Using Conferences and Workshops for Technology Training

Conference and workshop formats provide excellent opportunities in continuing education for farmers and their advisers to stay abreast of new technology and practices for maintaining high-yield, high-profit management systems. Where possible hands-on opportunities should be included and proceedings published to help support the learning process. Communication and cooperation between industry and universities have been enhanced through these meetings. Since adoption of new technologies is often a team effort involving the farmers, input suppliers and other stakeholders, training programs should be designed to foster cooperation among them. The complexity of some of the new technologies makes the hands-on workshop and demonstration formats especially valuable.