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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #259718

Title: Technology transfer: Promoting irrigation progress and best management practices

Author
item PORTER, DANA - Texas Agrilife Research
item ROGERS, DAN - Kansas State University
item MAREK, THOMAS - Texas Agrilife Research
item LAMM, FREDDIE - Kansas State University
item KLOCKE, NORMAN - Kansas State University
item ALAM, MABUB - Kansas State University
item Howell, Terry

Submitted to: Irrigation Association Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2010
Publication Date: 12/5/2010
Citation: Porter, D., Rogers, D., Marek, T., Lamm, F., Klocke, N., Alam, M., Howell, T.A. 2010. Technology transfer: Promoting irrigation progress and best management practices. In: Proceedings of the 5th Decennial National Irrigation Symposium, December 5-8, 2010, Phoenix, Arizona. Paper No:IRR10-9641.2010 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary: Irrigation is important to providing future food, fiber, and fuel needs for the United States and the world. For sustaining the practices of irrigation, education on promoting the best management practices is required. This paper summarizes efforts from the Ogallala Aquifer Program to promote extension education for producers, consultants, and water resource managers to conserve water and to use the best irrigation practices. It emphasizes the efforts to expand audiences and to improve the educational programs offered. It describes the methods used to reach the clients which includes (1) media (print and electronic), modular educational tools or packages, and (2) mass media (television, radio, internet). Survey results indicated the efforts were effective.

Technical Abstract: Educational efforts promoting irrigation best management practices are designed to increase adoption of these practices and increase public understanding of the importance of irrigation. They increase visibility and the impact of the Ogallala Aquifer Program and promote affiliated research and extension programs to agricultural producers, consultants, and water resources managers. Building upon existing programs and collaborations, successful programs are being expanded to accommodate additional audiences and applications. Improved quality, effectiveness and efficiency of educational programs are made possible through improved communication and complementary expertise of the collaborators. A variety of methods and media (electronic and print; modular educational packages; mass media; and traditional Extension field days and workshops) are being used to reach an expanding and diverse audience. Evaluation surveys and levels of participation in education events indicate that audience response has been very positive.