Participatory research in dryland cropping systems — monitoring and simulation of soil water and nitrogen in farmers' paddocks in Central Queensland

Abstract

Collaboration of researchers and service-providers with farmers in addressing crop and soil management, using on-farm experiments and cropping system simulation, was negotiated in 2 districts in Central Queensland, Australia. The 2 most influential variables affecting crop productivity in this region (soil water and mineral nitrogen contents) and the growth of sown crops, were monitored and simulated for 3 years beginning in December 1992. Periodic soil sampling of large experimental strips on 3 farms, from paddocks that differed in cropping history and soil properties, provided robust datasets of change, over time, of soil water and mineral nitrogen status. Farmers participated in twice-yearly discussions with researchers, informed by the accumulating data, which influenced thinking about soil behaviour and possible new management strategies. As the study period coincided with a prolonged drought, so that cropping opportunities were few, the objectives of the work were modified to concentrate almost exclusively on the soil variables.The contribution of the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator, which was used to simulate the measured changes in soil water and mineral nitrogen, was found by all participants to be useful. The APSIM output generally demonstrated close correspondence with field observations, which raised confidence in its applicability to local cropping systems. Exploration of hypothetical situations of interest to farmer participants, in the form of what-if scenarios, provided insights into the behaviour of the production system for a range of soil and seasonal conditions. The informed speculation of the simulator became a substitute for the farmers' own, more tentative, efforts.The regular participative review sessions proved to be highly effective in stimulating the learning of both farmers and researchers. The farmers were able to feel comfortable as owners of the collaborative experiments and custodians of the learning environment. Clear evidence for the ongoing learning of these farmers appeared in post-collaboration practices and experiences.

Where Are the Missing Coauthors? Authorship Practices in Participatory Research

“…That is, the observation and interpretation is rigorous (see also Scott 1998:324). Foale et al's (2004) participatory research on dryland farming in Australia started with the assumption that "science cannot elucidate the management of agricultural systems without real participation of the managers of such systems" (322). Farmers posed research questions.…”

An evaluation of a methodology for seasonal soil water forecasting for Australian dry land cropping systems

“…APSIM also has advantages in its ability to represent the effects of plant growth dynamics (phenology of vegetation covers and root water extraction at various soil layers) on daily soil water fluxes, including soil evaporation, surface runoff and deep percolation in generating the available soil water fraction of a given soil profile (Foale et al, 2004;Inman-Bamber and McGlinchey, 2003;McMaster et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2004;Zhang et al, 2010). The initial soil water was set to 75% of capacity (out of the total water holding capacity of the soils)…”

Re-inventing model-based decision support with Australian dryland farmers. 2. Pragmatic provision of soil information for paddock-specific simulation and farmer decision making

“…On-farm research with farmers and their advisers commenced in 1992 with 3 groups of broadacre cropping farmers in southern and central Queensland (Cox et al 1993;Foale et al 1993Foale et al , 2004Carberry et al 2002;Hochman et al 2002). This activity combined collaborative soil sampling in farmernominated paddocks, generation and manipulation of the data by the scientists, and meetings with farmers and advisers to discuss the data, its meaning, enhanced by appropriate 'theory', and possible management implications.…”