Assessing farmers’ intention to adopt soil conservation practices across Europe

J. Bijttebier; G. Ruysschaert; F. Marchand; R. Hijbeek; A.A. Pronk; N. Schlatter; G. Guzmàn; A. Syp; M. Werner; L. Bechini; N. Guiffant; E. Wauters

Assessing farmers’ intention to adopt soil conservation practices across Europe

J. Bijttebier, G. Ruysschaert, F. Marchand, R. Hijbeek, A.A. Pronk, N. Schlatter, G. Guzmàn, A. Syp, M. Werner, L. Bechini, N. Guiffant, E. Wauters

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference paper

Abstract

During the past decennia, soil conservation practices (SCPs) have been developed in order to maintain or restore soil health which is essential to the resilience of the farm. However, the adoption rate in practice is rather low. Amongst other reasons, these practices might lack onfarm compatibility, or farmers may lack confidence in the proposed measures. To increase the adoption rate of SCPs, capturing farmers’ opinions, given their specific farming context, can aid future strategies to get the SCPs implemented. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify and compare different barriers and drivers towards the adoption of SCPs across 25 major farm type agri-environmental zone combinations in 8 European countries. To unravel farmer’s motivation and ability to implement a certain SCP, we applied a sequential mixed method approach based on the theory of planned behavior, a socio-psychological framework to predict human behavior. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with farmers reveal a first indication of possible barriers and drivers. These serve as the basis for a broad quantitative survey in each of the 25 major farm type zones, all characterized by their own soil, climate, regulatory and socio-economic context. Due to this context, the selected SCPs in the questionnaire differ among the major farm type zones, although with cover crops and reduced and/or non-inversion tillage, two wide-spread practices, were included across nearly all farm type zones. An EU-wide comparison between different regions allows us to better relate differences in barriers, motivators and farmers’ intention to differences in bio-physical, economic, institutional, social and regulatory conditions. To obtain a correct interpretation and clarification of the most striking results, we organize regional focus groups with experts and farmers. The results will offer valuable insights to advice EU policy, extension and scientific research. They will be able to take into account the specific context of

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of 11th European IFSA Symposium
Pages	1894-1902
Publication status	Published - 2014
Event	11th European IFSA Symposium, Berlijn, Germany - Duration: 2 Apr 2014 → 4 Apr 2014

Conference

Conference	11th European IFSA Symposium, Berlijn, Germany
Period	2/04/14 → 4/04/14

Access to Document

https://edepot.wur.nl/324357

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@inproceedings{54644977d6294248892509dbc3a54d88,

title = "Assessing farmers{\textquoteright} intention to adopt soil conservation practices across Europe",

abstract = "During the past decennia, soil conservation practices (SCPs) have been developed in order to maintain or restore soil health which is essential to the resilience of the farm. However, the adoption rate in practice is rather low. Amongst other reasons, these practices might lack onfarm compatibility, or farmers may lack confidence in the proposed measures. To increase the adoption rate of SCPs, capturing farmers{\textquoteright} opinions, given their specific farming context, can aid future strategies to get the SCPs implemented. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify and compare different barriers and drivers towards the adoption of SCPs across 25 major farm type agri-environmental zone combinations in 8 European countries. To unravel farmer{\textquoteright}s motivation and ability to implement a certain SCP, we applied a sequential mixed method approach based on the theory of planned behavior, a socio-psychological framework to predict human behavior. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with farmers reveal a first indication of possible barriers and drivers. These serve as the basis for a broad quantitative survey in each of the 25 major farm type zones, all characterized by their own soil, climate, regulatory and socio-economic context. Due to this context, the selected SCPs in the questionnaire differ among the major farm type zones, although with cover crops and reduced and/or non-inversion tillage, two wide-spread practices, were included across nearly all farm type zones. An EU-wide comparison between different regions allows us to better relate differences in barriers, motivators and farmers{\textquoteright} intention to differences in bio-physical, economic, institutional, social and regulatory conditions. To obtain a correct interpretation and clarification of the most striking results, we organize regional focus groups with experts and farmers. The results will offer valuable insights to advice EU policy, extension and scientific research. They will be able to take into account the specific context of",

author = "J. Bijttebier and G. Ruysschaert and F. Marchand and R. Hijbeek and A.A. Pronk and N. Schlatter and G. Guzm{\`a}n and A. Syp and M. Werner and L. Bechini and N. Guiffant and E. Wauters",

year = "2014",

language = "English",

pages = "1894--1902",

booktitle = "Proceedings of 11th European IFSA Symposium",

note = "11th European IFSA Symposium, Berlijn, Germany ; Conference date: 02-04-2014 Through 04-04-2014",

}

Bijttebier, J, Ruysschaert, G, Marchand, F, Hijbeek, R , Pronk, AA, Schlatter, N, Guzmàn, G, Syp, A, Werner, M, Bechini, L, Guiffant, N & Wauters, E 2014, Assessing farmers’ intention to adopt soil conservation practices across Europe. in Proceedings of 11th European IFSA Symposium. pp. 1894-1902, 11th European IFSA Symposium, Berlijn, Germany, 2/04/14. <https://edepot.wur.nl/324357>

Assessing farmers’ intention to adopt soil conservation practices across Europe. / Bijttebier, J.; Ruysschaert, G.; Marchand, F.; Hijbeek, R.; Pronk, A.A.; Schlatter, N.; Guzmàn, G.; Syp, A.; Werner, M.; Bechini, L.; Guiffant, N.; Wauters, E.

Proceedings of 11th European IFSA Symposium. 2014. p. 1894-1902.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference paper

TY - GEN

T1 - Assessing farmers’ intention to adopt soil conservation practices across Europe

AU - Bijttebier, J.

AU - Ruysschaert, G.

AU - Marchand, F.

AU - Hijbeek, R.

AU - Pronk, A.A.

AU - Schlatter, N.

AU - Guzmàn, G.

AU - Syp, A.

AU - Werner, M.

AU - Bechini, L.

AU - Guiffant, N.

AU - Wauters, E.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - During the past decennia, soil conservation practices (SCPs) have been developed in order to maintain or restore soil health which is essential to the resilience of the farm. However, the adoption rate in practice is rather low. Amongst other reasons, these practices might lack onfarm compatibility, or farmers may lack confidence in the proposed measures. To increase the adoption rate of SCPs, capturing farmers’ opinions, given their specific farming context, can aid future strategies to get the SCPs implemented. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify and compare different barriers and drivers towards the adoption of SCPs across 25 major farm type agri-environmental zone combinations in 8 European countries. To unravel farmer’s motivation and ability to implement a certain SCP, we applied a sequential mixed method approach based on the theory of planned behavior, a socio-psychological framework to predict human behavior. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with farmers reveal a first indication of possible barriers and drivers. These serve as the basis for a broad quantitative survey in each of the 25 major farm type zones, all characterized by their own soil, climate, regulatory and socio-economic context. Due to this context, the selected SCPs in the questionnaire differ among the major farm type zones, although with cover crops and reduced and/or non-inversion tillage, two wide-spread practices, were included across nearly all farm type zones. An EU-wide comparison between different regions allows us to better relate differences in barriers, motivators and farmers’ intention to differences in bio-physical, economic, institutional, social and regulatory conditions. To obtain a correct interpretation and clarification of the most striking results, we organize regional focus groups with experts and farmers. The results will offer valuable insights to advice EU policy, extension and scientific research. They will be able to take into account the specific context of

AB - During the past decennia, soil conservation practices (SCPs) have been developed in order to maintain or restore soil health which is essential to the resilience of the farm. However, the adoption rate in practice is rather low. Amongst other reasons, these practices might lack onfarm compatibility, or farmers may lack confidence in the proposed measures. To increase the adoption rate of SCPs, capturing farmers’ opinions, given their specific farming context, can aid future strategies to get the SCPs implemented. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify and compare different barriers and drivers towards the adoption of SCPs across 25 major farm type agri-environmental zone combinations in 8 European countries. To unravel farmer’s motivation and ability to implement a certain SCP, we applied a sequential mixed method approach based on the theory of planned behavior, a socio-psychological framework to predict human behavior. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with farmers reveal a first indication of possible barriers and drivers. These serve as the basis for a broad quantitative survey in each of the 25 major farm type zones, all characterized by their own soil, climate, regulatory and socio-economic context. Due to this context, the selected SCPs in the questionnaire differ among the major farm type zones, although with cover crops and reduced and/or non-inversion tillage, two wide-spread practices, were included across nearly all farm type zones. An EU-wide comparison between different regions allows us to better relate differences in barriers, motivators and farmers’ intention to differences in bio-physical, economic, institutional, social and regulatory conditions. To obtain a correct interpretation and clarification of the most striking results, we organize regional focus groups with experts and farmers. The results will offer valuable insights to advice EU policy, extension and scientific research. They will be able to take into account the specific context of

M3 - Conference paper

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BT - Proceedings of 11th European IFSA Symposium

T2 - 11th European IFSA Symposium, Berlijn, Germany

Y2 - 2 April 2014 through 4 April 2014

ER -