Information, Extension, and Regional Development

Spatial Spillovers.Individual vs Coordinated Decisionmaking

Daniel OsgoodAssistant Extension Specialist/Assistant Professor

Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics University of Arizona

Example: Weather information

Agricultural weather information

• Agricultural weather systems– AgriMET, AZMET, CIMIS, LAIS– frost and climate forecasting

• Popular in spite of more precise alternatives

• Private systems limited to value added

• Stand alone private systems rare, short-lived

• Why?

Precision, Profits, and Waste

• Precision technologies

• Information and application

• Public good market failures: Pirating

Conservation Mechanisms

• Extension provision of information– Addresses market failures– Reduces waste– Improves agricultural viability

• Taxes, fees, regulation– Info can out perform taxes, fees– Often taxes, fees, regulation not feasible

• Cooperation: Mexican Ejidos

Extension and Regional Coordination

Example: Yuma Pinmap

Extension as Neutral Moderator

• Yuma pinmap is self-enforced by competing growers

• Required extension as neutral moderator

• Improves productivity

• 90 percent of World Broccoli Seed

• Growers actually requested more regulation

• Growers use to reduce liability

• Enables smaller players to have equal access

• Similar to: Online Water Market

Coordination with Extension Expertise

Example: Pest Management

Impacts

• Improve productivity

• Reduce costs

• Reduce pesticide use

• Prevent pest spread, identify sources

• Document responsible behavior

• Cotton application

Tension at the Ag/Urban Interface

Points Dithered for anonymity

Benefits of Regional Coordination

• Coordination allows reduced pest use– Particularly in sensitive areas

• Agriculture shows responsible behavior

• Proactive cooperation

• Less tension

Endangered species and Urban Development

Endangered Species

• Regulation that does not address information issues may lead to unintended behavior

Climate Education and Agriculture

Example: Ranch viability and drought

Will this ranch survive?

• Drought has driven cattle off range

• Ranchers must decide how to restock

• Ranchers must decide if they should restock

• Retirement vs Bankruptcy

Extension and Information

• Drought Forecast (CLIMAS)

• Educate on climate (CLIMAS)

• Risk management education (RightRisk)

• Post drought option decision support (Ranching for Profitability)

• Regional coordination:– moving cattle, working with agencies– land use change, multifunctionality

Ranch coordination

Hobby Agriculture

Example: Fragmentation of rangelands by ranchettes

Sales 1991

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1992

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1993

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1994

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1995

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1996

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1997

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1998

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 1999

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Sales 1991 - 2000

Source: Yavapai, MIS

Information and Hobby Agriculture

• Fragmentation, not managed for profits

• Brings money but disturbs Ag Community

• Destroy amenity they are seeking– Ranchettes: value ranching, dislike isolation

• Extension roles– Information on ranchette management– Assist in regional coordination

Information Technology and Underserved Stakeholders

Technology and the Underserved

• High Technology. Underserved clientele may not have: – access to– familiarity with– uses for

• Technology can cause imbalance in efficiently evolved management systems

Technology and Underserved

• Eye Openers:– Pinmap interface– Mexican subsistence farmers– Ranchers and first time computer use

• Stakeholders are intelligent

• Information tech important in isolated areas

Information Technology

• Systems must be directly applicable to management issue

• Technology constraints must be recognized (e.g. bandwidth, computer power/access)

• Must update in-person institutions

• Serve only to support in-person outreach

• Make interface similar to low-tech solution

Conclusions:Spatial information

• Ag. Production– Pest, pollination, weather, climate, quality,

water and land

• Ag/Urban/Environmental/Recreational– Multifunctionality, identify win-win,

cooperation, evidence of good behavior

ConclusionsExtension and Regional Coordination

• Some Extension roles– Neutral mediator, communications forum, expertise, inform

policy, step in where private entities cannot

• Information technology– + and - for small stakeholders– must be appropriate– Only is support for in-person outreach

• Regional development, spatial info: Coordinate decisionmaking

Advanced Decision Support Tool

A Demonstration of the Role of Technology

advanced decision tool.swf