Collaboration at the Heart of Agricultural Technology + Extension

Key takeaway

The strongest message from APEN was that tools and solutions work better when producers, researchers, and extension practitioners co-design them together.
Technology and AI can support better decisions but only when paired with human relationships. AI won’t replace extension. It will enhance it by freeing up more time for meaningful conversations, trust-building, and on-ground support.
Tools like AgValuate and BeefVantage show how technology, when co-developed and tested with producers, can strengthen resilience and confidence on farm.

The 2025 Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) Conference brought together more than 250 extension professionals, producers, researchers, policymakers, and innovators in Brisbane to explore how technology and human connection can shape the future of agricultural extension.

Presenting on behalf of the TNQ Drought Hub, Karen George and Carrie-Ann Wilson joined the three-day conversation on the theme Technology + Extension: A Powerful Partnership for Change, sharing how collaboration and innovation are driving resilience across northern Australia.

Carrie presented several times throughout the conference on the Hub’s work on developing AgValuate, an innovation readiness tool that helps farmers make confident decisions, strengthening adoption pipelines, and harnessing the potential of AI in extension services with BeefVantage.

Karen showcased programs that have successfully built both producer and community resilience, emphasising how coordinated support translates into lasting on‑ground benefits.

“Collaboration is at the core of everything we do,” Karen said. “When researchers, extension practitioners, and producers work together, the solutions are not only more innovative, they’re more sustainable.”

Throughout the conference, the focus remained on how technology, extension, and communication can work hand-in-hand to improve outcomes on the ground. Attendees repeatedly stressed that collaboration must be purposeful, not performative. Key themes echoed across sessions included:

Co-designing tools with producers to ensure real-world value and usability.
Strengthening partnerships between researchers, innovators, and extension practitioners.
Embracing AI and data-driven approaches without losing the essential human connection that makes extension effective.
Keeping communities at the heart of innovation, ensuring technology serves people, not the other way around

For TNQ Drought Hub team members who attended, the event reinforced that true innovation doesn’t just come from new technology, it comes from the networks that connect people, knowledge, and ideas.

Sophie Walker captured a common sentiment about technology and extension – the balance between the future use of technology with the irreplaceable value of human relationships in extension.

“It was really interesting to hear how technology can be used to support extension, especially around the role of AI,” Sophie said. “While tech can improve productivity, a human element is still needed in extension work.”

Dr Jane Oorschot, who served on the APEN organising committee alongside Emily Harrington in the communications committee, reflected on the effort and collaboration behind the event’s success.

Carrie-Ann Wilson said she had many conversations with attendees about AI during the breaks, with strong interest in using it more effectively across the sector. “People can see the benefits and want to engage with it in a smart, supportive way,” she said. “There was a real sense of excitement about how the right tools could free up time for building relationships and spark more curiosity among producers to explore knowledge in new ways.”

“The organising committee worked hard to bring together presenters and workshops that would resonate and be beneficial for extension professionals.’ Jane said. “This and future APEN conferences are a great opportunity to strengthen the knowledge and capacity throughout Australia’s agricultural sector.”

APEN 2025 made one thing clear, the future of extension lies in collaboration. When extension practitioners, researchers and producers co design tools, trials and communication strategies, practice changes are more likely to be adopted and adapted to local conditions.