CITTgroups Australia, 2005-2008 (CT05009)

This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.

What was it all about?

CITTgroups (Citrus Information Technology Transfer Groups) Australia were regional grower groups that met regularly to facilitate information exchange in an informal environment as part of the national citrus communications strategy.

The project was funded through the national citrus levy – research and development, which was managed by Hort Innovation (then Horticulture Australia Limited).

Citrus industry personnel (researchers, extension officers, commercial providers, marketers, exporters, grower organisations and boards, and growers) contributed to the project through presentations, meetings and tours.

CITTgroups Australia was managed by the Australian Citrus Growers (ACG) Communication Manager and operated in the major citrus production areas through part-time coordinators: Riverland, Murray Valley, Riverina, NSW North and Central Coast, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia.

The CITTgroups Australia program was a critical component of the citrus industry’s communication strategy and complemented other communication initiatives such as the Australian Citrus News, ACG website, Citrus Growing Manual, Communications Manager role, ACG Annual Conferences and National Citrus Liaison Meeting.

The main topics at CITTgroups Australia activities were:

• Drought and Irrigation Management
• Pruning
• Pests and Diseases
• Nutrition
• Irrigation / Fertigation
• Communication (of projects)
• Fruit size and crop load
• Spraying and Chemicals
• Phenology
• Varieties
• Orchard Management

The CITTgroups Australia project linked directly to the citrus industry advisory committee (IAC) Strategic Plan through Outcome 5. Market information and research results applied by the citrus industry. However, because of the variety and complexity of information delivered by the CITTgroups Australia project, all IAC outcomes were dealt with throughout the range of grower activities.

These groups were considered, throughout the citrus industry, to be effective in facilitating the communication of research and development outcomes and in bringing about change in production practices on-farm (Yencken 1997, Bessen 1999).

In 2007, a request for an extension to the project was submitted to Hort Innovation (then Horticulture Australia Limited) to enable the Industry Development Needs Assessment to be undertaken as per Hort Innovation requirements. Hort Innovation subsequently advised that the current project would end on 30 May 2008 and that a ‘new project’ would be put into place to cover the extension period to 30 June 2009.