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Decision-support packages for knowledge transfer

Áine Macken-Walsh

Research Impact Highlights

Industry impact: Transdisciplinary research findings in relation to the control of Johne’s disease (JD) in dairy herds and grassland management were translated into practice-ready decision-support packages for farmers, advisers, vets and other rural professionals. Incorporating novel communication techniques, the JD control package is designed for interactive use on touchscreen/other electronic devices, and is also available in hard copy. Similarly, the grassland management transdisciplinary and open innovation process generated a complete methodology for advisers to facilitate a discussion group meeting on a host farm, identifying grassland management practices that are cost-effective, impactful and achievable. A physical resource pack was co-designed, containing all the tools facilitators require to implement the method. Both packages incorporate storyboards, which are animated stories from real-life cases on Irish farms. The stories were selected to address key issues that are identified by sociological research as influencing farmer behaviour. They can be used in a variety of ways: to prompt discussion with/among farmers of sensitive or contentious issues; as scripts for role play; as publication features in print media; and, as social media posts. Over 20 Teagasc and dairy co-operative advisers are trained in the managing grass package, which has been practiced in over 30 discussion groups to date. The JD control package is used as a communications resource by dairy co-operatives and Animal Health Ireland.

Contribution from non-research stakeholders: Knowledge transfer specialists, advisers, farmers, the dairy cooperative sector and policy makers.

Other contributors and collaborators: School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD; Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Programme (AGRIP), Moorepark; Centre for Participatory Strategies, Ireland; Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI), NUI Galway.

Funding: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Teagasc.

Researcher: Aine Macken-Walsh