Insights into farmer decision influencers towards behaviour change in Queensland

Extension officers, researchers and other stakeholders have altered the way they market water quality improvement programmes to land managers using insights from a readability study that found communications materials were written in a language too complex for a substantial percentage of the Australian population. In addition, stakeholders implementing activities in water quality research programs used insights from farmer attitudes, behaviours and barriers to drive their approach to behaviour change projects in the region that aim to improve water quality and the heath of the Great Barrier Reef. This collaborative approach allowed stakeholders to access appropriate tools and implement them towards improvement of water quality projects. Insights into farmer decision-making factors may also guide extension officer’s interactions with land managers in terms of communication and training programs. This presentation provides examples where stakeholders have adopted insights from the NESP 2.1.3 project to create behaviour change in water quality management.