Adjunct Professor Julian Prior

Biography

I have 40 years experience in natural resource management, land use and sustainable agriculture within Australia, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, including several years managing an erosion control and rangeland management project in northern Somalia. I have acted as an advisor to the governments of Australia, NSW, South Africa, Eritrea, PNG, Myanmar, Solomon Islands, and Fiji.

My areas of expertise are: natural resource policy, community development and community-based natural resource management, pastoral development, sustainable agriculture, catchment/watershed management, soil and water conservation, land and water policy, and sustainable livelihoods approaches. My interests include climate change policy and community adaptation to climate change.

My experience in research-extension-development includes: agricultural extension and scaling out of innovations; livelihood strategies in resource-poor farmers; social capital building in farmer groups for connection to markets and climate adaptation; community-based natural resource management; institutional analysis and capacity development; program and project design and evaluation and team leadership.

I was formerly the Associate Dean, International, within the Faculty of Science, Agriculture Business and Law, responsible for international engagement, at the University of New England in Armidale, Australia.

I am an experienced practitioner, trainer and researcher, in conflict resolution, mediation, negotiation and consensus building in conflict situations.
I have been employed by AusAID (DFAT), ACIAR, IFAD, UNDP, ICARDA, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), EU, the German agency SPC/GIZ, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, OXFAM UK, and World Vision Australia. I have been engaged as team leader on many occasions in both my international and Australian consultancy work. I have worked in over 25 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

Qualifications

Awards

• 4 UNE teaching awards
• Two annual awards from Southern New England Landcare (Armidale) for contributions to local Landcare
• UNE Griffith Taylor Centenary Prize for research excellence

Research Interests

Research for Development Interests

• Rural development and small scale farmer livelihoods in developing countries
• Institutional and policy development in agricultural, environmental and natural resource management
• Community-based natural resource management; community adaptation to climate change
• Social capital building for small scale farmers and women’s groups
• Scaling out and scaling up of agricultural, social and institutional innovations

Publications

Bourne, M., Prior, J. & Lobry de Bruyn, L. (2020) Participatory versus traditional agricultural advisory models for training farmers in Conservation Agriculture: a comparative analysis from Kenya, Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension. https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2020.1828113

Prior J., Zaw, T. Hassen J.Y., & Toperesi E. (2019) Social Capital, Adaptation and Resilience: Case Studies of Rural Communities in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Myanmar. In: James H. (ed.) Population, Development, and the Environment. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

Prior, J. & Zaw, T. (2019) Designing Effective Contract Farming Arrangements in Myanmar: Lessons Learned from Case Study Research, Policy Discussion Paper for the Myanmar Department of Agriculture, UNE.

Schulz, P., Prior, J., Kahn, L. & Hinch, G. (2019) Farmer app adoption is influenced by age, use of advisors, and farmer networks, Proc. Assoc. Advmt. Anim. Breed. Genet. 23:576-579.

Hlaing, T.C. & Prior, J. (2017) Opportunities and Challenges for Visualisation and Open Data in Food Security Analysis, In: Promodou, T. (ed) Data Visualization and Statistical Literacy for Open and Big Data, IGI Global,Hershey pp. 69-102.

Prior, J. & Carnegie, M. (2017) Recommendations for improving agricultural extension services in Myanmar: a Discussion Paper, Policy Discussion Paper for the Myanmar Department of Agriculture, UNE.

Gabb, S.,  Bell, L., Basuno, E., Prestwidge, D., Prior, J. & Guppy, C. (2017)  ‘Whole farm impacts of forage legumes in smallholder crop-livestock systems’, Australian Agronomy Conference, September 2017, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

Drielsma, M., Foster, E., Ellis, M., Gill, R., Prior, J. Kumar, L., Saremi, H. & Ferrier, S. (2016) ‘Assessing collaborative, privately managed biodiversity conservation derived from an offsets program: Lessons from the Southern Mallee of New South Wales, Australia’ Land Use Policy, Vol. 59, pp. 59-70.

Gabb, S., Bell, L., Basuno, E., Prestwidge, D., & Prior, J. (2016) ‘Intensifying forage-livestock systems: trade-offs between food security and income’, 14^th European Society for Agronomy Congress, 5-9 September 2016, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Huynh, H., Lobry de Bruyn, L., Prior J. & Kristiansen, P. (2016). Community participation and harvesting of non-timber forest products in benefit-sharing pilot scheme in Bach Ma National Park, Central Vietnam. Tropical Conservation Science 9: 877-902.

Koech, R. and Prior, J. (2015) Scaling of Agricultural Innovations Through Public and Private Sector Partnerships in South-Asia: Lessons Learned from Successful Case Studies, Report for Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra.

Nanedo, N., Prior, J., Lobry de Bruyn, L. & Marshall, G. (2014) ‘Capacities for irrigation water resource governance at the local level: a case study from the Upper East Region of Ghana’, In C. Brebbia, & H. Bjornlund, (Eds.) WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, Sustainable Irrigation and Drainage V,  Vol. 185, pp. 13-24.

Prior, J. (2014) Solomon Islands Draft National Rural Land Use Policy, UNDP, Honiara.

Prior, J. (2014) Guidelines for Community-Based Land Use Planning in the Solomon Islands, UNDP, Honiara.

Prior, J. (2013) ‘Community Engagement to Resolve Climate Adaptation Conflicts: Utilising Consensus Building, Joint Fact-Finding Strategies, and Cognitive Frames Analysis’, Chapter 16, In Palutikof, J., Parry, M., Ash, A., Stafford Smith, M., Waschka, M. and Boulter, S. (eds) Climate Adaptation Futures, pp.167-176, Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.

Lobry de Bruyn, L., Prior, J. & Lenehan, J. (2013) ‘Weaving a Stronger Fabric for Improved Outcomes’, Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 20:2, pp. 169-189.

Prior, J. (2012) ‘Participation and social capital in sustainable land management: lessons learned from international Landcare’, APEC Scientific Workshop on Sustainable Land Management to Enhance Food Production of Asia-Pacific Economic Community Members, November 28 – 30, 2012, Chiang Mai, Thailand (Invited Keynote Paper).

Ahmad, S., Hinch, G., Prior, J., Burrell, D., & Thomas, P. (2012) ‘The Role of extension in changing the dairy industry in Pakistan: a review’, Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 22 (2 Suppl.): 2012, Page: 113-116. ISSN: 1018-7081

Ahmad, S., Hinch, G., Prior, J., & Thomas, P. (2012) ‘A study of Australian dairy extension strategies and their application to Pakistan’s dairy farming sector. Second Joint Conference of the New Zealand & Australian Societies of Animal Production, 2012, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Ahmad, S., Hinch, G., Prior J. & Thomas, P. (2011) ‘Extension professionals and dairy farmers: perceptions of desired outcomes of extension strategies used in NSW & Victoria’, In Hitting a Moving Target: Sustaining Landscape, Livelihoods and Lifestyles in a Changing World, (Ed. G Mills). Proceedings of 2011 APEN national Forum, 28-30 November, Armidale, pp. 30-33.

Prior, J.  (2010)  ‘How Can We Achieve ‘Good’ Governance for Climate Change Adaptation? Lessons Learned of Relevance to the Pacific’, International Conference on Renewable Energy and Climate Change: Focus on the Pacific (ICRECC2010), University of the South Pacific, Suva, 6-8 December 2010. (Invited Keynote Paper).

Prior, J. (2010)  ‘You Don't Know What You’ve Got ‘Til It's Gone – Protecting and Building Social Capital for Community Adaptation to Climate Change’, International Conference on Renewable Energy and Climate Change: Focus on the Pacific (ICRECC2010), University of the South Pacific, Suva, 6-8 December 2010.

Prior, J.  (2010) ‘The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach:  a useful conceptual framework for participatory community-driven processes for the identification of climate change impacts and community adaptation strategies’, 2010 International Climate Change Adaptation Conference, Brisbane, 28 June-1 July 2010.

Prior, J. (2010) Stakeholder Engagement and Communication in Regional Land-Use Planning.  Report for the Minerals Council of Australia, University of New England, Armidale.

Prior, J. (2010) ‘Volunteerism and Inclusiveness and the Future of Landcare’, Celebrate, Communicate, Invigorate, National Landcare Forum, Adelaide 23-25 March 2010. (Invited Keynote Address).

Prior, J. (2010) ‘Facilitating and mediating complex environmental negotiations: the role of the chair’, 2010 National Mediation Conference, Adelaide, 6-9 September 2010.

Love, C., Carroll, P., & Prior, J.  (2010) Building Social Capital to Achieve Sustainable Farm Practices, Chapter 9, In Jennings, J., Woodside, D., and Packham, R. (eds) Enabling the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Agricultural Production: The Role of Extension, Australia Pacific Extension Network, Brisbane

Holt, R., Steyn, F. & Prior, J. (2009) ‘Food, Finance, Forests, Fish or Famine — Sustainable Landcare for Africa: an Agribusiness Approach’, Caring for Our Land, Caring for Our Future, 4^th Biennial South African LandCare Conference, 12-16 July 2009, Polokwane, South Africa.

Prior, J., Ghalsasi, P.M., Walkden-Brown, S.W., Chavan, K.M., Kulkarni, S.R. and Nimbkar, C. (2009) ‘Shepherds’ views on the value and management of Deccani crossbred FecB carrier ewes with a higher twinning percentage: implications for a future introgression extension program’,   Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop on using the Booroola

Prior, J., Lobry de Bruyn, L. and Mascord, L. (2009) Evaluation of the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority Property Management Planning Program. Final report and recommendations for the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority, University of New England, Armidale.

Prior, J. and von Maltitz, G. (2004) Draft Policy and Institutional Arrangements for the South African LandCare Programme, [South Africa – Australia Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Agriculture Program], report for AusAID and the Government of South Africa.

Chudleigh, P., Prior, J.and Simpson, S.  (2004) Incorporating Native Vegetation Management into Agricultural Production Systems – Project AGT10, Report for Land and Water Australia, Native Vegetation Research and Development Program.

Prior, J. (2003) ReviewofProjectASEM/1998/052:Australia-PhilippinesLandcareProject,Report for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, ACIAR,Canberra.

Prior,J. (2003)  ‘Environmental Dispute Resolution in Australian public policy; strategies to reduce costs and improve outcomes’, Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 10.2:  32-41.

Stanley, J., Hutchinson, K., Godwin, I., Gregg, P. Jessop, R., Katz, M., King, K., Prior, J., Sindel, B. and Thompson, D. (2003) Biotechnology (GMO) Issues and Research Priorities for Land and Water Australia, Land and Water Australia,Canberra.

Prior, J. (2002) Assessment of Past Experience in the South African LandCare Program - First Report, [South Africa – Australia Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Agriculture Program], Report for AusAID and the Government of South Africa.

Prior, J. (2002) Assessment of Past Experience and Possible Future Directionsfor LandCare in South Africa – Second Report, [South Africa – Australia Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Agriculture Program], Report for AusAID and the Government of South Africa.

Clinical Skills and Experience

International Research for Development Experience

• 2020 – 2021 Scaling and institutional development research advisor for the project High quality markets and value chains for small-scale and emerging beef cattle farmers in South Africa (Stage 2, ACIAR LS/2016/276)
• 2020 Mid-term reviewer of High quality markets and value chains for small-scale and emerging beef cattle farmers in South Africa (Stage 2, ACIAR LS/2016/276)
• 2018 - 2022 Scaling Research Component Leader, Indobeef Research Project: Improving cattle production and smallholder livelihoods in crop-based farming systems in Indonesia (ACIAR LS/2015/047 $12 million project)
• 2013-2019 Project Leader Strengthening institutional capacity, extension services and rural livelihoods in the Central Dry Zone and Ayeyarwaddy Delta regions of Myanmar (ACIAR ASEM/2011/043 $2 million project).
• 2017 Final reviewer of Integrating crops and livestock for improved food security and livelihoods in rural Zimbabwe; “ZimClifs Project” (ACIAR CSE/2010/022)
• 2015-16 Policy, institutional development and extension specialist in the project Towards a multidisciplinary program for improving rural livelihoods through integrated management of the Inle Lake catchment, Myanmar (ACIAR SMCN/2014/050)
• 2015-2016 Designer of $3 million scaling component of Sustainable and resilient farming systems intensification in the eastern Gangetic Plains, India, Nepal and Bangladesh (ACIAR CSE/2011/077)
• 2012-2013 Extension advisor to the ACIAR Rice-based Systems Research Program (Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam).
• 2006-2008  Principal agricultural extension and livelihoods researcher on the ACIAR India Project Improved productivity, profitability and sustainability of sheep production in Maharashtra, India (ACIAR ASI/2002/038).
• 2003  Review of the ACIAR Australia-Philippines Landcare Project, Team Leader and Community-Based Natural Resource Management specialist.

Consultancy Interests

Consultancies within Australia (after 2009)

• 2015-2017 Monitoring and Evaluation of the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services and Landcare Community-Based Land Use Planning Project (“Collaboration Counts Project”): team leader and M&E framework designer; project funded by NTLLS and implemented by UNE.
• 2012 Catchment Management Authorities-Landcare Partnerships Project: team leader and process facilitator- institutional change and collaboration dialogue to forge collaborative partnerships between 2 regional Catchment Management Authorities and 5 regional Landcare networks for landscape-level natural resource management – funded by Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority.
• 2010-2012 Independent Chairperson, Liverpool Plains and Gunnedah Basin Minerals and Energy Working Group; constituted of state and local government, 10 mining and energy companies, and Namoi CMA, this working group is charged with identifying and implementing regional strategies for adaptation to the changes brought about by rapid mining development.
• 2010-2011 Professional Skills Training for staff of the NSW Department of Environment Climate Change and Water: skills training for front-line staff in environmental consensus-building, environmental conflict resolution, natural resource management extension, group facilitation, and use of the media.  Ex post evaluation of workplace impacts of training also conducted.
• 2010 Evaluation of the Education and Extension Training Program of the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority. Consultancy conducted for Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority.
• 2010 Stakeholder Engagement Strategies and Regional Natural Resources and Land Use Planning Framework and Policy; policy and strategy discussion document and report for the Minerals Council of Australia.
• 2009-2012  High County Urban Biodiversity Project: Member of Project Steering Committee;  and member of  Monitoring and Evaluation Team at the University of New England; $2 million urban biodiversity and climate change adaptation project involving a partnership between the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, 4 local governments, the University of New England, and community groups. The University of New England has the monitoring and evaluation contract to report on outcomes relating to aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, water quality, and community capacity building (social and human capital).
• 2009 Evaluation of the Property Management Planning Program, consultancy conducted for the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority.
• 2008-09 Regional Forums to address Conflicts over Mining in the Gunnedah Basin, Workshop designer, Chairman, and lead facilitator; conducted for the NSW Department of Premiers and Cabinet.
• 2008-10 Speaksoftly Project; Community Consensus Building; Team Leader and Trainer; community training and capacity building project for environmental dispute resolution, including the development of an online training component; consultancy conducted for the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority.

Consultancies within Developing Countries

• October 2019 Training in Policy Development processes, Stakeholder Analysis, Negotiation and Policy Consensus Building for the Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
• August 2016 and August 2017: Pacific Island Forum Secretariat: Regional Civil Society Policy Development Forum, Suva Fiji. Workshop designer, and lead facilitator for policy development workshop for 37 regional and national civil society representatives from 15 Pacific Island Countries (including Nauru). Funded by Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The 6 policy briefs developed at this forum were subsequently presented to the Pacific Island Forum leaders meeting at Pohnpei in Micronesia in September 2016, and to the leaders meeting at Apia, Samoa in September 2017.
• September 2015: International workshop on scaling in agricultural development  planning including public private partnerships for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research in South Asia, Kathmandu, Nepal (for India, Bangladesh and Nepal). Workshop designer and lead facilitator
• September- December 2015:  Development research with high social capital farmer and pastoralist groups in Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. Funded by UNE.
• 2015 Project Design Mission for the Inle Lake Watershed Management Project, Myanmar: Watershed management and institutional design specialist; for ACIAR/Aust Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• 2012-2017 Strengthening institutional capacity, extension services and rural livelihoods in the Central Dry Zone and Ayeyarwaddy Delta regions of Burma (ASEM/2011/043 program: Improving Food Security and Farmer Livelihoods in Burma); Project Leader and project designer of this $2 million project, funded by the Australian Government.
• 2013-2014 Development of Solomon Islands National Land Use Policy and National and Provincial Stakeholder Consultations, Report for the Government of the Solomon Islands and the UNDP project Enhancing Resilience of Communities in Solomon Islands to the Adverse Effects of Climate Change in Agriculture and Food Security. Land use policy and stakeholder consultation specialist
• 2013 Southern African International Landcare Master Class Training, Team Leader, course designer, and lead trainer: 27 participants from Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa and Uganda, held in Lilongwe, Malawi, April 2013,  funded by Crawford Fund, Govt. of South Africa, & ICRAF Kenya.
• 2012 PNG Climate Change Authority Institutional Structuring and Stakeholder Consultation, Report for the Government of Papua New Guinea and SPC/GIZ Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Island Region Programme. Institutional development specialist
• 2004 Draft Policy and Institutional Arrangements for the South African LandCare Programme,Team Leader and Policy Specialist [South Africa – Australia Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Agriculture Program], report for AusAID and the Government of South Africa.
• 2012 East Africa International Landcare Master Class Training, Team Leader, course designer, and lead trainer: 26 participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda; held in Mbale Uganda, 19-23 March 2012; funded by ATSE Crawford Foundation, Government of South Africa, and International Centre for Agroforestry, (Training for sustainable agriculture and food security, Community-Based Natural Resource Management, and community adaptation to climate change).
• 2010 – 2011 Short Course Trainings in Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, and Landcare, for participants from 7 African Countries; Team Leader, course designer, and lead trainer; training provided (in Australia and in Africa) for participants from Ghana, Rwanda, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Tunisia and Djibouti; funded by AusAID and implemented by the UNE.
• 2008 Pacific Regional Awareness Workshop on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): Workshop Presenter and Co-Facilitator Regional workshop attended by 16 Pacific Island countries; funded by SPC/GTZ, Asian Development Bank, and the Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), Nadi, Fiji, 14-17^th January 2008.
• 2007-08 Development of the Fiji Land and Water Resource Policy and stakeholder consultations; Team Leader and policy development specialist: Consultancy for the Government of the Fiji Islands and SPC/GTZ Regional Forestry Project.
• 2006-2009 Extension support and socio-economic evaluation of transhumant shepherd communities for the project “Improved productivity, profitability and sustainability of sheep production in Maharashtra, India.” Extension and farmer livelihoods specialist Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (Project number ASI/2002/038).
• 2006 International Landcare Master Class Training for Participants from Developing Countries, Team Leader, course designer, and lead trainer: included 8 participants from Pacific Island countries (Fiji, Tonga, Nauru, Solomons) Melbourne, funded by Crawford Foundation, Aust. Dept. Agriculture Fisheries and Forests, GTZ and AusAID (Training for Community-Based Natural Resource Management).
• 2006 Review and Future Design of the Extension Component of Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Project No: AS1/2002/038 Improved productivity, profitability & sustainability of sheep production in Maharashtra, India.
• 2006 Global Environment Facility (GEF) Large Project Proposal for Pipeline Entry and PDF-B Approval: Catchment and Landscape Management for Agricultural Livelihoods for the Government of Eritrea. Implementing Agency: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Environmental and institutional development specialist
• 2005 Program Design:  Post-Crisis Livestock Rehabilitation and Development Program: Community Capacity Building, Environmental and Natural Resource Management Component, Eritrea. IFAD, Rome
• 2005 National Stakeholder Workshop to Develop the Fijian National Landcare Program, Nadi, Fiji. Presenter and Wokshop Facilitator.
• 2003 National Stakeholder Workshop to Develop Policy and Institutional Arrangements for the South African LandCare Programme,[South Africa – Australia Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Agriculture Program], workshop conducted on behalf of AusAID and the Government of South Africa. Workshop designer and facilitator
• 2003 Review of the Australia-Philippines Landcare Project, Team Leader and CBNRM specialist evaluator: Study conducted for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, ACIAR, Canberra.
• 2002 Evaluation of Past Experience and Possible Future Directions for LandCare in South Africa – Second Report, Team Leader  and NRM Specialist [South Africa – Australia Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Agriculture Program], study and report for AusAID and the Government of South Africa.
• 2002 Evaluation of Past Experience in the South African LandCare Program-  First Report, [South Africa – Australia Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Agriculture Program], study and report for AusAID and the Govt. of South Africa.
• 2002 Stakeholder Workshop to Develop Strategies to Increase Sheep and Pasture Productivity and Improve Conservation of Rangelands in Semi-Arid Regions of Western India. Pune, India, Workshop designer and facilitator, workshop conducted on behalf of Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra.