Promoting sustainable smallholder farming via multistakeholder collaboration

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 121(21)

Опубликована: Май 16, 2024

Transforming smallholder farms is critical to global food security and environmental sustainability. The science technology backyard (STB) platform has proved be a viable approach in China. However, STB traditionally focused on empowering farmers by transferring knowledge, wide-scale adoption of more sustainable practices technologies remains challenge. Here, we report long-term project scale-up for expanding upgrading the original (STB 2.0). We created formalized standardized process which engage collaborate with farmers, including integrating their feedback via equal dialogues designing promoting technologies. Based 288 site-year field trials three regions North China Plain over 5 y, find that cocreated through this were easily accepted increased crop yields nitrogen factor productivity 7.2% 28.1% wheat production 11.4% 27.0% maize production, respectively. In these broadly, “one-stop” multistakeholder program involving local government agencies, enterprises, universities, farmers. was shown much effective than traditional extension methods applied at STB, yielding substantial economic benefits. Our study contributes an important case agriculture. 2.0 being explored emphasizes dialogue collaboration, investment. These lessons may provide value research practitioners.

Язык: Английский

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Mapping lock-ins and enabling environments for agri-food sustainability transitions in Europe

Sustainability Science, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 19(4), С. 1221 - 1242

Опубликована: Апрель 8, 2024

Abstract European agri-food systems must overcome structural lock-ins to achieve more sustainable modes of production and consumption. Yet regions are highly diverse, we lack understanding how different regional characteristics may enable or inhibit sustainability transitions. This hinders the development context-tailored governance strategies. In this paper, identify apply sets spatial indicators map potentials for We first analyse strength lock-in incumbent agro-industrial paradigm. then enabling environments two alternative networks—multifunctional value chains civic food networks—that each embed distinct social–ecological qualities agriculture food. Results demonstrate a large diversity in transition potential, with stronger throughout North Western Europe transitions Italy, France, Switzerland, Southwest Germany. find that strongest livestock-dominated associated higher GHG emissions excess nitrogen levels. Our study demonstrates need coordinated public policies (1) leverage region-specific (2) complementary innovations market-based community-led networks.

Язык: Английский

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Good intentions, limited action: when do farmers’ intentions to adopt sustainable farming practices turn into actual behaviour?

Journal of Environmental Psychology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown, С. 102522 - 102522

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2025

Язык: Английский

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Divergent agricultural development pathways across farm and landscape scales in Europe: Implications for sustainability and farmer satisfaction

Global Environmental Change, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 86, С. 102855 - 102855

Опубликована: Май 1, 2024

Current agricultural practices in Europe are increasingly aggravating societal and environmental safety concerns. This creates social regulatory pressures on farmers, which can lead to declining material status of farmer discontent, anti-regulation protests. These tensions rooted conflicting value systems for development, range from productivist pathways (i.e. valuing production above all else) increasing multifunctionality agriculture its contribution multiple economic, needs). It is largely unknown what degree individual farms landscapes transitioning towards productivism or practice. Here, we mapped landscape changes interviewed farmers (n = 274) examine the diversity development 17 study sites across over last 20 years (2000–2020). We also assessed associations between farmers' perceptions socio-economic outcomes, namely job satisfaction, valuation, economic performance. Farm-level was aligned with pathways, while landscape-level more closely an pathway. Farmers did not perceive improved outcomes livelihood indicators as compared farmers. Furthermore, were concentrated very high management intensities that face strong pressure regulations, well low-intensity, mountainous sites, where opportunities intensification limited. results suggest current increase arise mostly by necessity. Successful transformation will therefore require policy create enabling environments provide socioeconomic benefits multifunctionality, a civil society market conditions sustainable agriculture.

Язык: Английский

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A belowground perspective on the nexus between biodiversity change, climate change, and human well‐being

Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 3(2)

Опубликована: Июнь 1, 2024

Abstract Soil is central to the complex interplay among biodiversity, climate, and society. This paper examines interconnectedness of soil climate change, societal impacts, emphasizing urgent need for integrated solutions. Human‐induced biodiversity loss change intensify environmental degradation, threatening human well‐being. Soils, rich in vital ecosystem function regulation, are highly vulnerable these pressures, affecting nutrient cycling, fertility, resilience. also crucially regulates influencing energy, water cycles, carbon storage. Yet, poses significant challenges health dynamics, amplifying global warming. Integrated approaches essential, including sustainable land management, policy interventions, technological innovations, engagement. Practices like agroforestry organic farming improve mitigate impacts. Effective policies governance crucial promoting practices conservation. Recent technologies aid monitoring implementing management. Societal engagement, through education collective action, stewardship. By prioritizing interdisciplinary research addressing key frontiers, scientists can advance understanding biodiversity–climate change–society nexus, informing strategies sustainability social equity.

Язык: Английский

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Quantifying the importance of farmers' behavioral factors in ex-ante assessments of policies supporting sustainable farming practices

Ecological Economics, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 224, С. 108303 - 108303

Опубликована: Июль 31, 2024

Behavioral factors have been identified to determine farmers' uptake of the adoption sustainable farming practices. However, coherent consideration empirically behavioral in ex-ante model-based policy assessments is still rare. This study presents an agent-based modelling framework that integrates empirical data on cognitive, social, and dispositional characteristics. Using this framework, we test quantify impact including agricultural policies aimed at promoting Thereby, apply same compare effectiveness results-based payments for climate change mitigation measures precision technologies two Swiss case studies. Our results indicate cognitive (e.g., reluctance change) reduce practices by 20–70% compared simulations using income maximization as underlying decision-making concept. In contrast, social can increase up 40%. We conclude allows improve context addition, these approaches highlight importance instruments complement traditional economic measures, such public support creation networks.

Язык: Английский

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Empowering young farmers' voices in climate change extension programs: An in-depth analysis of decision-making dynamics and social media engagement

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 111, С. 104713 - 104713

Опубликована: Июль 30, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states

People and Nature, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Янв. 19, 2025

Abstract Supporting biodiversity conservation in an effective and sustainable way requires addressing loss while satisfying the dependency of people on nature. Critical to this goal is understand how benefits services delivered by ecosystems influence human values, these values can be leveraged promote equitable economic, social environmental outcomes. However, are challenging capture complex social‐ecological systems, particularly when not consistent among different groups stakeholders. We examined associated with Box Gum Grassy Woodland agro‐ecological systems Australia, focusing two key stakeholder that management decisions: farmers ecological specialists. Using a state‐and‐transition model as boundary object, we identified various dimensions values—instrumental, intrinsic relational—across four distinct states Woodland: Woodland, Native Pastures, Crops Sown/Fertilised Pastures Revegetated Areas. found both stakeholders multiple although intensity (i.e., total number values) varied significantly—the specialist respondents were concentrated intact Woodlands, whereas farmer Pastures. These results demonstrate generated communities, likely result actions may or diminish presence certain values. Characterising analysing their distribution between ecosystem for offer valuable insights into dynamics human‐nature interactions behaviour which directly transform Read free Plain Language Summary article Journal blog.

Язык: Английский

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Developing an Agricultural Futures Framework to explore the option space for agricultural change in Europe under alternative value perspectives

Sustainability Science, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Янв. 23, 2025

Язык: Английский

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Threat appraisal and individual adaptation as drivers for collaborative drought management in the Netherlands

Agricultural Water Management, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 309, С. 109341 - 109341

Опубликована: Янв. 27, 2025

Язык: Английский

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