I am very lucky to have such a diverse job.

Last week my colleague Peter Fitzgerald from the University of New England and I were tour guide, bus driver, trainer and very much everything in-between with 15 African agriculturalists from 11 different countries. We visited Gunnedah, Dubbo, Narromine and Nyngan as a major part of our second 2013 “Irrigation and small scale water harvesting course” based at the University of New England and funded by AusAID.

Orchardist Warren Yeomans discussing how he uses tensiometers to determine when to irrigateTo date the participants have spent a week on each of the following:

• refining extension techniquesand project planning
• dam building with the Soil Conservation Service
• irrigation systems with Lew Hyson and Isa Yunusa (UNE)
• field tour of irrigation, water spreading and water ponding

The field tour is a highlight as our friends get to meet a range of Australian farmers with a range of management styles and ‘drivers’ as well as getting practical training on establishing water spreading banks and water ponding at Nyngan with Ray Thompson, Local Land Services.

Course participants marking out water-spreading banks north of NynganOur final week together is spent in revision and fine tuning their projects they will implement when they return home.  They also get to present their projects to us which helps develop their presentation skills.

A sad farewell to the gateway to the Outback