the business unit so that the son could have taken on a managerial role at an earlier stage.

Communication in the farm or small rural business can depend on the people or generations involved. One person believed that there was still a generation of farmers who believe that it is not right to have the wife present during operational discussions or to talk about “airy fairy stuff”.

To help address the needs for greater communication within the businesses some believe that there needs to be continued State and Federal level support for programs such as Farm$mart. However, with the aging population, larger landholdings and fewer farmers it is hard to have common programs delivered to them. With programs such as Farm$mart it is often only possible to see the results of the program after the fourth or fifth year because achievements take time.

Communication not only needs to be improved within the farm business unit but within the farming community in general.

The Northern Mallee Pipeline Scheme offers a prime opportunity for farmers to buy tanks for their properties as a group. It would be beneficial to buy the tanks as a collective because buying in bulk would enable them to get better deals. However there is a limiting factor present. Many of the farmers won’t talk to each other and some believe this is because they are “scared” someone else will get a better deal. There is a real need to develop the communication between farmers so that they talk and work together and to achieve this it is important to show them the benefits improved communication such as better deals for all.

SUMMARY

• Communication in farming families is believed to be of a poor standard
• Programs such as Farm$mart can help to address the poor communication skills in farming families

Adjustment Strategies for Small Rural Communities

The Situation Today

The current ‘picture’ of the Mallee is rather bleak. The following are comments made by respondents.

People are retiring from the farm or small business in the Mallee and tending to move away from the area to larger centres such as Mildura, Horsham and Bendigo. Other people are moving into the smaller Mallee towns for the cheap rent but there are a lot of these people who are not becoming involved in the community.

There are a small number of children being homeschooled in the Mallee placing increased stress on the schools struggling to maintain pupil numbers and therefore funding.

A lot of farms are existing because of the income provided by their wives and they are happy to do this.

Young people are moving away to larger centres for education or employment.

In addition to the above comments a number of respondents mentioned the importance of not ‘pulling’ people out of small towns and referred to the ‘gutting’ of towns by the government 8 – 10 years ago. The loss of government services can have more of an impact than that of just losing the service. If the agencies are removed from the town and the staff leave then often the families of those staff also leave. This in turn has an effect on other services such as schools, hospitals and banks. If the cliental to these businesses decreases then the amount of service they provide tends to decline or be removed completely.

Mallee Communities - Directing Their Future

The removal of services sadly tends to have become an increasing trend in the Mallee. Many of the respondents believe that it is now up to the communities to decide the future of their towns and communities.

Communities need to be proactive and take control of their future. Some Mallee communities are now exhibiting this behaviour. Communities need to be strategic and identify what they are prepared to ‘sacrifice’ and what they want to maintain or bolster from what is remaining in the community.

Initially people need to decide what is the ‘community’. Once this is agreed upon broad based leadership can be developed across the community within a system that ensures the leadership roles can change and many people can become involved.

One example of a town who has decided to direct the future of the town is Ouyen. Ouyen has a decreasing population, from the period 1986 to 1996 over 250 people left the area (Towns In Time DOI). In the past ten to fifteen years the number of students attending the local school has reduced from 170 to 120 students. Twenty years ago the town looked ‘bad’. There was no green grass, it was drab and there was nothing but a railway line.

Then a group of people formed a body known as Ouyen Inc. This group promoted interdependence with their local council. They wanted to work with the council not have the council to do things for them. Today, with the assistance of an engineer and the community, a Mallee stump theme has been developed, trees have been planted, the roads have undergone development, there is increased signage and a historic theme around the town has been developed. The town now looks very attractive.

There are number of festivals run by the town including the Vanilla Slice, Prime Mallee Lamb and Wildflower days. Businesses such as the local bakery that once had shut have now reopened and there is an air of positivity in the community.

The most important message to come out of the experiences the Ouyen community went through was communities need to do it themselves and to present the town as best they can. The people in Ouyen realised that the whole of the community needed to be involved and that everyone had to participate.

Pride & Community Organisations

A number of other towns in the Mallee have progress or community development associations like Ouyen, including Torrita, Walpeup, Manangatang and Underbool. These associations take on various roles such as the beautification of their towns, the cleaning of amenities, organise social events, liase with local government among other things. Many of the respondents commented on the pride in their communities and felt that if this was lacking then it would be difficult to get anything done.

The progress associations have evolved from varying origins.

For example the Torrita Progress Association was at one stage the local hall committee. The association formed out of the need to maintain not only the building in the township but the community itself. The pride in the town was a factor that helped to keep old historic buildings standing and not fall into disrepair.

Progress associations often organise events or provide improvements and opportunities for the community which help to raise community spirit and pride. Examples of the work progress associations have done in the Mallee include organising a day with the Bush Poet, table and chairs in a park and entry in the Tidy Towns competition. However cost can also be restrictive to small communities in the Mallee. Due to transportation costs it can be expensive for a group to bring something or someone to the Mallee.

Leadership

The participants also commented on the need to have a good leader in the community. One participant believed that a good leader needs to be able to communicate with people. “They have to be able to ask the right questions and to draw the best out of those around them. When they do draw information out of someone, a good leader makes the person feel as though the idea was their’s.”

Others thought that a leader needs to have the confidence to speak in a group situation. It could also be leaders in a community may not be a ‘single’ person, they could for example be a family or group of people who are involved in the community.

Role of Assistance

While towns need to take a proactive role towards their future many also believed that they needed some form of assistance to do so. Some also believed assistance needed to be ongoing “because it is good to get funding to set something up but there needs to be continual funding to support the services”.

There was also a feeling that some farmers and their families were disillusioned with the government due to the withdrawal and lack of services for rural people. When government services were present in rural communities, farmer’s sons had the opportunity to find work outside the farm. By cutting back services, jobs were lost, prices of essential needs such as fuel increased and the end result was disillusionment with the government.

Business, Employment, Education & Training Possibilities

In the township of Hopetoun a community organisation known as Gateway BEET (Business, Employment, Education and Training) has formed. Gateway BEET is largely community driven and resulted after it was found that some of the organisations in Hopetoun were duplicating both the people involved and the activities offered.

To reduce the duplications a number of groups in the area banded together in terms of people, location and funding. This project has employed an officer to investigate what steps can be taken to re-attract services to the area. A local committee submission specialist has also been employed to write submission for tender work in the area that is in turn generating more employment opportunities. Gateway BEET provides a range of services including VicRoads and the St George Bank. The organisation is able to provide adult education with support from organisations such as the University of Ballarat who are willing to supply equipment if Gateway BEET is able to supply the courses. Gateway BEET is able to offer a broad range of courses for example, GST, Farm Safety, Fork Lift Operation, Craft, and Internet Access.

In the future it is hoped Gateway BEET acts as a business incubator providing access to photocopying, office space, etc for fledgling businesses.

The Triple Bottom Line

Recently there has been a strong focus on ‘the triple bottom line’. The triple bottom line is a focus on what is occurring worldwide from an economic, environmental and social viewpoint. The focus is then adjusted to consider these factors on from a community level.

Communities in the Mallee may benefit from a community audit to see where money is being earned and where it is being spent. A community audit is an exercise that involves everyone in the community. Real economic growth is measured using a triple-line accounting system that considers the environmental, economic and social layers. A community audit helps to determine if a community is progressing or failing in these areas and to outline what the balance is between the three.

The audit can identify how much of the total income of a community is ‘leaking’ out of the community. Communities need to develop ways to improve the environment, social capital and increase resilience by identifying the leakages and addressing them. There needs to be a constant exchange of monies through general stores, banks and other businesses if these services are to be maintained. People need to be made aware of what is around and available in their community. If this occurs and an increased amount of money is spent in the community passing through a greater number of peoples hands, the end result will be more a more resilient community (Barker RWN Network 1:2000).

SUMMARY

• Communities need to be proactive and direct their future
• Communities may need to decide what they are prepared to give up and what they are prepared to maintain or bolster in their community
• What is the community needs to be decided
• Pride is an important ingredient of community self help
• Leadership is essential in communities
• Leaders need to be able to communicate and have confidence
• Government assistance needs to be ongoing not periodical
• Community organisations may be able to provide a range of services including training opportunities, banking services and employment services
• Communities may need to perform an audit based on the Triple Bottom Line to determine the areas in the community that need addressing

Northern Mallee Young People

“How do you keep young people here if there isn’t anything for them?”

The above question was often asked during the interviews in the Northern Mallee when the problem of how to keep or attract young people back to the Mallee was raised.

The Needs and Wants of Young Mallee People

For many communities the loss of young people to the larger centres has become a sad reality. The smaller towns at this point of time are not able to offer the lifestyle wanted by many of the younger generation. It was often said that the country is a great place to grow up but not to be a young adult. The comment was also passed that young people are social animals and need stimulus.

Many parents of young people are not encouraging their own children to stay in the rural centres or to come back. Living in a small rural community is seen as not profitable or social enough to encourage young people to remain in or move to a rural area. There is also a real concern with suicide in the Northern Mallee and rural Victoria in general. While the late teens and older go to the local pub to socialise, teenagers have limited social opportunities. As one respondent said there are no teenage services, no dances, no pictures, nothing there for them and the end result can be drugs, drink and suicide.

Impacts of the loss of young people have flowed through to the local sporting associations. Even though some football clubs have amalgamated, the clubs are still struggling to fill teams. Young people in general enjoy sport and like to socialise at football, netball or tennis but outside these social outlets there are limited activities available for them. Also to play or watch sport in the Northern Mallee people have to travel long distances which is a big financial commitment and in addition to this can also be tiring.

Small communities in other areas have made attempts to assess what the needs and expectations of the young people in their community are by holding coke and pizza nights. The young people of the community are invited to these nights where their food and drink is provided free of charge in exchange for their thoughts about what they want their community to “look” like.

Employment

People in the Northern Mallee are thought to be working harder than ever before and young people really do have to work hard to stay on the farm. One community member asked “Is this the lifestyle a young person would really want or is it preferable to them to move to the city where they can work from 9am until 5pm five days a week?”

There is also a lack of apprenticeships or casual jobs offered in the Northern Mallee. A lot of farmers are unable to afford to employ additional labour due to the drought and down turn in commodity prices. Farmers tend not to employ people, such as young Mallee people, to do the odd jobs any more rather they get an expert or contractor in to do some of the work such as the crop spraying and do the odd jobs themselves.

Industry Development

The answer to the loss of young people in the country areas according to most people interviewed was to create more industry in rural areas. There is a need for more employment prospects for young people but how does a community generate new industry opportunities? Communities may need to do an audit to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in their community. This will assist the community to decide what and if an industry is suited to their area.

For young people to have a chance of staying on the farm the area needs to be profitable and there needs to be opportunities in terms of work satisfaction. Some places may be missing on the other or both of these factors. There are some examples of communities who have developed an industry in their area. Farmers at Lameroo invested in a half share in a flour mill that produces solely bread flour, Manangatang have a feed mill that is producing stock feed

Succession Planning

There is a generation missing on the farms because very few young people are staying. This may be an indication that there needs to be an investigation into succession planning so that farms can be handed over earlier. The example given where a 30 year old farmer is only now beginning to make farm management decisions may be a strong indicator of the need for further education in this area. As one farmer said “the management of farms needs to be given to the young people so that they can make their own decisions and mistakes.”

While some respondents thought that rural Victoria needed to retain the young people others believed that the young people needed time away to become independent and to experience life outside the area where they grew up. It was also thought that as the young people mature they may have want to come back. If and when they do it is believed they will come back more tolerant of different points of view. Communities may need to ask the following questions: “If young people do come back why is it they want to?” “Where will their families come from if there are no other young people?”

Social outlets such as Bachelor and Spinster Balls are needed so that like minded young people can gather and meet. It is thought by some in the Mallee that the more social outlets there are the greater the chance the young people will find their future partner. The social opportunities for young people to meet others from outside their area are a real concern in the Mallee because at other social events such as the football young men can go there and not see an unattached young woman all day.

Transportation and Drink Driving

The lack of transport and having a social drink is another issue facing young people. Young rural people often have to travel great distances to socialise or play sport and presents a significant problem. Young people in the Northern Mallee are unable to ‘have a few beers’ with mates and go home afterwards via taxi or public transport as their city counterparts often can. They either have to stay home and not socialise, go out and have a few drinks and stay where they were socialising or not have a drink at all. This is not a problem that faces young people only but is a concern for all rural people in general.

SUMMARY

• Many small towns are unable to offer the lifestyle preferred by young people (18-30 years of age)
• Parents are encouraging their children to leave the area to seek employment or education
• There are limited social opportunities for teenagers in some rural towns
• Suicide, underage drinking and drug use are of concern
• Social activities for young people in the Northern Mallee often involve travelling long distances
• Communities may need to identify industries that are suited to their area in an attempt to generate employment for young people
• Succession planning in the Northern Mallee is a real concern and farmers may need assistance to develop a plan for the future of their farm
• Opportunities for young people to meet other men and women of similar age groups are needed
• Transportation is an issue and has implications on the ability of young people to participate in social activities
• It is important to find out the needs and expectations of young people in communities – it may be of benefit to hold an evening for young people to gauge their needs such as a coke and pizza night

Recommendations

• That communities in the Mallee identify the best forms of communication for their community and use those processes to promote events and activities
• That communities and groups in the Mallee adopt techniques to ensure that meetings are kept to a minimum and are efficiently
• That groups in the Mallee make a concerted effort to rotate the leadership roles
• That new groups in the Mallee are only formed after research identifying the strong need for the group has been completed
• That communities in the Mallee are encouraged to visit and communicate with other communities to expand their ideas and knowledge base on community building processes
• That processes such as on farm adjustment, sustainable resource use and drought preparedness are encouraged through existing farmer groups to assist the long term viability of farms in the Mallee
• That communities in the Mallee look into the benefits of undertaking an audit process as this may assist communities to identify where money is being earned and spent
• That employment and social opportunities for young people are identified and promoted