Understanding the needs of farmers
Develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of farmers and the networks they operate within. In this half-day online workshop, we’ll explore how farmers make decisions, where they source information and advice, and how extension practitioners and farm advisors can communicate more effectively. The focus is on recognising farmers’ strengths, expertise, goals, and constraints, and using this understanding to design engagement that is relevant, respectful, and more likely to lead to uptake.
Is this course for you?
- You work in extension, advisory, or RD&E roles and want to better understand how farmers think, decide, and act.
- You sometimes feel your messages aren’t landing, despite being technically sound.
- You want to tailor communication and engagement approaches to different farmers, contexts, and networks.
Why enrol?
- Strengthen your understanding of farmers as skilled decision-makers, not passive recipients of information.
- Learn how farmers access, interpret, and trust different sources of information and advice.
- Improve how you communicate so messages are more relevant, credible, and actionable
What you'll achieve
Through this half-day, highly interactive workshop, you’ll explore topics like:
- Understand farmers in context – recognise the diversity of farmers’ goals, skills, experiences, and operating environments.
- Explore farmer networks and influence – understand how peers, advisors, supply chains, and institutions shape decisions.
- Identify information and advice pathways – examine where farmers source information and why some sources are trusted more than others.
- Tailor communication effectively – adapt language, framing, and channels to suit different farmers and situations.
- Build relevance and credibility – design engagement that respects farmers’ expertise and supports practical decision-making.
By the end of this course, you’ll have a stronger, more grounded understanding of farmers and how to engage with them in ways that build trust, relevance, and impact.
Submit your details to secure your place.
Who you will learn from
Dr John James is deeply passionate about enabling change and fostering innovation. With a wealth of experience, he specialises in helping organisations enhance the skills and capabilities of their teams in all aspects of extension and adoption. As an Adjunct Associate Professor with The University of Queensland, John brings a practical, hands-on approach to his work, bridging the gap between theory and real-world application. John is a keen supporter of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN), having been a past President, the convenor for two international conferences, and is an APEN Life Member.
Denise Bewsell is passionate about helping people enable change and strengthen how they work with others. With a background in Agricultural Science and a Masters exploring how people respond to information, she combines research insight with real-world experience. As a Principal at Scarlatti, Denise leads the extension programme design area and has worked extensively across agriculture supporting facilitators and researchers. An APEN Life Member and associate editor of its journal, she’s excited to help others build capability through Enablers of Change.
Course details
- Format: Three-hour online workshop.
- Date: TBA
- Time: TBA
- Investment: The price for this course is A$350 ex GST.
- Register your interest: Simply add your details to this form and we’ll let you know when the course is next offered.
Better understand farmers to communicate what matters
Move beyond assumptions and one-size-fits-all messaging. Enrol to strengthen how you understand farmers, their networks, and their needs—so your extension and advisory work is more relevant, trusted, and effective.
Secure your spot now
FAQs
What is the Understanding the needs of farmers course about?
This half-day online workshop focuses on understanding farmers, their networks, and how they access information and advice. It explores practical ways to tailor communication and engagement so extension approaches are more relevant and effective.
Who is this workshop for?
It’s designed for anyone working in extension, research, or agricultural engagement who wants to improve how they understand and communicate with farmers.
Is it only for people in Australia?
No, this course is open to anyone, no matter their location or nationality. While we expect most participants will be located across Australia, we’re looking forward to people from New Zealand and other countries joining in. We’ve scheduled the live sessions at 11:30 am AEDT to accommodate as many time zones as possible.
Can I register multiple people from my organisation at once?
Yes. Simply list all the participants’ names and email addresses in the appropriate fields of the registration form, and then provide the name and email address of the person making the booking in the final comments field, and the tax invoice will be sent to them.
Are places limited?
Yes. To make the workshop engaging and worthwhile, participant numbers are capped. This ensures plenty of opportunity for discussion and interaction with the trainers.
How is the workshop delivered?
The session is delivered live via Zoom. You’ll take part in interactive discussions and activities, with practical examples you can apply immediately in your work.
Do I need any special software or account?
No special software or account is required. You’ll receive a Zoom link by email before the workshop—just click to join. Please check beforehand that you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your computer.
What is the cost?
The registration fee is A$350 ex GST.
How can I pay?
We prefer payment by bank transfer, as this avoids processing costs. However, for your convenience, you can also pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) through our secure Stripe payment gateway.
Are there any extra fees?
Only when paying by credit card, as Stripe charges a small processing fee that is automatically added to your total. For Australian cards, this is 1.7% + A$0.30 (inc GST). For international cards, this is 3.5% + A$0.30 (ex GST). These charges are passed on at cost so that we receive the full workshop or course amount. The total payable is displayed clearly before you confirm payment.
Why do you pass on Stripe fees?
As a small business, we prefer to keep our standard prices as low as possible and only recover processing costs from those choosing to pay by card. Paying by bank transfer avoids these fees entirely.
Is my payment secure?
Yes. All card payments are encrypted and processed securely by Stripe, a PCI-compliant global payment provider. We do not store or have access to your credit-card details.
How do I register?
Click the link below to secure your spot.
What if I can’t attend at that date and time?
If the scheduled date for this course doesn’t suit you, simply add your details to this form and we’ll let you know when the course is next offered.
Are refunds available?
We offer refunds up to seven days before the course date; after that point, refunds aren’t available. If something comes up within those final seven days, another person from your organisation is welcome to attend in your place at no additional cost. To arrange this, just email us the full name, role, and contact details of the substitute attendee and we’ll update the registration.
If you have any other questions, feel free to email us: info@enablersofchange.com.au. We’re here to help!