A generic design environment for the rural industry knowledge acquisition

This paper describes a new knowledge acquisition method using a generic design environment where context-sensitive knowledge is used to build specific DSS for rural business. Although standard knowledge acquisition methods have been applied in rural business applications, uptake remains low and familiar weaknesses such as obsolescence and brittleness apply. We describe a decision support system (DSS) building environment where contextual factors relevant to the end users are directly taken into consideration. This "end user enabled design environment" (EUEDE) engages both domain experts in creating an expert knowledge base and business operators/end users (such as farmers) in using this knowledge for building their specific DSS. We document the knowledge organisation for the problem domain, namely a dairy industry application. This development involved a case-study research approach used to explore dairy operational knowledge. In this system end users can tailor their decision-making requirements using their own judgement to build specific DSSs. In a specific end user's farming context, each specific DSS provides expert suggestions to assist farmers in improving their farming practice. The paper also shows the environment's generic capability.

Lobster aquaculture development in Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia

This project will support the sustainable development of lobster farming in Indonesia to meet global demand for tropical lobsters at high prices (>$US60 /kg). It will also address sustainability issues for the lobster farming industry in Vietnam and provide verification of lobster growout at commercial scale in Australia. The project will adapt technologies developed in Vietnam and apply them in Indonesia to establish a village-based industry for impoverished coastal communities. The Australian component will assess land-based growout systems to prepare for the likely availability of hatchery-reared lobster seed. Hatchery technology is currently being commercialised in Queensland through a partnership between DEEDI and Lobster Harvest Pty Ltd.

Spiny lobster aquaculture development in eastern Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia

The project was successful across all objectives, making demonstrable progress in support of establishing tropical lobster farming in Indonesia. The industry remains most active in Lombok where lobster seed resources are most abundant, and impact has been greatest there. Nevertheless, project activities have established activity and interest in lobster farming in other provinces and particularly Aceh and, South and Southeast Sulawesi. The project met all of its 23 milestones with the exception of publishing a production manual, which has been held over until 2017. For several milestone activities, further research will be required to build on the outcomes generated and reach practical commercial outputs. The research was instigated to address the opportunity to establish a significant small-holder based industry in Indonesia that could alleviate poverty in coastal communities. The premise was that such an industry – lobster farming, had been established in Vietnam, with ACIAR involvement, and it could be replicated in Indonesia where the availability of necessary basic requirements had been confirmed through a previous ACIAR project focussed in Vietnam (FIS/2001/058). The broad aim was to assess, develop and expand the resources of naturally settling lobster seed (puerulus), and develop grow out of those seed to meet export market demand. This was to be achieved by adapting and transferring to Indonesia technology from Vietnam, where lobster farming had become a successful industry producing 1,500 tonnes of export quality lobsters valued at $A100 million.

The importance of grasslands for animal production and other functions: a review on management and methodological progress in the tropics

The global importance of grasslands is indicated by their extent; they comprise some 26% of total land area and 80% of agriculturally productive land. The majority of grasslands are located in tropical developing countries where they are particularly important to the livelihoods of some one billion poor peoples. Grasslands clearly provide the feed base for grazing livestock and thus numerous high-quality foods, but such livestock also provide products such as fertilizer, transport, traction, fibre and leather. In addition, grasslands provide important services and roles including as water catchments, biodiversity reserves, for cultural and recreational needs, and potentially a carbon sink to alleviate greenhouse gas emissions. Inevitably, such functions may conflict with management for production of livestock products. Much of the increasing global demand for meat and milk, particularly from developing countries, will have to be supplied from grassland ecosystems, and this will provide difficult challenges. Increased production of meat and milk generally requires increased intake of metabolizable energy, and thus increased voluntary intake and/or digestibility of diets selected by grazing animals. These will require more widespread and effective application of improved management. Strategies to improve productivity include fertilizer application, grazing management, greater use of crop by-products, legumes and supplements and manipulation of stocking rate and herbage allowance. However, it is often difficult to predict the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of such strategies, particularly in tropical developing country production systems. Evaluation and on-going adjustment of grazing systems require appropriate and reliable assessment criteria, but these are often lacking. A number of emerging technologies may contribute to timely low-cost acquisition of quantitative information to better understand the soil-pasture-animal interactions and animal management in grassland systems. Development of remote imaging of vegetation, global positioning technology, improved diet markers, near IR spectroscopy and modelling provide improved tools for knowledge-based decisions on the productivity constraints of grazing animals. Individual electronic identification of animals offers opportunities for precision management on an individual animal basis for improved productivity. Improved outcomes in the form of livestock products, services and/or other outcomes from grasslands should be possible, but clearly a diversity of solutions are needed for the vast range of environments and social circumstances of global grasslands.