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Factors influencing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: the case of seven horticultural farms in the United Kingdom
Abstract
The production of fruits and vegetables is expected to increase in the United Kingdom (UK) as a response to increasing consumers’ demand, coupled with impacts of Brexit on the imports from the European Union (EU). Retailers and consumers are more aware of the environmental impact and provenance of food and are demanding to their suppliers to implement sustainable agricultural practices. Seven horticultural farmers and farm managers across the UK were interviewed to investigate the implementation of sustainable practices, and the motivations and enablers for adoption, as well as perceptions on sustainability and climate change. Factors influencing adoption mainly were efficiency and cost reduction, regulations, and market demand, even though, environmental, and social consciousness also played a role in adoption. There was little evidence that participation in knowledge networks or the perception of climate change and impacts, and of carbon footprint assessments influenced the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, but this finding deserves further investigation. Farmers’ awareness of the importance of soil was clear and governments should encourage farmers’ involvement in the monitoring of soil health, as a mean of engaging them in the wider discussion about the implementation of sustainable land management, including climate change adaptation and mitigation.
... 1. identify the motivational factors that influence farmers to adopt sustainable Irish potato production in Plateau State, Nigeria; 2. examine the role of emerging technologies in enhancing farmers' access to information needs and improving their productivity; 3. identify the key information needs of Irish potato farmers in Plateau State, Nigeria, and how these needs can be met through emerging technologies and 4. strategies to improve farmers' access to information needs through integrating emerging technologies to boost sustainable irish potato production in Plateau State Nigeria. Feliciano (2022) reported that, a wide range of agricultural practices that are considered sustainable consist of water conservation, input reduction, soil conservation, biodiversity conservation, adoption of renewable energy, organic farming and climate change mitigation and adaptation practices. The motivational factors that enable farmers to adopt these sustainable agricultural practices are economic factors (costs, technology, market demands); institutional factors (regulations and land tenure); farmers' sources of information; farmers' perceptions on sustainability; farm characteristics and farmers' perceptions on climate change and climate change risks. ...
... The motivational factors that enable farmers to adopt these sustainable agricultural practices are economic factors (costs, technology, market demands); institutional factors (regulations and land tenure); farmers' sources of information; farmers' perceptions on sustainability; farm characteristics and farmers' perceptions on climate change and climate change risks. Farmers adopt sustainable agricultural practices due to various factors, including economic, institutional, social, and environmental considerations (Feliciano, 2022;Piñeiro et al., 2020: Selahkwe et al., 2021. ...
... Economic motivations include Cost reduction and efficiency; market demands and premium prices for sustainable products; access to technology, such as water re-utilisation and Combined Heat and Power (CHP); Increased profitability through minimized input costs and optimized resource allocation; Farm gate price and revenue. Also, the implementation of biodiversity conservation practices and their 'co-benefits' (Feliciano, 2022). ...
Irish potato is a key contributor to global food and nutrition security. Sustainability in Irish potato production focuses on meeting current cultivation needs while preserving and enhancing resources for future use, thus promoting long-term food security. Access to information needs is vital for farmers, enabling them to obtain the necessary information to satisfy their agricultural needs. It is essential for improving farm practices, maximising profits, and enhancing livelihoods. Effective information access is especially crucial for sustainable Irish potato production, helping farmers use sustainable techniques, manage resources efficiently, and ensure healthy crop production over generations. The objectives of this study include to: identify the motivational factors that influence farmers to adopt sustainable Irish potato production in Plateau State, Nigeria; examine the role of emerging technologies (such as precision agriculture, social media, and mobile apps) in enhancing farmers' access to information needs and improving their productivity and to identify the key information needs of Irish potato farmers in Plateau State, Nigeria, and how these needs can be met through emerging technologies such as access to real-time information on best practices, weather forecasts, market prices, and pest management strategies, which are crucial for optimizing productivity and minimizing environmental impact. The study will adopt a literature review and make recommendations on strategies to integrate emerging technologies to enhance farmers' access to information needed to boost sustainable irish potato production in Plateau State Nigeria to improve food security and job opportunities.
... The framework describes the relationship between the adoption of SAPs and hypothesized independent variables. The explanatory variables are categorized into three categories; socio-economic, institutional, and demographic factors (David & Abbyssinia, 2017;Feliciano, 2022). Under demographic factors, the study considered gender, age, household size, marital status, education level, and distance to the market. ...
... This is consistent with the findings of Kwawu et al. (2021), who reported a 3% higher probability of technology adoption among farmers with large portions of land than those with small acreage in Ghana. In the United Kingdom, Feliciano (2022) noted that having large portions of land increases the rate of adoption of agricultural technologies. This was also reported in the studies conducted by Wordofa et al. (2021). ...
Sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) increase crop productivity. This is achieved by increasing soil fertility, preserving moisture in the soil, and reducing pest and disease build-up, among other significant roles. Strikingly, maize farmers are still deeply rooted into the traditional methods of production which do not consider the adoption of SAPs. As such, they report low maize yields. Similarly, despite government efforts to increase the adoption rate, farmers remain reluctant to adopt SAPs. Therefore, this study aims to determine the adoption intensity of SAPs and its determinants using data collected from 101 randomly selected farmers in Northern Uganda. The adoption index (AI) and Tobit model approaches were used to determine the adoption intensity and its determinants, respectively. Based on the results, adoption intensity stood at 70%, while the determinants of adoption of the selected SAPs were education level (P < 0.05), household size (P < 0.05), farm size (P < 0.01), ICT use (P < 0.05), access to market information (P < 0.01), extension visits (P < 0.05), and credit access (P < 0.10). The study recommended that smallholder farmers’ use of ICT in accessing information on the adoption of SAPs among other agricultural information, strengthening adult literacy programs, increasing extension visits, and encouraging farmers to access credit from low interest rates financial institutions would help in increasing the level of adoption of SAPs.
... Another important strategy involves investing in sustainable agricultural practices, including biodiversity preservation, soil quality improvement, and support for small farmers. This can reduce the pressure on food systems exacerbated by climate change [95,96]. ...
Climate change significantly impacts child health, with Brazilian children facing unique vulnerabilities due to the country’s environmental and socioeconomic landscape. This article explores how rising temperatures, pollution, and extreme weather amplify respiratory, neurological, and psychological issues, spread vector-borne diseases, and reduce food security, disproportionately impacting children and adolescents. We also discuss mitigation strategies and recommendations for climate adaptation, including initiatives for sustainable land-use, expanded educational and health programs, and enhanced support for biodiversity conservation. These actions are essential to safeguarding child health and addressing the growing climate crisis nationally and internationally.
... Socio-economic factors, such as farmers' knowledge, access to resources, and market incentives, play a significant role in the adoption and effectiveness of INM practices (Feliciano, 2022;Rizzo et al., 2024). Moreover, supportive policies, institutional frameworks, and environmental factors like ecosystem conservation further influence the successful implementation of INM in agroforestry systems (Cheikh et al., 2014;Sarvade et al., 2014d). ...
Agroforestry is a transformative land-use strategy that integrates trees, crops, and livestock into cohesive systems, promoting sustainability through enhanced environmental, economic, and social outcomes. By blending diverse plant and animal species, agroforestry systems foster ecological balance and resilience, supporting biodiversity, soil health, and water conservation. Proper management of these resources, particularly soil, water, and biodiversity, is crucial for maximizing both ecological and economic benefits. Effective soil management enhances nutrient cycling and improves soil structure, ensuring long-term productivity. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) combines organic and inorganic fertilizers to boost soil fertility and plant health, promoting growth while maintaining environmental integrity. The success of INM relies on factors such as soil characteristics, climate, and plant species, all influencing its effectiveness in agroforestry systems. These variables impact nutrient dynamics, necessitating adaptive management practices. Moreover, socio-economic factors such as land tenure, farmer knowledge, and market access influence the adoption and success of INM practices. Therefore, understanding the local context and incorporating these elements into agroforestry planning is essential for maximizing its benefits. The integration of efficient resource management with INM in agroforestry systems is vital for achieving long-term sustainability, ensuring food security, and promoting environmental conservation. Agroforestry optimizes nutrient use and promotes plant synergy, offering sustainable solutions to global challenges like climate change and food security.
... Feliciano, D., (2022) studied Factors influencing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: the case of seven horticultural farms. Farmers' awareness of the importance of soil was clear and governments should encourage farmers' involvement in the monitoring of soil health, as a mean of engaging them in the wider discussion about the implementation of sustainable land management, including climate change adaptation and mitigation (8) . Water shortages, variable rainfall patterns, soil erosion and degradation, restricted access to loans and agricultural inputs, low productivity, and the need for crop diversification are issues in Rajasthan agriculture (9) . ...
Objective: The primary goal of this study is to examine the potential for agricultural development in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, India. Development scheme implementers, social workers, and agricultural planners will gain insights from the study. The purpose of the recommendations is to aid in the formulation of an appropriate plan for agricultural development and opportunities within the research region. Method: The study conducts a longitudinal analysis of land use data (2021-22), covering the Jhunjhunu region. The sources documents and other documents serve as the data's primary source https://jankalyanfile.rajasthan.gov.in//Content/UploadFolder/OrderEntry/Stats/2023/Publication/O_221223_75c0a1b2-2f72-4708-b427-bd5a45af4c34.pdf, ensuring both quality and dependability. Variance analysis is one of the statistical tools used to assess the significance of changes made to each land use classification. Following that, an assessment of the data is conducted in order to draw conclusions about broad trends and their potential impact on Jhunjhun land usage. Findings: The current study has maintained its research objectives as agriculture is key economy that is affected by the environment. The distribution of crops by irrigated and non-irrigated methods in agricultural growth. It decreased to 7097 hectares and 0 hectare in Zaid Rabi for irrigated and non-irrigated areas, respectively. However, there was a slight increase to 36113 hectares and a continued rise to 244544 hectares in irrigated area. Additionally, there was a slight increase to 42747 hectares and a continued rise to 326435 hectares in non-irrigated area (Table 1; Figure 2). Novelty: Currently, it is getting harder to keep up with traditional basic business in all of Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, India in a timely and balanced manner. However, the Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan, India, has seen more pollution and impacts from human activity than any other business. The regional disparity in agricultural growth has been evaluated within the framework of Jhunjhunu district, taking into account geographical factors. Keywords: Agricultural landscape, Opportunities and imbalances, Advancement of agriculture, Jhunjhunu district, Geographical factors
... Environmental sustainability is a significant factor that motivates adopting and implementing sustainable farming practices (Feliciano, 2022). The monoculture production of agriculture and forestry commodities has reduced biodiversity, wildlife habitat loss, enhanced non-point source pollution of surface water and groundwater, and the worsening of family farms (Crews et al., 2018). ...
Agriculture is the backbone of the economic development and livelihood of each country worldwide. There is a huge need for growth to sustain rapidly growing populations in many countries. Agriculture contributes to greenhouse gas emissions which in turn drive global climate change. This climate change affects agricultural development which is highly dependent on environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, soil type, water availability, etc. The article addresses the critical issue of climate change and its negative impact on agriculture. It highlights the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and emphasizes the warming effects of agriculture due to its significant contribution to global emissions. The article aims to examine agriculture’s dual role in both contributing to and potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions by exploring modern improved agricultural practices. It aims to shed light on the need for sustainable agricultural practices that can mitigate climate change, conserve natural resources and ensure food security.
... this means that policy efforts to increase land accessibility and utilization could result in greater adoption of improved agricultural technologies, driving both economic growth and improved livelihoods in rural areas. Similar findings were reported by Feliciano (2022) that established that, all things being equal, farmers who possess large farmlands are more likely to increase their adoption rate than those with smaller land holdings. ...
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam), the third most significant root and tuber crop globally, is crucial for improving livelihoods, health, and food security, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its potential, sweet potato production in Ghana remains dominated by small-scale farmers, with yields often falling below the expected average of 2 tons per hectare. This study investigates the determinants and extent of adoption of Orange Flesh Sweet Potato (OFSP) varieties among smallholder farmers in the northeastern hills of Ghana. Utilizing cross-sectional data from 342 farmers across four districts in the Upper East and Northern regions, the Cragg double-hurdle model was used to analyze the factors influencing OFSP adoption. The results indicate that factors such as gender, family size, membership in Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs), access to vines, training frequency, off-farm income, and farmers’ perceptions of early maturity and high yield potential significantly influence OFSP adoption. Furthermore, farm size, access to formal credit, market proximity, vine access, duration of OFSP consumption, regional differences, and yield levels were identified as key variables affecting the intensity of adoption. The study recommends that policymakers collaborate with banking and cooperative institutions to enhance access to vines and formal credit, thereby fostering higher adoption rates.
... Ketersediaan sarana produksi tidak secara langsung mempengaruhi keberlanjutan adopsi inovasi. Penelitian (Feliciano, 2022)menyebutkan adopsi praktik pertanian berkelanjutan didasari efisiensi budidaya, pengurangan biaya, serta peraturan yang mendukung teknologi dan akses sumber daya terbarukan. Penelitian (Sui & Gao, 2023) menyebutkan pemilihan teknologi (inovasi) oleh petani yang cenderung mengelompok. ...
Sukoharjo Regency, in 2022, managed to receive the Muri Record Award for the most extensive IP400 land holding in Indonesia. The continued adoption of this rice cultivation type did not follow the program ending in the same year. This research is then being conducted to determine the factors affecting the sustainability of IP400 rice cultivation adoption, especially in Bendosari District, Sukoharjo Regency. This research has three objectives, and there are: 1) to analyze IP400 rice cultivation sustainability in Sukoharjo, 2) to analyze the distribution of respondents toward factors affecting IP400 rice cultivation sustainability in Sukoharjo, and 3) to analyze the factors affecting IP400 rice cultivation sustainability in Sukoharjo. This research used four variables and there is farmers' perception of the IP400 program (X1), extension assistance in the IP400 program (X2), the availability of production input in the IP400 program (X3), and innovation characteristic of the IP400 rice cultivation (X4). This research used exploratory quantitative methods and was conducted in Bendosari District, Sukoharjo Regency, from April 2024 until May 2024, with 85 respondents. Data analysis used logistic regression techniques with SPSS 25 analysis tool. The result of this research was two variables that significantly affect the likelihood of sustainable adoption of IP400 rice cultivation, and there is farmers' perception of the IP400 program (X1) and innovation characteristic of the IP400 rice cultivation (X4). This research suggests: 1) evaluating policy recommendations for IP400 cultivation, especially in terms of technical aspects in increasing rice productivity related to relative advantage obtained by farmers and compatibility to the land itself, and 2) procurement of wetlands selection with high compatibility for IP400 cultivation to ensure optimal results and ensure more profits for farmers, both in economic and technical terms of rice cultivation.
... However, despite the availability of more sustainable pest control practices and policy interventions-particularly within the EU-to promote sustainable production protocols, several obstacles persist. Factors such as farmers' personal traits, environmental variability, and economic and political influences (Feliciano, 2022;Raimondo et al., 2021) are impeding the wider adoption of sustainable pest management practices. The results remain suboptimal, partly because complex factors like personal attributes and psychological motivations impact decision-making (Bakker et al., 2021;Spina et al., 2023). ...
This study investigates the sociopsychological factors influencing Tunisian farmers' adoption of sustainable pest management techniques by employing the motivation-opportunity-ability framework and using partial least squares structural equation modelling. It is the first empirical study to test this framework in predicting farmers' readiness to reduce pesticide usage in agriculture, distinguishing between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. The findings reveal that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations significantly impact farmers' readiness to reduce pesticide use. Particularly, extrinsic motivations , such as peer influence and prevailing practices within the community, play a crucial role, highlighting the importance of social dynamics in sustainable agricultural decisions. Additionally, opportunities to adopt non-chemical pest control methods, enhanced by access to information and technology, positively influence farmers' intentions to minimize pesticide use. These results suggest that enhancing farmers' motivation through targeted educational programs and fostering opportunities via supportive policy environments are key strategies to promoting sustainable pest management practices in the region.
... The roles of beliefs and behavioural factors are becoming popular and are found to be important in farmers' decision-making [76]. Adopters' perception includes personal and other physical characteristics defined by farm and farmers' characteristics which can directly impact adoption decisions [77][78][79]. Constraints to adoption can, for example, include competing use of farm resources between practices, high demand for other resources such as labour, lack of adequate knowledge, and farmers' unfamiliarity with technology [77]. Table 1 ...
Rapid uptake of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation measures is central to reducing agricultural and land use emissions and meeting the UK Net Zero policy. The socioeconomic challenges and barriers to uptake are poorly understood, with yet unclear structural pathways to the uptake of GHG mitigation measures. Using an online survey of 201 agricultural land managers across the UK, and applying multiple linear regression and stepwise regression analysis, this research established farm and farmers’ factors influencing perceptions and willingness to adopt GHG mitigation measures. The results consistently show that farm sector, farmers’ business perception, and labour availability influence willingness to adopt GHG mitigation measures. Based on the farmers’ qualitative feedback, other barriers to adoption include costs and concerns for profitability, lack of flexibility in land tenancy contracts, poor awareness and knowledge of the application of some GHG mitigation measures, perception about market demand e.g bioenergy crops, and scepticism about the future impacts of adopting varying GHG mitigation measures. In the midst of the ongoing net zero transition, this study identifies existing barriers to the uptake of GHG mitigation measures, and specifically, a substantial gap between farmers and the science of GHG mitigation measures and the need to incentivise a farm and farming community-led policy interventions to promote adoption of GHG mitigation measures.
... This is especially true in the wine industry, where disease and pest pressure force winegrowers to use pesticides extensively (Marsala et al. 2020), slowing the adoption of more sustainable production systems. 2 As research on sustainable practices has increased significantly in the last 3 years (Montalvo-Falc on et al. 2023), winegrowers are increasingly encouraged to adopt more sustainable production systems in order to limit the environmental and social damage caused by the rapid spread of viticulture (OIV 2016;Galletto and Barisan 2018). However, even though several environmentally friendly viticulture practices exist, and numerous political incentives provided by public policy interventions such as rural development programs have pushed the adoption of more sustainable production protocols, several factors, such as farmers' personal traits, environmental variability and economic and political aspects (Feliciano 2022;Raimondo et al. 2021;Aregay, Minjuan, and Tao 2018), are slowing the adoption of more sustainable viticultural practices. ...
... This is especially true in the wine industry, where disease and pest pressure force winegrowers to use pesticides extensively (Marsala et al. 2020), slowing the adoption of more sustainable production systems. 2 As research on sustainable practices has increased significantly in the last 3 years (Montalvo-Falc on et al. 2023), winegrowers are increasingly encouraged to adopt more sustainable production systems in order to limit the environmental and social damage caused by the rapid spread of viticulture (OIV 2016;Galletto and Barisan 2018). However, even though several environmentally friendly viticulture practices exist, and numerous political incentives provided by public policy interventions such as rural development programs have pushed the adoption of more sustainable production protocols, several factors, such as farmers' personal traits, environmental variability and economic and political aspects (Feliciano 2022;Raimondo et al. 2021;Aregay, Minjuan, and Tao 2018), are slowing the adoption of more sustainable viticultural practices. ...
This study investigates the environmental awareness (EA) of Italian winegrowers and its influence on adopting sustainable production protocols. Utilising a multidimensional concept of EA, an online survey was conducted with 275 winegrowers from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Protected Designation of Origin area. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling and a Multinomial Probit Model, revealing four out of five dimensions as components of winegrowers’ EA. The results demonstrated that increased EA significantly and positively affects the likelihood of adopting organic and Integrated Pest Management protocols. These protocols reflect a growing commitment to environmentally responsible winemaking practices, which can yield substantial benefits in terms of ecological preservation and long-term sustainability. Moreover, results emphasise the importance of using the multidimensionality of the EA concept. Based on these findings, the study provides practical recommendations and policy implications for the wine sector.
... The effectiveness, scalability, and profitability of implementing these management practices could be improved through a socio-organizational framework that combines people, infrastructure, technology, culture, and knowledge (Johansson et al., 2022). This approach could have a positive effect on Net Present Value and the willingness to adopt these measures, which are further enhanced by input from local stakeholders and land managers (De Leijster et al., 2020;Feliciano, 2022;O'Sullivan et al., 2018;Otte and Vik, 2017). Improved governance mechanisms such as a standardized framework for sustainable biomass, more efficient assessment of land management best practices, and better scaling opportunities may ensure the enhancement of co-benefits and coupling of negative emissions with 'netneutral' practices (for instance, biomass management for biofuel that concurrently stores carbon in the soil) (Torvanger, 2019). ...
Soil carbon sequestration presents a pathway towards climate change mitigation and adaptation while also fostering sustainable socio-economic development. The emergence of soil carbon markets, which monetize carbon capture and land management practices, has given new impetus to this area of study. However, the intersection of environmental, social, and economic systems inherent to soil carbon markets introduces significant complexities. To understand the research landscape and the prevailing themes within the field, we conducted a systematic literature review, sourcing articles from the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases that focused on soil carbon markets, published between January 2017 and august 2023. Our analysis revealed three primary research themes emerged: 1) Soil Ecosystem Services (61%), closely associated with the agricultural and environmental sciences; 2) Environmental Economics (21%) show the growing focus on economic valuation of ecosystem services since the Paris Agreement; and 3) Exploratory Analyses (18%) highlight recent efforts in dealing with the complex network of environmental, social, economic, political and cultural factors. However, these areas of research are often treated separately, reflecting a broader disconnect between natural and social sciences: Geography, uniquely positioned at the intersection of natural and social sciences, could bridge this divide. Through a geographical lens, one can better comprehend drivers behind land management and land-use changes and how they relate to environmental indicators and soil carbon markets. In the social sciences, cultural aspects that shape soil management practices, farmers' relationships with land and markets, and their engagement with soil carbon markets could be examined to predict actions towards improving environmental performance indicators. These settings are highly local, influenced by factors like land tenure rights, landscape ecology, political settings, and power dynamics. Geography's role extends beyond merely understanding these local factors. It also involves studying 'space' and 'place', concepts that are crucial in the context of soil carbon markets. Within the framework of complexity theory and spatial agent-based modelling for socio-ecological systems, Geography can provide valuable insights into how different entities within soil carbon markets interact and influence each other. In the context of climate change, soil ecosystem services, and by extension soil carbon markets, can influence social and economic vulnerabilities. An integrated study of land use, management practices, and their impact on soil ecosystem services, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, can provide insights into social behaviour and ecosystem responses over time.
... The level of understanding of and information on sustainable techniques, benefits, and outcomes can significantly influence farmers' decision-making processes. Studies have consistently shown that farmers with higher knowledge levels are more likely to have positive intentions toward sustainable agriculture (Feliciano, 2022Ma et al., 2021;Pestisha & Bai, 2023). ...
This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the key factors influencing farmers’ intentions to adopt sustainable agricultural practices in the unique context of Sikkim. It extends the theory of planned behavior by incorporating environmental consciousness and knowledge as additional independent variables. It examines their impact on farmers’ intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. A sample of 384 farmers from two districts of Sikkim was selected using a multistage sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed using Smart PLS SEM 4 software, employing path analysis to determine the direct and indirect effects of the independent variables on farmers’ intention to adopt sustainable agriculture. Environmental consciousness strongly influenced farmers’ attitudes and subjective norms. Knowledge also significantly affects farmers’ perceived behavioral control. Notably, an impactful link was found between environmental consciousness and the intention to adopt sustainable agriculture. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners. Targeted interventions and educational programs should be developed to enhance farmers’ environmental consciousness and knowledge, thereby promoting the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in Sikkim. This study extends the theory of planned behavior by incorporating environmental consciousness and knowledge as additional determinants. It contributes to understanding the behavioral factors influencing farmers’ intentions to adopt sustainable agriculture and their interrelationships within the context of Sikkim. This study comprehensively investigated the determinants of farmers’ intentions to adopt sustainable agricultural practices in Sikkim. It contributes to the existing literature by incorporating environmental consciousness and knowledge into the theory of planned behavior, providing a nuanced understanding of the adoption process.
... Given Aberdeenshire's limited scope to commercially grow more than a narrow range of crops (Macaulay Institute, 1981;Scottish Government, 2017), it is unsurprising that already-stretched farmers do not diversify vegetable production, which may prove unprofitable. Market demand has been perceived as a limiting factor for experimental new practices due to the associated risks and the smaller margins faced by farmers, that do not allow failure (Feliciano, 2022). As demonstrated by the growth in allotments and community gardens, there is, however, potential to grow a reasonably wide range of fresh goods on a smaller scale. ...
Sustainable food systems are an important aspect of curbing the impacts of climate change and meeting targets of global food security. It is increasingly recognised that a wider suite of indicators is required to assess sustainability beyond the traditional environmental factors. This study focuses on Aberdeenshire, an atypical area of the UK where soils, climate and topography are not conducive to diverse or large-scale fruit and vegetable production, which in other areas, are a dominant feature of farmers' markets. Nevertheless, Aberdeenshire needs economic diversification to offset some of the impacts of the decline in the oil and gas industry. Face-to-face questionnaires were conducted across Aberdeenshire farmers' markets in summer 2022 to assess buyer and seller perceptions of the environmental, social and economic benefits of local food products. There was a positive attitude to local products with the majority of buyers perceiving the quality, nutrition, organic status and use of sustainable farming practices to be high. Conversely, the main products bought, baked goods and meat, are associated with negative impacts on the environment and/or human health. We discuss why, despite these shortfalls, farmers' markets provide a valuable opportunity to distribute and promote high quality wares to support the local economy. ARTICLE HISTORY
... Farmers and landowners consult with technical specialists and service providers and engage with officers of administrative, regulatory, and government organisations, and their activities are informed by the efforts of researchers [5][6][7]. While each has its own specific remit, and debates over how best to manage agricultural land continue [8][9][10][11][12], there is a broadly shared interest in understanding the characteristics of the land and changes in its characteristics over time to inform future work. The use of remote and near-surface sensing technologies, including multiand hyper-spectral imaging, lidar, and ground-based electrical conductivity mapping or magnetometry, to provide basic data to characterise the biophysical properties of the land and trace changes in them is well established [13][14][15][16]. ...
The aims of agricultural land management change continuously, reflecting shifts in wider societal priorities. Currently, these include addressing the climate crisis, promoting environmental sustainability, and supporting the livelihoods of rural communities while ensuring food security. Working toward these aims requires information on the character of agricultural land and how dynamic processes influence it. Remote and near-surface sensing data are important sources of information on the characteristics of soils, plants, water, topography, and related processes. Sensing data are collected, analysed, and used in decision-making by specialists in multiple domains connected to land management. While progress has been made to connect the use of sensing data across agricultural and environmental applications under the umbrella of integrated sustainable land management, archaeological and heritage uses of these data remain largely disconnected. This creates barriers to accounting for the impacts of past human activities on contemporary agricultural landscapes through the alteration of soils, topography, and plant communities. In parallel, it hinders the creation of knowledge about the archaeological features which form an essential part of the heritage of agricultural landscapes. The ipaast-czo project explores the potential of a coordinated approach across all these domains, which would reduce these barriers and provide benefits by better integrating information generated using sensing. To do so, both conceptual and practical barriers to developing shared practices and how these might be overcome were considered. In this study, a conceptual framework designed to create a shared understanding of how agricultural landscapes work and enable collaboration around their management was proposed. This framework treats present-day rural agricultural landscapes as Critical Zones: complex entities shaped by long-term human–environment interactions including contemporary farming. Practitioners in precision agriculture and archaeological remote and near-surface sensing, as well as users of these data, were engaged using workshops and interviews. The relationships between practitioners’ objectives, data requirements for their applications, and their perceptions of the benefits and disadvantages of changing working practices were interrogated. The conceptual framework and assessment of practical benefits and challenges emerging from this work provide a foundation for leveraging shared sensing data and methods for long-term integrated sustainable land management.
Sustainability in agriculture balances food production and food security aspects while addressing environmental and economic concerns. The study aims to identify and conceptualize the critical green and sustainable agricultural practices and expound on the drivers and barriers associated with their adoption. Data collection through open‐ended essay questions allowing participants to use their frame of reference to share nuanced perspectives on drivers and barriers of sustainable agribusiness practices has sought answers from agribusinesses, experts, and the farming community. It identifies aspects of sustainable agricultural practices drivers and barriers through the lens of the diffusion of innovation theory as that has the potential to promote the diffusion of innovation boosting the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. The study's findings reveal the adoption readiness metrics based on the perceived attributes of innovation concerning perceived benefits, alignment with values and needs, perceived difficulty, opportunity for experimentation, and visible benefits to others that can help address the innovation diffusion complexities. The study contributes to the existing literature by bringing forth the sustainable agricultural practices adopted by the farmers and the agribusinesses, wherein climate resilience and adaptation, cost savings, health and safety, market competitiveness, ecosystem protection, and social and community engagement along with government support have a bearing on why climate‐smart practices are essential. This research advances sustainable agricultural practices by suggesting that transitioning to sustainable practices requires upfront costs, knowledge, and training‐based technology implementation backed by ample infrastructure enabled through policy. The novel study confirms the vital role of macrolevel factors in the task and functional‐level environments in realizing strategic agricultural sustainability objectives.
Biostimulants potentially improve crop growth, yield, and food production through efficient nutrient utilization and support of existing plant defense mechanisms under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. These substances also known as “plant conditioners” or “bioeffectors” offer a simplified and practical approach for addressing challenges posed by climate change through the ever-changing environmental conditions. Currently, applications involving biostimulants for agricultural sustainability have increased in nearly every dimension, bolstering crops’ resilience and increased performance of the plant’s vital morphological, physiological, and reproductive processes, achieving high and good quality yields. Biostimulants have been applied to crops enhancing nutritional efficiency regardless of the genotype and cultivation methods. Therefore, this chapter evaluated the role of biostimulants in improving crop growth, development, and response under abiotic stresses such as drought, extreme temperatures and salinity by examining the various raw materials in their compositions like proteins, humic acids, microbial extracts, algal extracts, and plant-based products explored for adaptation and mitigation, including food security. Subsequently, the contribution of biostimulants in improving the quality of crops produced for human consumption and their impact on the environment are also discussed and some preliminary conclusion drawn regarding their overall application and safety regulations.
This research employs bibliometric analysis to explore key insights for the future in agricultural policy research, with a focus on sustainability. The study delves into publication trends, citation patterns, co-authorship networks, and keyword analyses to unravel the intricate landscape of scholarly contributions. The most-cited works, spanning seminal contributions to participatory action research and sustainable rural livelihoods, reveal foundational texts that have shaped the field. Clustering analysis elucidates thematic concentrations, ranging from climate change and artificial intelligence to biodiversity and education. Furthermore, the occurrence of terms such as "Common Agricultural Policy" and "Governance" underscores the central role of policy frameworks and collaborative decision-making in agricultural sustainability. The abstract concludes by highlighting the implications of these findings for future research directions and policy formulations, emphasizing the interdisciplinary and transformative nature required for sustainable agricultural practices.
Despite the benefits of sustainable innovations in the agricultural sector being widely recognized, their adoption rate remains below the level designated by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. To understand the reasons behind this phenomenon, the current systematic literature review (SLR) provides a comprehensive overview of factors affecting farmers’ innovation adoption behavior in developed countries. A total of 44 studies, published since 2010, were identified, analyzed, and summarized. The analysis revealed that specific innovation characteristics foster the innovation adoption process, together with individual psychological and socio-demographic features. It emerged that the path to adopting sustainable innovations can be driven by environmental values; for example, when comparing organic and conventional farming, organic farmers have a stronger environmental view and are more likely to take less into account economic gains. On the contrary, complexity of innovation, a high degree of innovation aversion, and a low perceived control over innovation are among the core barriers to the innovation adoption. Findings provide important insights on potential research avenues that could further depict farmers’ adoption dynamics of sustainable innovations.
Agribusiness has undergone significant changes in recent years as technology has become an integral part of the industry. From precision farming to data analytics, technology is being used to increase efficiency, reduce waste and ensure sustainability. This article explores the essence of agribusiness and its role in the economy. It examines the advantages and disadvantages of agribusiness. The article also discusses the use of data analytics to better understand customer needs and preferences, as well as the challenges associated with implementing these technologies. Ultimately, the article argues that the use of technology is the key to achieving sustainable growth in agribusiness.
The agricultural sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Ethiopia, as it is the basis of the economy and the primary source of employment. This study investigated the implementation of mitigation and adaptation practices in smallholder farms in Ethiopia, estimated GHG emissions associated with mitigation practices, and identified potential mitigation options and barriers and enabling factors for implementation. Twenty-five smallholder farmers were selected by a local development agency and interviewed in the field about their land use and land management practices and the Mitigation Options Tool (MOT) was used to estimate GHG emissions, to identify mitigation options and co-benefits, and as a platform for promoting learning and knowledge exchange across different types of stakeholders. All farmers interviewed in the field acknowledged changes in the climate, but only some were implementing adaptation practices to cope with such changes, namely, crop rotations, planting new crop types, and the early sowing of crops. Fewer mitigation practices were implemented, namely reduced tillage and application of manure in cereal crops and potatoes. These practices were mainly implemented because of their benefits for soil conservation (e.g. fertility, soil water holding capacity, yield stabilization, erosion avoidance) rather than for mitigation (carbon sequestration) purposes. Greenhouse gas emissions from the application of synthetic fertilizer to crops, and from livestock production varied widely across farmers depending on the amount of fertilizer applied and the number and type of livestock raised. Tenancy rights and extension services were identified as potential enablers of the adoption of climate change mitigation and adaptation practices by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia, and competing uses for straw was a potential barrier for the incorporation of residues in the soil. Barriers and enabling factors should be assessed thoroughly through further engagement with farmers as well as data on the amount of organic matter added to the soil, as these practices have co-benefits in terms of soil conservation, which are especially relevant for climate change adaptation in semi-dry climates. The MOT could be used in the future as a facilitator for knowledge exchange between researchers and practitioners in Ethiopia, and in other developing countries where data availability is low, to support the identification of effective climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.
Key policy insights
• Climate change mitigation practices in agriculture can provide co-benefits for adaptation and food security, including the stabilization of crop yields, especially in semi-dry climates; more evidence about these co-benefits is needed.
• The systematic collection of data on manure and crop residues should be supported as a priority as well as the identification of implementation barriers for mitigation and adaptation practices.
• Smallholder farmers need to be engaged throughout any assessment of climate change mitigation potential to raise awareness, identify co-benefits of possible actions, and to identify and address barriers for implementation.
• Tenancy rights and extension services are potential enabling factors for the adoption of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia.
• In developing countries, user-friendly tools such as the MOT can promote learning and knowledge exchange across diverse stakeholder groups about the impact of land use and management options on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
In light of COVID-19's effects on individuals' social, economic, political, and psychological values, this paper aims to investigate the pandemic's role in possible changes to people's food consumption and meal habits in three countries, namely China, Portugal, and Turkey. The sample includes individuals from the three countries, exploratory factor analysis and non-parametric tests were used to test the differences. Results suggest that coronavirus has played a strong part in altering households' food consumption and meal habits within these countries. The pandemic has particularly led to greater consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and spending more time eating meals at home. Portugal appears to be consuming more seafood, bread, and butter whereas China features higher consumption of rice and meat products; Turkey is consuming more meat and eggs. The study closes with a set of recommendations for the society and future research.
The crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced food security and nutrition through both direct and indirect pathways. This ranged from short-term to long-term impacts, not only on health but also on food systems and thus on nutrition. This study aimed to identify how the observed constraints affected the food intake of populations across the globe. Here, special attention was paid to the consumption of vegetables and legumes and the diversity within these food groups. An online survey on Food and COVID-19 was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire translated into several languages. Binary logistic regression models and Poisson regression models were calculated to evaluate changes in consumption patterns and to test potential determinants for the changes. For more detailed information on reasons for changes open ended questions were analysed qualitatively. Time spend at home, working from home, and mental stress were important drivers for changes in dietary intake according to the 1,042 respondents included in this analysis. The participants observed a change in food quantity (38%) and vegetable intake (27%). No changes were observed for the number of vegetable groups consumed, while significant reductions in diversity were detected within all vegetable groups. Moreover, associations between the number of consumed vegetable types during the COVID-19 pandemic and income regions as well as gender were found. The regression analysis showed that the level of decrease in vegetable diversity in the different vegetable groups were often depending on educational and occupational status, gender and household environment. Changes in food prices were related to changes in vegetable intake per se, overall vegetable diversity, and diversity within the provitamin A rich vegetable group. Food systems are not static and are transitioning quickly as could be observed during the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a need for a nutrition strategy to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable households to consume a diverse diet in adequate amount even in times of a pandemic.
Modern practices of industrial farming, such as mineral fertilization, caused a widespread degradation of agricultural land and water bodies in Europe. Different farm management strategies exist to reduce the impact of mineral fertilization while preserving soil productivity. The aim of this paper is to provide a thorough systemic review of contemporary literature exploring factors and conditions affecting EU farmers’ adoption of sustainable farming practices. The specific focus is on widely adopted and empirically explored measures, such as organic farming, manure treatment technologies and manure fertilization, as well as soil and water conservation methods. In total, 23 peer-reviewed studies were extracted by means of Google Scholar covering the time period between 2003 and 2019. The main findings show that farmers’ environmental and economic attitudes in addition to their sources of information have a strong effect on the adoption of organic farming, although there is a lack of evidence of their impact on adopting manure treatment and conservation measures. Similarly, farmers’ age and education are found to systemically influence organic farming adoption, but not adoption of other reviewed technologies. While other factors, such as farm physical characteristics or technological attributes, may be important determinants of adoption, it is hard to recognize definite patterns of their impact across technologies given a shortage of empirical evidence. More research utilizing standardized surveys and methods of analysis is needed to formulate qualified guidelines and recommendations for policymakers.
Previous literature primarily focused on consumers’ preference for specific sustainable attributes, such as a product being organic, eco-friendly, locally grown, and fair trade. Little is known about consumers’ preference for sustainable program features. We conduct two online choice experiments with U.S. consumers and find that consumers consistently care about farmers’ engagements in sustainable programs, and they are willing to pay a price premium for products from such programs. Consumers also value promoting science in sustainability, establishing concrete measurements of sustainability, and communicating sustainable practices with consumers and downstream industries. We apply the latent class logit model to investigate the potential segmentation of consumers. Three consumer segments are identified based on participants’ heterogeneity in preferences. Our research provides useful information for designing new sustainability programs.
The overall goal of this report is to give strategic focus to the implementation of the sustainable land management (SLM) components of the World Bank’s corporate strategies. The specific objectives of the report are to articulate priorities for investment in SLM and natural resource management and to identify the policy, institutional, and incentive reform options that will accelerate the adoption of SLM productivity improvements and pro-poor growth. The primary audiences for the report are policy makers and project managers in our partner countries and development organizations, as well as Bank country and sector managers and task team leaders. There is broad interest among these partners in collaborating with the Bank on SLM and on the rehabilitation of degraded lands.
There are numerous studies and publications about sustainable agriculture. Many papers argue that sustainable agriculture is necessary, and analyze how this goal could be achieved. At the same time, studies question the sustainability of agriculture. Several obstacles, including theoretical, methodological, personal, and practical issues, hinder or slow down implementation, resulting in the so-called implementation gap. This study addresses potential obstacles that limit the implementation of sustainable agriculture in practice. To overcome the obstacles and to improve implementation, different solutions and actions are required. This study aims to illustrate ways of minimizing or removing obstacles and how to overcome the implementation gap. Unfortunately, the diversity of obstacles and their complexity mean there are no quick and easy solutions. A broader approach that addresses different dimensions and stakeholders is required. Areas of action include institutionalization, assessment and system development, education and capacity building, and social and political support. To realize the suggestions and recommendations and to improve implementation, transdisciplinary work and cooperation between many actors are required.
Agricultural systems in Europe face accumulating economic, ecological and societal challenges, raising concerns about their resilience to shocks and stresses. These resilience issues need to be addressed with a focus on the regional context in which farming systems operate because farms, farmers' organizations, service suppliers and supply chain actors are embedded in local environments and functions of agriculture. We define resilience of a farming system as its ability to ensure the provision of the system functions in the face of increasingly complex and accumulating economic, social, environmental and institutional shocks and stresses, through capacities of robustness, adaptability and transformability. We (i) develop a framework to assess the resilience of farming systems, and (ii) present a methodology to operationalize the framework with a view to Europe's diverse farming systems. The framework is designed to assess resilience to specific challenges (specified resilience) as well as a farming system's capacity to deal with the unknown, uncertainty and surprise (general resilience). The framework provides a heuristic to analyze system properties, challenges (shocks, long-term stresses), indicators to measure the performance of system functions, resilience capacities and resilience-enhancing attributes. Capacities and attributes refer to adaptive cycle processes of agricultural practices, farm demographics, governance and risk management. The novelty of the framework pertains to the focal scale of analysis, i.e. the farming system level, the consideration of accumulating challenges and various agricultural processes, and the consideration that farming systems provide multiple functions that can change over time. Furthermore, the distinction between three resilience capacities (robustness, adaptability, transformability) ensures that the framework goes beyond narrow definitions that limit resilience to robustness. The methodology deploys a mixed-methods approach: quantitative methods, such as statistics, econometrics and modelling, are used to identify underlying patterns, causal explanations and likely contributing factors; while qualitative methods, such as interviews, participatory approaches and stakeholder workshops, access experiential and contextual knowledge and provide more nuanced insights. More specifically, analysis along the framework explores multiple nested levels of farming systems (e.g. farm, farm household, supply chain, farming system) over a time horizon of 1–2 generations, thereby enabling reflection on potential temporal and scalar trade-offs across resilience attributes. The richness of the framework is illustrated for the arable farming system in Veenkoloniën, the Netherlands. The analysis reveals a relatively low capacity of this farming system to transform and farmers feeling distressed about transformation, while other members of their households have experienced many examples of transformation.
This paper reviews the findings from the last 20 years on the behavioural factors that influence farmers' decisions to adopt environmentally sustainable practices. It also proposes policy options to increase adoption, based on these behavioural factors and embedded in the EU Common Agricultural Policy. Behavioural factors are grouped into three clusters, from more distal to more proximal: (i) dispositional factors; (ii) social factors and (iii) cognitive factors. Overall, the review demonstrates that considering behavioural factors enriches economic analyses of farmer decision-making, and can lead to more realistic and effective agri-environmental policies.
Consumer awareness of environmental protection and energy conservation concepts has prompted businesses in the hotel industry to adopt green operations. Most studies of the hotel industry have discussed the behavioral intentions (BIs) of consumers based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), but they have not considered emotional and motivational factors. The present study incorporated two incentive mechanisms and the anticipated positive and negative emotions of consumers into the TPB to explore the relationship between BIs and green hotel development. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that (1) a positive correlation exists between environmental attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), positive anticipated emotion, and desire intention (DI), and a negative correlation exists between negative anticipated emotions and DI; (2) a positive correlation exists between PBC, DI, and BI; and (3) an incentive mechanism has a moderating effect on the relationship between DI and BI.
In the last few decades, the interest of consumers towards sustainable agri-food products has been growing. This trend reflects changes in the consumption patterns, which have been deeply influenced by the increased sensitivity concerning social and environmental issues. In this sense, several studies, with different methodological approaches, have investigated consumers’ willingness to pay and its determinants for products with different sustainability labels. To systematise the obtained results, this paper offers a review of the studies that used experimental economics in studying consumer preferences for sustainable food and agricultural products. The 41 studies included in the review were selected on the basis of the pre-identified criterion according to the systematic review approach. Albeit discordant, the results show that a large share of consumers is willing to pay a premium price for products with eco-friendly and organic certifications. Animal welfare, ‘local’ production, or social certification appear to have a lower influence on consumer choice of purchasing. Additional information is able to modify consumer expectations and consequentially their willingness to pay, depending on the individual’s responsibility and awareness.
Farmers’ willingness and ability to adapt agricultural systems depends on their knowledge about changes in climate and perceived risks of extreme events. Using cross-sectional data of 450 farmers collected from three agro-ecological zones of Punjab, Pakistan, this study investigates farmer perceptions of climate change and their agreement with observed climatic trends. In addition, this study explores the correlation between different adaptation stages (perceptions, intentions, and adaptation) and their key drivers using a multivariate probit model. This study also explores the adaptation measures adopted by farmers. The results of the study show that the perceptions of increasing mean temperature match well with locally recorded data; however, a discrepancy is found in some cases between farmer perceptions of rainfall changes and local climate records. Moreover, education, experience, land tenure, land holdings, extension, cooperation, access to weather forecasting and marketing information are the factors influencing the three adaptation stages. A strong association is found among the three adaptation stages. Particularly, the study confirms the hypothesis that accurate perceptions lead to stronger adaptation intentions compared to underestimated or no perceptions. Further, farmers prefer basic adaptation measures including changing crop varieties, input use and planting dates over advanced measures such as planting shaded trees, soil conservation, and crop diversification. The study suggests providing farmers especially small landholders and tenants an easy access to information, institutional services and training on the use of advanced measures to reduce negative impacts of climate change at the farm level.
Promoting the sustainable agricultural practices at an individual farm level is essential to ensure agricultural sustainability. This study analyzed whether and how various factors related to farm or farmers’ characteristics influence the adoption intensity of sustainable agriculture practices. We used a negative binomial regression model to fit the data collected from a mail survey of farmers in Kentucky, USA. Our results showed that the adoption intensity of sustainable agriculture practices varied significantly among agricultural districts in Kentucky. Farmers who grew row crops, had irrigation facilities, and were in favor of crop diversification were significantly more likely than their respective counterparts to adopt more sustainable agriculture practices. Similarly, having a college education and participating in the Tobacco Buyout Program also positively and significantly affected the intensity of adopting sustainable agriculture practices among Kentucky farmers. In contrast, a lack of adequate knowledge about sustainable farming and an unfamiliarity with technology significantly and negatively related to less adoption of sustainable agriculture practices.
What drives farmers’ decision-making? To inform effective, efficient, and legitimate governance of agricultural soils, it is important to understand the behaviour of those who manage the fields. This article contributes to the assessment and development of innovative soil governance instruments by outlining a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of farmers’ behaviour and decision-making. Our analysis synthesises empirical literature from different disciplines spanning the last four decades on various farm-level decision-making problems. Based on a conceptual framework that links objective characteristics of the farm and the farmer with behavioural characteristics, social-institutional environment, economic constraints, and decision characteristics, empirical findings from 87 European studies are presented and discussed. We point out that economic constraints and incentives are very important, but that other factors also have significant effects, in particular pro-environmental attitudes, goodness of fit, and past experience. Conversely, we find mixed results for demographic factors and symbolic capital. A number of potentially highly relevant yet understudied factors for soil governance are identified, including adoption of technologies, advisory services, bureaucratic load, risk aversion and social capital, social norms, and peer orientation. Our results emphasise the importance of a broad behavioural perspective to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and legitimacy of soil governance.
Best management practices (BMPs) for reducing agricultural non-point source pollution are widely available. However, agriculture remains a major global contributor to degradation of waters because farmers often do not adopt BMPs. To improve water quality, it is necessary to understand the factors that influence BMP adoption by farmers. We review the findings of BMP adoption studies from both developed and developing countries, published after (or otherwise not included in) two major literature reviews from 2007 and 2008. We summarize the study locations, scales, and BMPs studied; the analytical methods used; the factors evaluated; and the directionality of each factor’s influence on BMP adoption. We then present a conceptual framework for BMP adoption decisions that emphasizes the importance of scale, the tailoring or targeting of information and incentives, and the importance of expected farm profits. We suggest that future research directions should focus on study scale, on measuring and modeling of adoption as a continuous process, and on incorporation of social norms and uncertainty into decision-making. More research is needed on uses of social media and market recognition approaches (such as certificate schemes and consumer labeling) to influence BMP adoption.
Despite many years of technology transfer to Africa under various mechanisms and programmes of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Africa remains the continent with the lowest level of technology required for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Several studies on how to fix Africa's climate technology needs, including policy prescriptions by African leaders, tend to focus primarily on the need for more technology transfer to the African continent. In contrast, this article emphasises how African countries can proactively address current technology gaps by strengthening their domestic capacities to absorb, assimilate and deploy imported climate technologies. This article examines the importance of climate technology absorption as a critical component of a holistic climate technology diffusion plan for Africa. It discusses inadequate access to information about imported climate technologies, weak legal protection for imported technologies, lack of domestic capacities to deploy and maintain imported technologies, the weak regulatory environment to stimulate clean technology entrepreneurship, and the absence or inadequacy of climate change laws, as barriers that must be addressed in order to effectively bridge current climate technology gaps in Africa.
We explore the role of agriculture in destabilizing the Earth system at the planetary scale, through examining nine planetary boundaries, or "safe limits": land-system change, freshwater use, biogeochemical flows, biosphere integrity, climate change, ocean acidification, stratospheric ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosol loading, and introduction of novel entities. Two planetary boundaries have been fully transgressed, i.e., are at high risk, biosphere integrity and biogeochemical flows, and agriculture has been the major driver of the transgression. Three are in a zone of uncertainty i.e., at increasing risk, with agriculture the major driver of two of those, land-system change and freshwater use, and a significant contributor to the third, climate change. Agriculture is also a significant or major contributor to change for many of those planetary boundaries still in the safe zone. To reduce the role of agriculture in transgressing planetary boundaries, many interventions will be needed, including those in broader food systems.
As the climate changes, the effects of agriculture on the environment may change. In the future, an increasing frequency of climate extremes, such as droughts, heat waves, and excess moisture, is expected. Past research on the interaction between environment and resources has focused on climate change effects on various sectors, including agricultural production (especially crop production), but research on the effects of climate change using agri-environmental indicators (AEI) of environmental sustainability of agriculture is limited. The aim of this paper was to begin to address this knowledge gap by exploring the effects of future drought and excess moisture on environmental sustainability of agriculture. Methods included the use of a conceptual framework, literature reviews, and an examination of the climate sensitivities of the AEI models. The AEIs assessed were those for the themes of soil and water quality, and farmland management as developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Additional indicators included one for desertification and another for water supply and demand. The study area was the agricultural region of the Canadian Prairie Provinces. We found that the performance of several indicators would likely decrease in a warming climate with more extremes. These indicators with declining performances included risks for soil erosion, soil salinization, desertification, water quality and quantity, and soil contamination. Preliminary trends of other indicators such as farmland management were not clear. AEIs are important tools for measuring climate impacts on the environmental sustainability of agriculture. They also indicate the success of adaptation measures and suggest areas of operational and policy development. Therefore, continued reporting and enhancement of these indicators is recommended.
In this paper we assess the types of knowledge networks utilised by small-scale farmers in four case studies (located in Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom). We focus on knowledge acquired to inform three new activities being undertaken by study participants: agricultural production, subsidy access and regulatory compliance, and farm diversification (specifically agritourism). Findings demonstrate that the new knowledge networks are dominated by different forms of expertise: formal ‘agricultural advisors’ identified in the case studies primarily offer codified managerial knowledge through centralised networks, suggesting that state-funded services for small-scale farmers are largely embedded in traditional, linear models of knowledge transfer. Production and diversification knowledge is exchanged through ‘distributed’ and ‘decentralised’ networks, where a range of actors are involved across varying geographical distances. Findings highlight issues associated with the quality and independence of both ‘free’ and paid advice, as well as the importance of combining tacit and codified knowledge for credibility. In all four cases, we found that small-scale farmers utilise formal advisory services primarily for accessing subsidies (e.g. completing application forms), rather than acquiring production knowledge. The authors argue that by utilising the state funding allocated to advisory services for small-scale farmers primarily to enable these farmers to access subsidies, important opportunities for innovation by both advisors or farmers can be lost.
CCAFS-MOT is a tool to support farmers, policy advisors and agricultural extension services on the choice of management practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) without risking food security. It is an Excel-based tool which brings together several empirical models to estimate GHG emissions in rice, cropland and livestock systems, and provides information about the most effective mitigation options. Greenhouse gas emissions are estimated in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent per hectare (kgCO2eqha??) and carbon dioxide equivalent per unit of product (kgCO2eqkg??). Baseline management practices are chosen by the user and a set of mitigation options are ranked according to their mitigation potential. The tool allows different levels of input to be specified from an introductory to detailed level, depending on objectives and issues like to accommodate users with different backgrounds and details concerning input data. As such it allows for product and region specific assessments of GHGs and mitigation potentials to be made without the need for expert knowledge or for lengthy model set-up and calibration.
Manure treatment technologies have been developed in Europe to better use animal manures and to reduce their environmental impact, but the adoption of these technologies in practice is regionally diverse and still limited. Also, little is known about the opinions of stakeholders towards manure treatment. This study aimed to identify stakeholder perceptions of (1) which factors can facilitate and hinder the implementation in practice, (2) which technologies have the most potential for successful adoption, and (3) how farm characteristics and scale of treatment operations affect priorities for technology adoption. This analysis used data from a survey of various stakeholders engaged in manure treatment in four European countries (Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) that have large areas of high animal density, but diverse socio-economic, political and environmental conditions. Pressure from governmental regulations was perceived as a key factor that stimulated manure treatment in all four countries (70% of respondents). Processing manure to produce bioenergy was considered important in Denmark and Italy, but less important in Spain and the Netherlands. The major barriers to technology adoption were related to economic factors -lack of investment capital (60% of respondents), high processing cost (52%) and a long payback period (45%), while there was relatively little concern regarding transport and noise burden and health risks. Slurry separation and anaerobic digestion were perceived to have the greatest potential for a common adoption. Other preferred technologies were more country-specific (e.g. acidification in Denmark, composting in Spain, and drying and reverse osmosis in Netherlands). Manure treatment was considered to be less applicable at small livestock farms. Separation, composting and acidification were perceived to be more applicable at farm scale, while drying, anaerobic digestion, reverse osmosis at large, industrial scales. Our results imply that manure treatment will remain a regional activity. Policy measures and outreach strategies to alleviate the main barriers to the adoption of manure treatment are suggested.
Manure treatment technologies have been developed in Europe to better use animal manures and to reduce their environmental impact, but the adoption of these technologies in practice is regionally diverse and still limited. Also, little is known about the opinions of stakeholders towards manure treatment. This study aimed to identify stakeholder perceptions of (1) which factors can facilitate and hinder the implementation in practice, (2) which technologies have the most potential for successful adoption, and (3) how farm characteristics and scale of treatment operations affect priorities for technology adoption. This analysis used data from a survey of various stakeholders engaged in manure treatment in four European countries (Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) that have large areas of high animal density, but diverse socio-economic, political and environmental conditions. Pressure from governmental regulations was perceived as a key factor that stimulated manure treatment in all four countries (70% of respondents). Processing manure to produce bioenergy was considered important in Denmark and Italy, but less important in Spain and the Netherlands. The major barriers to technology adoption were related to economic factors -lack of investment capital (60% of respondents), high processing cost (52%) and a long payback period (45%), while there was relatively little concern regarding transport and noise burden and health risks. Slurry separation and anaerobic digestion were perceived to have the greatest potential for a common adoption. Other preferred technologies were more country-specific (e.g. acidification in Denmark, composting in Spain, and drying and reverse osmosis in Netherlands). Manure treatment was considered to be less applicable at small livestock farms. Separation, composting and acidification were perceived to be more applicable at farm scale, while drying, anaerobic digestion, reverse osmosis at large, industrial scales. Our results imply that manure treatment will remain a regional activity. Policy measures and outreach strategies to alleviate the main barriers to the adoption of manure treatment are suggested.</p
Conducted conversationally with one respondent at a time, the semi-structured interview (SSI) employs a blend of closed- and open-ended questions, often accompanied by follow-up why or how questions. About one hour is considered a reasonable maximum length for SSIs in order to minimize fatigue for both interviewer and respondent. This chapter begins with a discussion on the disadvantages and advantages of SSIs. Despite the disadvantages and costs of SSIs, they offer some extraordinary benefits as well. Semi-structured interviews are superbly suited for a number of valuable tasks, particularly when more than a few of the open-ended questions require follow-up queries. The chapter presents some recommendations that can be considered when constructing an SSI guide. All in all, effectively conducted semi-structured interviews, even though labor intensive, should be worth the effort in terms of the insights and information gained. © 2015 by Kathryn E. Newcomer and Harry P. Hatry, and Joseph S. Wholey.
The idea of Sustainable Intensification comes as a response to the challenge of avoiding resources such as land, water and energy being overexploited while increasing food production for an increasing demand from a growing global population. Sustainable Intensification means that farmers need to simultaneously increase yields and sustainably use limited natural resources, such as water. Within the agricultural sector water has a number of uses including irrigation, spraying, drinking for livestock and washing (vegetables, livestock buildings). In order to achieve Sustainable Intensification measures are needed that enable policy makers and managers to inform them about the relative performance of farms as well as of possible ways to improve such performance. We provide a benchmarking tool to assess water use (relative) efficiency at a farm level, suggest pathways to improve farm level productivity by identifying best practices for reducing excessive use of water for irrigation. Data envelopment analysis techniques including analysis of returns to scale were used to evaluate any excess in agricultural water use of 66 horticulture farms based on different river basin catchments across England. We found that farms in the sample can reduce on average water requirements by 35% to achieve the same output (Gross Margin) when compared to their peers on the frontier. In addition, 47% of the farms operate under increasing returns to scale, indicating that farms will need to develop economies of scale to achieve input cost savings. Regarding the adoption of specific water use efficiency management practices, we found that the use of a decision support tool, recycling water and the installation of trickle/drip/spray lines irrigation system has a positive impact on water use efficiency at a farm level whereas the use of other irrigation systems such as the overhead irrigation system was found to have a negative effect on water use efficiency.
Purpose – The literature on green consumer behaviour recently focuses upon the Asian markets.
Though environmental consciousness in Indian consumers is observed in the literature, their purchase
behaviour towards green products is not yet clearly understood. So, the purpose of this paper is to
study the factors affecting consumers’ green product purchase decisions in India.
Design/methodology/approach – The research employs a survey-based method to test a
theoretically grounded set of hypotheses. Using a 38-item questionnaire and snowball sampling
method, the data were collected from 403 working Indian respondents in Mumbai. The data were
analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Structural equation modelling was used
to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings – The results witnessed that the respondents possess willingness to support environmental
protection, realization of environmental responsibilities, and inclination towards searching green
product-related information and learning about green products. Supporting environmental protection,
drive for environmental responsibility, green product experience, environmental friendliness of
companies and social appeal are identified as important factors affecting green product purchase
decisions.
Research limitations/implications – Results of the research are useful for marketing professionals
for green products to develop effective green marketing strategies emphasizing personal relevance,
social importance and environmental significance of purchasing, using and disposing green products
that produce increased levels of satisfaction for customers and influence their decisions to buy green
products.
Originality/value – This research provides valuable insights into green consumer behaviour in
Indian context by examining the factors that influence their purchase decisions towards green
products.
Keywords India, Consumer behaviour, Green issues, Green marketing, Market research
The effectiveness of agri-environment schemes (AES) in enhancing biodiversity on farmland and creating a long-lasting change in farmers' motivation towards a more environmental-friendly practice is still strongly debated. Applying a regional approach has been advocated widely to make AES more ecologically and socially sustainable. In the Netherlands, some AES are performed collectively by large regional groups of farmers called Environmental Cooperatives (EC). We hypothesise that these cooperatives enhance farmers' intention to participate by facilitating the application of AES, but also by generating group pressure. In the study at hand, we used an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to investigate which factors are associated with farmers' intention to participate in two kinds of collective AES (ditch bank management and the protection of meadow birds). Our results demonstrate that attitude and perceived personal ability to participate in these AES are associated with the intention of farmers to participate in ditch bank management. However, for the protection of meadow birds, social pressure, self-identity and facilitation by the EC also relate to the intention of farmers. We conclude that the facilitation undertaken by ECs positively relates to farmers' intention to participate in collective AES.
Research dealing with various aspects of* the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985,
1987) is reviewed, and some unresolved issues are discussed. In broad terms, the theory is
found to be well supported by empirical evidence. Intentions to perform behaviors of different
kinds can be predicted with high accuracy from attitudes toward the behavior, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioral control; and these intentions, together with perceptions of
behavioral control, account for considerable variance in actual behavior. Attitudes, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioral control are shown to be related to appropriate sets of salient
behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about the behavior, but the exact nature of these
relations is still uncertain. Expectancy value formulations are found to be only partly
successful in dealing with these relations. Optimal rescaling of expectancy and value
measures is offered as a means of dealing with measurement limitations. Finally, inclusion of
past behavior in the prediction equation is shown to provide a means of testing the theory*s
sufficiency, another issue that remains unresolved. The limited available evidence concerning
this question shows that the theory is predicting behavior quite well in comparison to the
ceiling imposed by behavioral reliability.
The ability of both regulators and farmers themselves to monitor the impact of environmental practices may be an issue with nonpoint source pollution. Effects that can be perceived via direct sensory evidence provide information at low cost. Results from a survey of livestock farmers suggest that a practice that has more obvious effects on water quality, manure application setbacks, is more likely to be adopted than a more complicated one with less visible effects, manure testing. Farmers’ perceptions of the profitability of the two practices were similar. The importance of observability and complexity has implications for educational programs.
This paper introduces Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems (RAAIS). RAAIS is a diagnostic tool that can guide the analysis of complex agricultural problems and innovation capacity of the agricultural system in which the complex agricultural problem is embedded. RAAIS focusses on the integrated analysis of different dimensions of problems (biophysical, technological, socio-cultural, economic, institutional and political), interactions across different levels (national, regional, local), and the constraints and interests of different stakeholder groups (farmers, government, researchers, etc.).
Innovation capacity in the agricultural system is studied by analysing (1) constraints and challenges within the institutional, sectoral and technological subsystems of the agricultural system, and (2) the existence and performance of the agricultural innovation support system. RAAIS combines multiple qualitative and quantitative methods, and insider (stakeholders) and outsider (researchers) analyses which allow for critical triangulation and validation of the gathered data. Such an analysis can provide specific entry points for innovations to address the complex agricultural problem under study, and generic entry points for innovation related to strengthening the innovation capacity of agricultural
system and the functioning of the agricultural innovation support system. The application of RAAIS to analyse parasitic weed problems in the rice sector, conducted in Tanzania and Benin, demonstrates the potential of the diagnostic tool and provides recommendations for its further development and use.
Agriculture is vulnerable to climate change and a source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Farmers face pressures to adjust agricultural systems to make them more resilient in the face of increasingly variable weather (adaptation) and reduce GHG production (mitigation). This research examines relationships between Iowa farmers’ trust in environmental or agricultural interest groups as sources of climate information, climate change beliefs, perceived climate risks to agriculture, and support for adaptation and mitigation responses. Results indicate that beliefs varied with trust, and beliefs in turn had a significant direct effect on perceived risks from climate change. Support for adaptation varied with perceived risks, while attitudes toward GHG reduction (mitigation) were associated predominantly with variation in beliefs. Most farmers were supportive of adaptation responses, but few endorsed GHG reduction, suggesting that outreach should focus on interventions that have adaptive and mitigative properties (e.g., reduced tillage, improved fertilizer management).
A February 2012 survey of almost 5,000 farmers across a region of the U.S. that produces more than half of the nation’s corn and soybean revealed that 66% of farmers believed climate change is occurring (8% mostly anthropogenic, 33% equally human and natural, 25% mostly natural), while 31% were uncertain and 3.5% did not believe that climate change is occurring. Results of initial analyses indicate that farmers’ beliefs about climate change and its causes vary considerably, and the relationships between those beliefs, concern about the potential impacts of climate change, and attitudes toward adaptive and mitigative action differ in systematic ways. Farmers who believed that climate change is occurring and attributable to human activity were significantly more likely to express concern about impacts and support adaptive and mitigative action. On the other hand, farmers who attributed climate change to natural causes, were uncertain about whether it is occurring, or did not believe that it is occurring were less concerned, less supportive of adaptation, and much less likely to support government and individual mitigative action. Results suggest that outreach with farmers should account for these covariances in belief, concerns, and attitudes toward adaptation and mitigation.
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When will a community's residents take action against urban sprawl that threatens the watershed where they live? Drawing on theoretical and empirical studies of helping behavior, we predicted that individuals will be most likely to respond to environmental challenges when they are aware of the environmental threat, believe the danger posed by the threat to be great, and feel responsible for addressing environmental problems. We tested this awareness–appraisal–responsibility (AAR) model by surveying watershed residents’ awareness of watershed features, appraisal of watershed quality, sense of responsibility for protecting the watershed, and behavioral and contribution intentions. Structural equation modeling supported the model by confirming that resident's awareness and appraisal of their local watershed are related to their pro-environment behavioral and contribution intentions, but also their perception of responsibility for protecting the watershed. Mediational analyses confirmed that these relationships are likely sequentially ordered, with awareness leading to appraisal to responsibility and then behavioral and contribution intentions. The discussion considers the implications of these findings for interventions designed to increase environmental engagement.
This letter is intended to help potential users select the most appropriate calculator for a landscape-scale greenhouse gas (GHG) assessment of activities for agriculture and forestry. Eighteen calculators were assessed. These calculators were designed for different aims and to be used in different geographical areas and they use slightly different accounting methodologies. The classification proposed is based on the main aim of the assessment: raising awareness, reporting, project evaluation or product assessment. When the aims have been clearly formulated, the most suitable calculator can be selected from the comparison tables, taking account of the geographical area and the scope of the calculation as well as the time and skills required for the calculation. The main issues for interpreting GHG assessments are discussed, highlighting the difficulty of comparing the results obtained from different calculators, mainly owing to differences in scope, calculation methods and reporting units. A major problem is the poor accounting for land use change; the calculators are usually able to account satisfactorily for other emission sources. One of the main challenges at landscape-scale level is to produce a realistic assessment of the various production systems as the uncertainty levels are very high. The results should always give some indication of the link between GHG emissions and the productivity of the area, although no single indicator is able to encompass all the services produced by agriculture and forestry (e.g. food, goods, landscape value and revenue).
The rapid growth of affluent urban populations and the associated modernization of food value chains are reshaping agricultural production and consumption in the Global South. Here we explore how the traditional-to-modern transition is affecting food loss and waste (FLW) using an empirical case study from Thailand. Despite the consolidation of modern retailing in the 1990s, traditional market channels and smallholder agriculture have remained operational and widespread across the country. We identified related factors affecting FLW and food quality requirements by combining stakeholder focus groups and semi-structured interviews with quantitative measurements along the value chain for Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa, subsp. pekinensis). Quality requirements were often accompanied by FLW generation and propagated upstream the value chain. At the field level, factors affecting both FLW and food quality included weather events, pests and diseases, and low prices at the farm gate. However, products that did not meet supermarket requirements could still find a market channel in traditional, wholesale markets. In both pathways, a head of cabbage lost 44 to 66% of its wet weight before reaching the consumer, as stakeholders trimmed the outer leaves at each node of the value chain. Stakeholders associated with modern retailers produced on average significantly more waste from trimming (42%) than other stakeholders that are less tied to cosmetic standards (18-24%). We conclude that, alongside technological advances in the modernization of food value chains, preserving pathways for non-compliant products is key to preventing FLW if cosmetic standards prevail.
Climate change policy for the land sector is challenged by complex biophysical and socioeconomic contexts. A target approach utilising land-use change indicators is often used to quantify and communicate progress, based upon assumed greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions. This paper investigated areal targets for woodland expansion and peatland restoration, both of which can deliver substantial carbon sequestration benefits, with uptake typically supported by grant incentives. A case study used empirical data to investigate realisation of such targets in Scotland referenced against ambitious policy commitments (net-zero emissions by 2045). Analysis of actual locations for recent afforestation and peatland restoration, referenced against biophysical data, showed that new woodland primarily occurred on land that was marginal for agriculture, usually on wetter uncultivated semi-natural land, often on organic soils. This acts to constrain net carbon gains. Both peatland restoration and new woodland show tendency to aggregate in specific zones or locations, regardless of biophysical opportunities, highlighting underlying socioeconomic factors. Differential patterns of uptake are also shown by grant applications across different land use groups. Socioeconomic factors act against more ubiquitous uptake of incentive schemes, especially for new woodland on improved agricultural land, which will constrain long-term dec-arbonisation objectives unless tackled directly. Investigation therefore shows that use of simple targets (e.g. trees planted) as headline progress indicators can be misleading, potentially contributing to policy failure and misuse of carbon offsets. A more spatially targeted approach is required to maximise GHG reductions relative to local contexts. Recommendations are made for improved measures that recognise spatial and temporal variability, as exemplified by certification schemes.
This paper examines the effectiveness of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on the adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) among annual crop farmers in Chile. We use the farmers' attitude towards SAPs as a proxy of intrinsic motivation, while extrinsic motivation is represented by an economic incentive to promote the use of SAPs. The policy program we studied is administered by the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture under the name System of Incentives for the Agro-Environmental Sustainability of Degraded Soils (SIRSD-S. Sustainable behaviour was defined as the adoption of (1) minimum tillage, (2) improved fallow, (3) stubble incorporation, (4) use of manure, and (5) use of compost. A count model was estimated that showed that both sources of motivation, and the interaction between them, significantly predicted the adoption of SAPs. Farmers with low levels of intrinsic motivation depended largely on the SIRSD-S to adopt SAPs, while the incentive was ineffective for intrinsically motivated farmers who adopted more SAPs regardless the presence of extrinsic motivation. Finally, the perception of risk of soil erosion and perceived behavioural control of this risk were found to play a positive role in the adoption of SAPs.
Operations management tools are critical in the process of evaluating and implementing action towards a low carbon production. Currently, a sustainable production implies both an efficient resource use and the obligation to meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The carbon footprint (CF) tool allows estimating the overall amount of GHG emissions associated with a product or activity throughout its life cycle. In this paper, we propose a four-step method for a joint use of CF assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Following the eco-efficiency definition, which is the delivery of goods using fewer resources and with decreasing environmental impact, we use an output oriented DEA model to maximize production and reduce CF, taking into account simultaneously the economic and ecological perspectives. In another step, we stablish targets for the contributing CF factors in order to achieve CF reduction. The proposed method was applied to assess the eco-efficiency of five organic blueberry orchards throughout three growing seasons. The results show that this method is a practical tool for determining eco-efficiency and reducing GHG emissions.
The research reported here examines the relationship between risk perceptions and willingness to address climate change. The data are a national sample of 1225 mail surveys that include measures of risk perceptions and knowledge tied to climate change, support for voluntary and government actions to address the problem, general environmental beliefs, and demographic variables. Risk perceptions matter in predicting behavioral intentions. Risk perceptions are not a surrogate for general environmental beliefs, but have their own power to account for behavioral intentions. There are four secondary conclusions. First, behavioral intentions regarding climate change are complex and intriguing. People are neither “nonbelievers” who will take no initiatives themselves and oppose all government efforts, nor are they “believers” who promise both to make personal efforts and to vote for every government proposal that promises to address climate change. Second, there are separate demographic sources for voluntary actions compared with voting intentions. Third, recognizing the causes of global warming is a powerful predictor of behavioral intentions independent from believing that climate change will happen and have bad consequences. Finally, the success of the risk perception variables to account for behavioral intentions should encourage greater attention to risk perceptions as independent variables. Risk perceptions and knowledge, however, share the stage with general environmental beliefs and demographic characteristics. Although related, risk perceptions, knowledge, and general environmental beliefs are somewhat independent predictors of behavioral intentions.
The adoption of soil conservation practices (SCP) in olive groves in Andalusia, such as not burning olive-desuckering debris, shredding olive-pruning debris for use as inert soil cover and using cover crops under mower control, constitutes a huge advance towards sustainable olive growing. By adopting such SCP, olive growers can reduce the worrying level of erosion this activity causes, combat climate change and increase biodiversity. In this sense, the negative spillovers associated to the foregoing processes are highly significant both in qualitative and quantitative terms regarding the degradation of agricultural ecosystems. This paper seeks to identify the main factors that affect the adoption of these SCP. In order to do so, we use a trivariate probit model, therefore considering that the reasons behind adopting SCP may be interrelated. The results show how the factors that determine the adoption of such practices are related to the socio-demographic characteristics of olive growers, some of the characteristics of the olive grove itself and how it is managed and the role of social capital.
This review explores the role of land use and land use change as a determinant of the soil's ability to sequester and store carbon in the UK. Over 95 percent of the UK land carbon stock is located in soils which are subjected to a range of land uses and global changes. Land use change can result in rapid soil loss of carbon from peatlands, grasslands, plantation forest and native woodland. Soil carbon accumulates more slowly (decadal) but gains can be made when croplands are converted to grasslands, plantation forest or native woodland. The need for land for food production and renewable forms of energy could have considerable influence on UK soil carbon storage in the future. There is a need to recognise the risk of soil carbon losses occurring when land use change to increase carbon storage is offset by compensatory land use conversions elsewhere that result in net carbon release. The protection of peatland and other organic soil carbon stocks, and the management of cropland, grassland and forest soils to increase carbon sequestration, will be crucial to the maintenance of the UK carbon balance. It will be necessary to develop policy to balance trade-offs between soil carbon gains with other land use priorities. These include the sustainable production of food, bio-energy and fibre crops and livestock, water quality and hydrology, greenhouse gas emission control and waste management, all of which are underpinned by the soil.