Climate variability and the australian sugarcane farmer: a phenomenographic analysis of farmer experiences of managing and discussing climate risk

This research contributes to the understanding of how Australian sugarcane farmers conceive of their management of the impacts of the highly variable climate in which their businesses are situated. The historical group extension and information communication environment which support farmer discussions and consideration of climate information is described, particularly in the way in which participative Managing for Climate Risk workshops have been delivered in Queensland, Australia. The decline in the provision of traditional extension services is discussed, and the consequent opportunity that improvements in digital networks provide to augment and or replace extension services with different communication tools. Novel discussion support tools (a series of four machinima, animations produced in a virtual world format) are developed, evaluated and tested in a farmer workshop, delivered in a collaborative, social learning environment, using adult learning principles. Developmental phenomenography is used as the principal qualitative research methodology to understand and describe farmer conceptions of managing and discussing climate risk. Post-workshop survey and semi-structured interview data are analysed phenomenographically within the research to articulate the variation in farmer conceptions to related phenomena. Conclusions and recommendations for the climate science and communication community are developed which may lead to improvements in the ways that farmers are engaged and supported in their learning about managing the impacts of climate variability in the future. Additionally, the opportunity to use phenomenography as a qualitative evaluation methodology in agriculture extension programs is discussed

Climate variability and the Australian sugarcane farmer: a phenomenographic analysis of farmer experiences of managing and discussing climate risk

This research contributes to the understanding of how Australian sugarcane farmers conceive of their management of the impacts of the highly variable climate in which their businesses are situated. The historical group extension and information communication environment which support farmer discussions and consideration of climate information is described, particularly in the way in which participative Managing for Climate Risk workshops have been delivered in Queensland, Australia. The decline in the provision of traditional extension services is discussed, and the consequent opportunity that improvements in digital networks provide to augment and or replace extension services with different communication tools. Novel discussion support tools (a series of four machinima, animations produced in a virtual world format) are developed, evaluated and tested in a farmer workshop, delivered in a collaborative, social learning environment, using adult learning principles. Developmental phenomenography is used as the principal qualitative research methodology to understand and describe farmer conceptions of managing and discussing climate risk. Post-workshop survey and semi-structured interview data are analysed phenomenographically within the research to articulate the variation in farmer conceptions to related phenomena. Conclusions and recommendations for the climate science and communication community are developed which may lead to improvements in the ways that farmers are engaged and supported in their learning about managing the impacts of climate variability in the future. Additionally, the opportunity to use phenomenography as a qualitative evaluation methodology in agriculture extension programs is discussed

Sugar industry prototype animation (machinima) evaluation report

Overall Findings • Initial response to the machinima by most interviewees was generally positive except for a minority view which would have preferred the use of real actors rather than animated characters. • Most interviewees were able to identify readily with the characters and setting depicted in the video, and relate the animation to an attempt to replicate a meeting of farmers or other sugar industry stakeholders on a cane farm. • The length and pace of the video were appropriate. • Key messages identified by respondents were generally consistent with the informational objectives of the script developed for the machinima except for the lack of clarity about the link to the current climate forecast. • The target demographic for this product may currently not attract interest from farmers who have a higher level of understanding of climate and production risk. • Improvements to the machinima graphics would significantly improve the visual appeal of the video for viewers. • Comments across stakeholder groups indicated that the machinima could be a useful tool to support discussion in the context of climate risk as well as other topical industry issues. • Development of SMS or Apps as delivery platforms bringing weather and climate data together, customised for the sugar industry would be an asset to the industry. Summary Recommendations • Improve the machinima graphics quality. • Refine machinima setting and characters based on respondent feedback including consideration of an explanation for the use of animated characters rather than real actors. • Develop and refine an understanding of the target demographic for this product. • Develop a more explicit and seamless link to the current climate forecast within the machinima. • Develop further machinima with discussions about other production issues. • Develop an SMS or App to deliver a refined climate information product and machinima for the end user through further consultation with industry

Can digital discussion support tools provide cost-effective options for agricultural extension services?

Agricultural extension that delivers timely, targeted, and cost-effective support to farmers will help ensure the sustainability and adaptive capacity of agriculture, enhancing both food security and environmental security. Leveraging advances in agriclimate science and adult education, innovative digital technologies offer significant new opportunities to engage with farmers and to support decision making. In this study, animated video clips (machinimas), developed using the Second LifeTM virtual world gaming platform, model conversations around climate risk and critical on-farm decisions in the Australian sugarcane farming industry. Early evaluation indicates that this is an engaging format that promotes discussion by leveraging farmers’ natural modes of information gathering and social learning. Comparison with conventional extension practices indicates that these discussion support tools may be a cost-effective addition to existing approaches. The format’s flexibility means machinimas are readily updated with new information and customized to meet the needs of different farmer groups. Rapid growth in digital access globally and the scalability of such approaches promise greater equity of access to high-value information, critical to better risk management decision making, at minimal cost, for millions of farmers

Putting virtual worlds to work to support improved climate risk decision-making on real world farms

Climate variability represents a significant risk to farming enterprises. Effective communication and extension of climate information may improve climate risk decision making and adaptive management responses to climate variability on farms. However, extension services are under strain worldwide due to cost and time constraints. Innovative applications of emerging digital technologies are likely to play an increasingly important role in this space. Evaluation of stakeholder responses to new web-based virtual world ‘discussion-support’ tools (short scripted video clips or machinima filmed in Second Life) indicate that they may provide a potentially revolutionary way to present and cost-effectively disseminate consistent and highly targeted information about climate, climate risk and climate risk adaptation to large numbers of farmers. Leveraging the social and observational learning aspects of farming, these tools also incorporate and apply recent advances in the use of digital technologies in education. With contextualised settings and relevant and engaging storylines, the tools model discussions between farmers about climate information, risk and on-farm practices. Follow up discussion among real life farming groups and farming families, stimulated by the tools, will potentially assist farmers to make better on-farm decisions to manage climate risk which, in turn, will support sustainable food and fibre production systems and reduce environmental harm. Prototype machinimas were developed for and trialled in the Australian sugar cane farming industry (Fig. 1). This industry is located in coastal regions of north-eastern Australia (Queensland and northern New South Wales) which experience high levels of climatic variability ranging from drought to intense rainfall events associated with tropical lows and cyclones. Improved access to targeted climate information, better understanding of climate risk and adaptation through adoption of recommended farm management best practice have been a key focus of sugar industry extension programs, In the sugar industry, as in other agricultural sectors, farmer participation in conventional face-to-face workshops, though effective in influencing adoption rates, is limited and likely to become more so as resources supporting extension services diminish. At the same time, online dissemination of technical information, though far-reaching, is often ineffective. Even the development of high-level decision support tools has seen only limited uptake among farmers. It is generally recognised within extension circles that the key to farmer engagement is through participatory processes and relevant discussion. The discussion support machinimas developed in this project deal with specific scenarios within the sugar cane farming calendar: specifically, irrigation; fertiliser application; harvesting; and planning. Evaluation of the machinimas was conducted, firstly, through a series of climate workshops where the tools were used to generate discussion of climate risk associated with each of these situations. These workshops were followed up with a phenomenographic study in which selected participants were interviewed about their response to the machinimas and transcripts were then analysed thematically. This study was designed to investigate the value of these tools in stimulating discussion about climate risk and adaptation within a farmer group and, subsequently, farming families. Secondly, the machinimas and an on-line survey questionnaire were posted to the website of the sugar cane farming peak body, CANEGROWERS Australia, whose membership numbers approximately 4,000 cane farmers. This survey was designed to investigate both farmer responses to the tools and the effectiveness of the tools, when disseminated electronically, in stimulating discussion and potentially influencing on farm decision making. Results suggest that these virtual world tools positively engage farmers and, while not replacing face-to-face extension, provide cost-effective support for climate risk decision making on Australian sugar cane farms. Future development of the machinimas will enable rapid updates of relevant seasonal climate information to farmer groups to ensure access to the best available information as a basis for discussion and decision making. Increasing capacity to deliver such tools online, given expanding access to the internet and uptake of mobile technologies, also suggests potential to digitally engage large numbers of farmers globally. The virtual world platform in which the machinimas are made allows ready contextualisation of climate risk information for a target audience through customised representations of landscapes, farming systems, characters (avatars) and scripted dialogues that reflect the real life experiences of farmers, wherever they are. Discussion is a key element of social learning. By modelling conversations and stimulating further discussion, these tools may assist in providing cost-effective targeted support for learning and on-farm decision making, thereby enhancing the adaptive capacity of farmers and the development of more sustainable food production systems

Virtual world technologies to enhance climate risk management on Australian sugar cane farms

Improved climate risk decision-making and management in agriculture is critical to the well-being and long-term sustainability of farming communities and future global food security. Decision-making on farms often makes assumptions about seasonal conditions and weather events over the cropping season. Projected climate change and increasing climate variability are likely to pose increasing challenges to the productivity and profitability of farming systems. Hence, better understanding of climate information may improve farmers' ability to plan for climate risk. Digital technologies offer an important alternative in the delivery and communication of agricultural information, complementing and expanding the reach of conventional face-to-face agricultural extension services, particularly where these are subject to declining levels of investment. Sophisticated digital platforms and their applications in learning environments also offer new opportunities which may influence and significantly enhance agricultural knowledge exchange. This paper reports on a project undertaken by the University of Southern Queensland's Australian Digital Futures Institute and International Centre for Applied Climate Sciences to develop and evaluate a web-based virtual 'discussion-support' system that integrates climate information with practical farming operations in Australian sugar farming systems. Customized video clips (machinima), created in the Second Life virtual world environment, use lifelike avatar actors to model conversations about climate risk and key farm operational decisions relevant to sugarcane farmers. Designed to be readily available online, this innovative approach is designed to provide more equitable and cost-effective access to targeted climate information as well as improved learning and decision-making opportunities at local, regional, national and even global scales

Sweet success: virtual world tools enhance real world decision making in the Australian sugar industry

Investigating the impact of a web-based, ‘discussion-support’, agricultural-climate information system on Australian farmers’ operational decision making

Virtual Discussions to Support Climate Risk Decision Making on Farms

Climate variability represents a significant risk to farming enterprises. Effective extension of climate information may improve climate risk decision making and adaptive management responses to climate variability on farms. This paper briefly reviews current agricultural extension approaches and reports stakeholder responses to new web-based virtual world ‘discussion-support’ tools developed for the Australian sugar cane farming industry. These tools incorporate current climate science and sugar industry better management practices, while leveraging the social-learning aspects of farming, to provide a stimulus for discussion and climate risk decision making. Responses suggest that such virtual world tools may provide effective support for climate risk decision making on Australian sugar cane farms. Increasing capacity to deliver such tools online also suggests potential to engage large numbers of farmers globally

Mutations in SLC29A3, Encoding an Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter ENT3, Cause a Familial Histiocytosis Syndrome (Faisalabad Histiocytosis) and Familial Rosai-Dorfman Disease

The histiocytoses are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterised by an excessive number of histiocytes. In most cases the pathophysiology is unclear and treatment is nonspecific. Faisalabad histiocytosis (FHC) (MIM 602782) has been classed as an autosomal recessively inherited form of histiocytosis with similarities to Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) (also known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML)). To elucidate the molecular basis of FHC, we performed autozygosity mapping studies in a large consanguineous family and identified a novel locus at chromosome 10q22.1. Mutation analysis of candidate genes within the target interval identified biallelic germline mutations in SLC29A3 in the FHC kindred and in two families reported to have familial RDD. Analysis of SLC29A3 expression during mouse embryogenesis revealed widespread expression by e14.5 with prominent expression in the central nervous system, eye, inner ear, and epithelial tissues including the gastrointestinal tract. SLC29A3 encodes an intracellular equilibrative nucleoside transporter (hENT3) with affinity for adenosine. Recently germline mutations in SLC29A3 were also described in two rare autosomal recessive disorders with overlapping phenotypes: (a) H syndrome (MIM 612391) that is characterised by cutaneous hyperpigmentation and hypertrichosis, hepatomegaly, heart anomalies, hearing loss, and hypogonadism; and (b) PHID (pigmented hypertrichosis with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) syndrome. Our findings suggest that a variety of clinical diagnoses (H and PHID syndromes, FHC, and familial RDD) can be included in a new diagnostic category of SLC29A3 spectrum disorder