WP2 leader: SRUC
WP2 objectives:
2.1. Understand the wide range of exogenous and endogenous drivers that can facilitate or hinder the adoption of ecological approaches, through the examination of the regional divergence of adoption of ecological farming approaches and the identification of the effect of market based, value chain, consumption and social incentives.
2.2. Assess transitions and the triggers for change towards ecological approaches which may realise more PG & ES and job creation benefits to inform future adoption scenarios.
2.3. Develop an ‘adoption-tool’ which predicts uptake of ecological approaches.
2.4. Carry out large-scale collection of primary mixed data that will also be used in other WPs.
WP2 short description:
The transition to an ecological system is complex and relies on a number of drivers. The aim of this WP is to provide a value chain approach to analysing the exogenous and endogenous influences towards adoption of ecological approaches across a variety of regional, social, institutional and economic gradients. The motivations, perceptions and drivers from adoption are multifaceted, and different variants of policy implementation, technology adoption levels, farming and marketing structures become distinctive determinants at various scales (farm, farm-group, region). Furthermore, gender and household decision making have been found to be significant drivers in some ecological adoption pathways.
This WP examines the behavioural and perceptual differences between farmers, as well as endogenous (gender, knowledge, acquired skills, generational turnover etc.) and exogenous (agronomic conditions, social spillovers, economic and non-economic incentives etc.) drivers related to the farm and the farmer’s motivation to adopt ecological approaches.
This WP will be based on existing nomenclatures (e.g. organic/conventional) and specific criteria to describe ecological approaches (e.g. reliance on pesticides) which will incorporate WP1 typology as it develops. The WP will also strongly interact with WP3, WP4 and WP5 in terms of its link to performance and sustainability metrics, as well as WP6 to investigate the specific role of policies as exogenous drivers.