An on-farm demonstration should not end when closing the event itself. Evaluating the demo afterwards helps to improve the organisation of future events and in addition some follow-up activities for participants (and non-participants) will help to achieve a bigger impact.

The evaluation can be done for the short and long term and for several aspects. Check whether the objectives were achieved, what visitors take home, if they see the learning applicable or feedback about the set-up is valuable information for the next time.

The opinions can be gathered in several ways during or after the demo. E.g. informal talks during the event, evaluation forms afterwards or even consider the evaluation as part of the programme, allocating time for it during the event. In fact, you are more likely to succeed in gathering feedback during the day than afterwards by for example email. Keep it concise: aim for only a few relevant questions, rather than a long questionnaire.

Furthermore, follow-up activities will help you to achieve higher and long-lasting impact of the event. There’s a wide range of options to keep in contact with the participants. Examples of follow-up activities are short follow-up phone calls, sharing the participants list, providing support to those aiming to implement things learned, or to prepare a press release or video report.

Although taking place after the event, make sure to inform or even discuss planned follow-up activities with the participants during the day. Finally, do not hesitate to include people that have not participated in the event for certain specific follow up activities, to further increase impact.

More info: https://trainingkit.farmdemo.eu/

Printable version: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

There are some good practices that can help to maximise the experience of participants at on-farm demonstrations. A comfortable and stimulating set-up, a program with time for networking, suitable learning methods or a skilled facilitator highly contribute to the success.

Everything starts with a balanced program, aligned with the objectives of the demo. Ensure enough time for interaction, since demos are not only about knowledge transfer. They often act as meeting places, so people appreciate the time for networking, for freely walking around, for Q&A, etc.

A stimulating and familiar setting grants a more comfortable and effective experience so try to provide a clean and tidy environment, food and drinks, proper signs and indications, clear audio or shaded areas and shelters to face adverse weather conditions.

When it comes to learning, several resources can be used to boost knowledge exchange and those should be picked considering the kind of audience and be supported by a well-balanced agenda. In case of big events, it’s advisable to split into smaller groups to provide the same chances for knowledge exchange and interaction. The FarmDemo guide compiles a good overview of these various techniques and resources suitable for on-farm demonstrations.

Finally, a fluent event ensures a more effective and pleasant experience. Go for a skilled facilitator or host, able to lead the event and effectively engage the participants. Appoint also a timekeeper, to ensure the completion of the program and try to foresee the unexpected: E.g. what to do in case of bad weather, problems with equipment, not very active participants, etc.

More info: https://trainingkit.farmdemo.eu/

Printable version: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

The participants, location, setting or timing, amongst others, are factors to consider when organising an on-farm demonstration. So it’s advisable to start with the preparations well in advance, aligning every single aspect with the aim of the event.

First it is key to set the demo objectives: Why are you doing the demo and what do you want to demonstrate? The motivations can range from adoption of innovations to problem solving, policy implementation, etc. Therefore, be clear about this, also when advertising the demo. Once the objective is set, you can decide about the who (target participants) and set-up or learning methods (how). Often the strength of a demo lies in the simplicity, therefore if different topics or goals, consider series of demos, rather than a single event.

Make sure to pick a host farm(er) and/or demonstrator in line with the objectives. The participants’ perception of the host can play a role in the attractiveness of the event, so trusted and innovative hosts may increase the potential of your demo. Concerning place and time, look for good access and comfort (facilities, travel time) and pay attention to the trade-off when choosing the time and date (e.g. avoid milking hours in case of dairy events).

Finally, to reach potential attendees, use of invitations and channels well adapted to each target group. Even personal invitations may be welcomed. Also, it’s recommended to interact with the participants before the demo e.g. sending information, requesting to prepare questions or to complete a form, etc. This raises the interest but also helps to align the event to the expectations and needs of the participants.

More info: https://trainingkit.farmdemo.eu/

Printable version: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

SamZones in Sweden are small areas used to cultivate mixtures of herb and grass for several causes. We have identified around 30 different positive functions of the SamZones for farmers, nature or society: To protect water against runoff of pesticides or fertilizers, promote biodiversity, increase the availability of pollinators or promote the presence of animals, reduce soil compaction on the main field. They can be grown on the edge, middle or around of a field, beside a watercourse, etc. The Swedish network Odling I Balans (OiB) has tested and showed them on their farms during 2018. The seed mixtures used for the SamZones are based on scientific findings and practical experience. There is interest from the farming industry for these zones and the Swedish authorities are supporting the concept.



Farmers in OiB have positive experience on SamZones and are enthusiastic to continue growing them. However, how this concept can be spread and become interesting for other farmers in Sweden?. The results of Agridemo-F2F project show that the demonstration of the SamZones using peer to peer learning is a very effective way to spread and show innovations and increase the interest of other farmers. "I get questions from the neighboring farmers after the demonstration and they want to know more in detail how to grow and manage the SamZon," tells Martin Andersson one of the farmers in the farm network. Another conclusion is that the best and most effective way to speed up changes is to support farmers ' initiatives. Our recommendation is to arrange demonstrations on farms by given the opportunity to farmers to discuss different solutions among themselves.



Printable version of this PA16 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

Short demonstration videos embedded in discussion forums, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, webpages or other social media channels enable online learning and networking opportunities for farmers.



A cornerstone of enabling changes in agricultural management practices is a pool of innovative farmers who share ideas and show that being curious can solve multiple on-farm challenges. When farmers search for solutions online, they act independently and dynamically and are not necessarily connected to advisors.



Videos are gaining ever bigger impact than written content or pictures. With a video, a farmer does not only see a tractor on the field, but at the same time catches details about the soil conditions, technical capabilities, equipment adjustment and ease of machinery as well as working conditions. Much more information can therefore be captured from a well-made concise video, than from a written abstract. Smartphone technology enables to record in slow motion and time lapse, easy editing and cutting, as well as fast upload to the internet.



It is easy to consume such content for farmers, to share it with peers, and therefore enable farmers to disseminate their interests and learn from their peers near and far. Effective learning is supported when a farmer can access information through both visual and verbal channels. When both kinds of information are integrated into the farmer´s existing knowledge and compared to experiences from other farms, effective learning takes place.



https://www.youtube.com/user/VermiGrand/videos

Poster Vermigrand: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/docs/Austria_poster_1.pdf

Printable version of this PA14 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

When organising forestry events in Ireland, a checklist is employed to gather event information and act as a prompt for actions prior, during and post event. The checklist is stored in the Teagasc Forestry Dev. Department’s designated shared folder.



The checklist, which is part of the Knowledge Transfer Service, has some advantages. It allows the organiser to document actions and retain information relevant to the efficient running of an event and also allows Teagasc to save event details, in the case of personnel changes and unforeseen circumstances. In fact, retaining event information as a succession strategy can be beneficial.



Regarding the Knowledge Service there’re also some potential advantages:



• There is an agreement within enterprises to maintain a shared folder, containing specific checklists. Also each enterprise can establish a shared event folder on shared drive. Access to the checklist should be on an agreed basis



• The checklist template can be modified and tailored to specific enterprises. Also the completion of checklist needs to be standardized and normalized throughout the organization, in tandem with a Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (HIRA) & safety plans. Arising from the checklist, personnel can be identified to complete tasks



• Retaining checklists can enable enterprises to build their event organization abilities, increase efficiencies and save relevant information



The checklist tool was a successful submission to the Teagasc Open Innov. Programme in 2015. It aims to promote innovation and staff involvement within the organization at all levels.

Checklist: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/docs/Checklist_demos.doc

Printable version: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

Demonstration activities enable peer-to-peer learning among farmers in settings relevant for practice. By issuing a certificate of attendance, the value of demonstrations can be better recognised by “harder to reach” farmers and policymakers.



To ensure practical relevance for farmers and to foster effective learning, a demonstration activity taking place on a real farm is an ideal case. Often only a long-term comparison of management practices or crop choices provides the necessary information for farmers to make the right management decisions for the future.



The farm of Maria & Franz Kastenhuber in Austria has a long history of demonstration activities, ranging from crop trials on fungicide and growth regulator tests, experiments on soil and crop protection and variety testing. Annual field days with 500-800 participants are organised since 2006.



Some farmers are “harder to reach” due to time constraints and other activities they attend in order to comply with the requirements of agricultural policy. By issuing a certificate of attendance, demo events can gain added valued and importance from both the farming community and the policymakers. “Harder to reach” farmers can be motivated to join when they can work towards their certificates of competence while experiencing the added benefits of peer-to-peer learning. When number of certificates rise, the policymakers may put more focus on demonstration activities and support peer-to-peer learning as a cornerstone of advanced agricultural training. In June 2018, approximately 350 farmers got a certificate of attendance for guided field walk covering 10 different field-experiments at the Kastenhuber farm.

Printable version: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

Field Labs, part of the Innovative Farmers programme in UK, provide an opportunity for farmers to host and demonstrate trial outcomes.



Field labs are on-farm trials on topics identified as important by farmers. Farmer groups meet at field lab events 2-3 times a year to observe and review the trials. Farmers host the trials and demonstrate them (often in rotation) at these events to other farmers in the group.



In this example, farmers in the ‘Cover Crop Management Group’ are hosting field labs trialling alternatives to ploughing or glyphosate for terminating cover crops. This is an issue identified by both organic and conventional farmers. The group are trialling a range of techniques over a two year period including roller crimpers, grazing and mulching. Five farmers (organic and conventional) are hosting trials, according to agreed protocols.



Field Labs on this topic are typically small groups (6-12). A group coordinator with technical experience provides facilitation, while a researcher provides up to date science and supports farmers in designing, running and interpreting the trials. The small number of participants encourages open-discussion and questioning which leads to group problem solving. Triallist and researcher updates are provided on the web platform to complement the farm meeting discussions.



Printable version of this PA10 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

We assume that, up to day, the frequency of peer-to-peer learning in the farming sector depended on two variables: the proximity of farms, and the relationship of trust (good communication) among farmers.



The FarmDemo Hub is a web tool that will facilitate and improve this learning process through the EU. This platform will contain the main outcomes of the Plaid and Agridemo-F2F projects, particularly those oriented to practitioners. The FarmDemo Hub will be a live repository of maps with inventoried farms, video tutorials on the best ways to carry out demonstrations, and reports and recommendations on case studies and good practices.



In addition, the Hub will be an opportunity for farmers to overcome the barriers of distance and communication, providing them with tools to extend peer-to-peer learning in the agricultural sector through the web, making an extensive use of information technologies. Each demonstration farm will have help tools and its own profile in the Hub. This will allow farmers to improve and disseminate their demonstrations across the EU. Likewise, the demonstrations’ users and the advisors will have filters and search functions (filtering information by farm types or farm functionalities), as well as summary reports.



Therefore, the Hub aims to improve knowledge and enhance farmer-to-farmer learning, concentrating information that was not synthesized formerly, but also creating a virtual community of demonstration farms.



Printable version of this PA5 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

FarmDemo Hub: https://farmdemo.eu/hub

AgriDemo-F2F partners have developed a European-wide, geo-referenced inventory, to provide a global view of on-farm demonstration activities and knowledge exchange modalities between farmers. The inventory reveals a wide range of these type of activities, the extent of this diversity in Europe has not yet been assessed.



We will analyze the data in the inventory in order to create a typology of on-farm demonstration activities which take place in Europe. We propose a typology based on two main dimensions, to differentiate and divide the on-farm demonstration activities.



First, we characterize on-farm demonstration activities on the degree of detail or focus of the presented innovations. This can range from single practice demonstrations, e.g. new varieties, a specific fertilisation technique, to a whole-farm approach, where several integrated components of the farm system are included in a single demonstration activity. This dimension indicates the complexity of the on-farm demonstration activities.



The second dimension characterizes on-farm demonstration activities based on actor roles and responsibilities. This can range from a clear top-down approach, with a unidirectional and hierarchical flow from science to potential end users, to a bottom-up approach, where innovation results from a direct and close interaction between farmers, advisers and researchers, during the whole process (planning, design and conduction of the on-farm demonstration).



Printable version of this PA4 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

A key element of AgriDemo-F2F is finding out what makes a demonstration* effective. Previous research has told us that this depends both on the structure of the demonstration (arrangements for actors, networks, organisation processes, etc.) and on the functions of the on-farm demonstrations.



From the literature we identified the following functions that influence the effectiveness of a demonstration. These are important throughout the demonstration process, from recruiting participants and planning the demonstration through to what happens afterwards:



• Coordinating effective recruitment of host farmers and participants

• Developing and coordinating appropriate interaction approaches, i.e. top-down or bottom-up

• Planning, designing and conducting appropriate demonstration processes

• Enabling learning appropriate to purpose, audience and context

• Designing and implementing appropriate mediation techniques and communication tools fostering learning processes

• Providing effective follow-up activities



We will examine each of these functions by talking to experienced practitioners in interviews and work- shops in selected case studies across Europe. From this we will identify the key functional elements of good practice and determine options for increasing impact.



*demonstration activity or programme



Printable version of this PA3 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

A key element of the AgriDemo-F2F project is finding out what makes an on-farm demonstration effective. Previous research has told us that performance depends on a range of both structural and functional characteristics of the actual demonstration.



A literature review revealed the following structural characteristics that influence the effectiveness of an on-farm demonstration:



• The management team: various actors are involved in on-farm demonstrations, having different characteristics and undertaking different roles, i.e. initiators, organisers, funders, advisors/specialists, etc.

• The demonstrator(s) characteristics and competences

• The demonstration farm characteristics, e.g. location, production system

• The target audience’s characteristics, e.g. numbers, profile

• Network characteristics, e.g. pre-existing or triggered by the demonstration occasion

• Multi-level governance of on-farm demonstration activities, programmes and networks

• Resources, finances and incentives

• Topic

• Design, e.g. location, layout, type of comparisons, access

• Frequency, duration and timing



We will examine each of these structural characteristics of on-farm demonstrations by talking to experienced practitioners in interviews and workshops in selected case studies across Europe. From this we will identify the key structural elements for good practice and determine options for increasing impact.



Printable version of this PA2 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/

Starting from the premise that other farmers’ continue to be farmers’ most important source of knowledge, the AgriDemo-F2F project aims at enhancing farmer to farmer learning through on-farm demonstration activities and events).



Together with its sister project PLAID, also funded by the EU H2020, it will support farmers to demonstrate innovations to their peers, and identify opportunities to learn from other farmers across Europe.



A searchable, geo-referenced inventory and map of commercial demonstration farms engaging in demonstration activities will be developed. The map will cover all 28 EU member states, plus Switzer- land, Norway and Serbia. It will be possible to search for farms with expertise on demonstration activities through location, sector or theme.



Although participating in demonstration activities is a common way for farmers to learn, very little is known about the ‘best’ way to organize these events. Using the knowledge from experienced practitioners, AgriDemo-F2F aims to assess demonstrations from when they are first devised through to evaluating outcomes, thereby identifying good practice and options for increasing impact.



Outputs of the project will be available online in a new FarmDemo-Hub, which will host a range of resources from You Tube videos to decision-support tools and best practice recommendations. These are aimed to help farmers, advisors, educators, policy makers and researchers across Europe, enabling them to support and develop on-farm demonstration activities.



Printable version of this PA2 and all abstracts: https://agridemo-h2020.eu/practice-abstracts/