Segmentation Techniques Used in Development of Agriculture and Forestry Extension Programs

This chapter reviews the literature on the identification of landholder typologies that can be used to assist the design and delivery of extension programs. Australian researchers have developed typologies of landholders based on a variety of criteria. The methods used have differed according to the theories used to guide the research and the 'clients' or 'sponsors' of the research. The landholder types they describe, however, have a number of similarities. In this chapter, the rationale for developing landholder typologies is first discussed before reviewing the various approaches that have been used by Australian researchers and comparing their findings

Assessing the Financial Viability of Farm Forestry: A Tutorial Exercise

This module is designed to aid in the understanding of the concepts and techniques used to assess the financial viability of a farm forestry planting, and to develop basic computer skills in assessing the financial viability of farm forestry plantings. The means to achieve these aims is to construct a simple financial model of farm forestry, from which the net present value and internal rate of return can be derived. The data entry and financial analysis procedures are set out to be followed step by step to derive these financial performance criteria, using the spreadsheet package Excel. This module provides background to operation of the Excel-based Australian Cabinet Timbers Financial Model (ACTFM)

An Introduction to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

This module provides an introduction to statistical analysis, particularly in regard to survey data. Some of the features of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) are then explained, with reference to a farm forestry survey. Of necessity, this is a brief overview to the highly complex and powerful SPSS package

Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Smallholder Tree Planting and Management Intentions in Leyte Province, The Philippines

Survey data have been collected from four rural communities in Leyte Province, the Philippines, on household tree planting and management intentions, as well as the socio-economic characteristics, attitudes to tree planting and management, farming practices and the number of trees planted. In relation to intended tree planting and management activities, respondents were asked a series of structured questions as to what tree species they intend to plant, how many individual trees of each of those species they plan to plant, and for what purpose they propose to plant each of the tree species. This paper reports the results of analyses of the stated tree management intentions of households in the four communities and identifies the socio-economic factors that influence householders' tree management intentions. Respondents were generally enthusiastic about the possibility for further tree planting on their land, 75% indicating they would undertake planting. About 60% indicated an interest in commercial tree farming, with no significant differences in this level of interest between communities. It was found that a number of socio-economic variables indicating higher levels of land ownership and previous experience in the forestry industry are related to the intention to plant trees to produce timber for sale. These include the use of materials from public lands, participation in community organisations and community forestry programs, and the present management of trees to produce timber for sale

Conducting surveys on forestry attitudes and practices in Leyte communities, the Philippines: Experiences and lessons learnt

A survey of forestry practices and attitudes was undertaken in four communities in Leyte, the Philippines, to improve understanding of the social and economic factors affecting small-scale forestry development. The survey had three main data collection activities - initial focus group discussions (FGDs), household interviews, and reporting and validation FGDs. A team of enumerators was selected for household interviews which consisted of both males and females, to avoid potential problems of unwillingness of people to talk with those of the opposite gender. The interviewers were also required to be able to speak local dialects (Cebuano and Waray Waray), the survey questionnaires being administered in these dialects. Various methods were used to gain the support and assistance of local government units and barangay captains. The survey team experienced some difficulty in the first community due to barangay elections at the time of the survey, and the requirement by The University of Queensland Ethics Committee that respondents sign a consent form. This requirement was found to be not culturally appropriate for the Leyte smallholder communities. Offering goods at the end of the interview was found to be of limited value for encouraging participation in the survey. Provision of food and drinks were found to encourage FGD participants to express their views, but too much alcohol had a negative effect. The importance of providing comprehensive feedback to respondents and involving them and other stakeholders in development of policy recommendations was apparent. These survey experiences provide valuable insights which are not generally available in textbooks on sample surveys, and provide lessons for planning and conducting smallholder community survey into natural resource management issues

Case Studies Using the AFFFM

One of the primary functions of the Australian Farm Forestry Financial Model (AFFFM) is to allow landholders and their advisors to explore the potential impacts of forestry development on overall farm profitability, financial position and cashflows. In this chapter, two case studies of real-life landholdings are presented. The first examines the development of native forestry operations on a landholding in the New England Tablelands region, and the second examines the development of a hardwood plantation on a landholding in the Darling Downs region. These case studies illustrate the data input requirements and the nature and interpretation of the output from the model

Basic Computer Skills and Statistical Methods for Analysis of Survey Data

This module provides an introduction to the use of spreadsheet software packages, to enter, organise and report data from attitudinal and behavioural surveys. In particular, application of the Excel spreadsheet for these purposes is illustrated. The data used for illustration purposes drawn from a survey of landholders' attitudes to forest plantation establishment in north Queensland, Australia. To ensure comprehensive and accurate reporting of the responses to a survey, it is necessary to carry out a carefully designed series of procedures. The basic stages are data entry, reduction and transformation, analysis and reporting. Figure 1 illustrates the methodology adopted to analyse a survey of landholders attitudes to tree planting and management

Past and Present Forestry Support Programs in the Philippines, and Lessons for the Future

A variety of government programs have been implemented to support smallholder forestry for production and conservation purposes in the Philippines. This paper briefly outlines the arrangements of the past and current programs, notes how they have evolved over time, and provides some comments on their performance. Over about 30 years, as weaknesses have been identified in programs, the program designs have been modified. For most of this time, there has been an increasing emphasis on community involvement as distinct from industrial or individual farmer forestry. However, some of the intractable constraints on community planting have led to recent interest in individual property rights

The Current Status of Farm Forestry in Australia

A report for the RIRDC/Land & Water Australia/FWPRDC Joint Venture Agroforestry Program, 2002

The Farm Forestry Decision-Support System: Research Outcomes in Relation to Farm Surveys, the AFFFM and the MODSS

This chapter reviews the outcomes of the various components of the project 'A Whole-Farm and Regional Agroforestry Decision-Support System', including the landholder surveys and spatial modelling, and development and application of the decision-support systems (DSSs), and development and testing of the Australian Farm Forestry Financial Model. Achievements of the research and its relevance to decision-making at the farm and regional level are examined. Comments are also made on the viability of the approach of combining a number of separate research groups into a single team