Extension and adoption training

Turning research into real‑world change doesn’t happen on its own. Effective extension gives farmers and communities the knowledge, confidence, and support they need to adopt new practices and make meaningful improvements on the ground. Without strong extension, even the best research struggles to translate into impact.

The Hub’s Extension and Adoption training program builds this capability by equipping agricultural professionals with the skills to guide growers through change, whether that’s adopting new technologies or refining management practices.

The program supports grower group staff, industry consultants, and extension or research professionals who work directly with growers. Their role is critical: nationally, nine in ten grain growers rely on paid (66%) and/or retail (64%) advisers, and around half draw on information from grower groups. In Western Australia, 76% of growers receive advice from retail or paid advisers, and 63% access professional support through grower group networks (Source: GRDC 2025 Corporate Survey of Growers Main Report).

Since 2023, 128 professionals have taken part in the program, strengthening the State’s extension capacity and helping ensure research leads to real, lasting change across farming systems.

Participants report gaining practical tools, frameworks, and confidence to plan and deliver more effective extension. Many have applied the training directly, developing communications plans, doing more effective facilitation, embedding extension into new projects, and trialling new methods to capture feedback. Skills have been used to refine event design, tailor activities to target audiences, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation (M&E), including updating M&E frameworks and creating surveys.