Understanding Socio-Economics in the Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Aberdeen
Department Name: Inst of Biological and Environmental Sci
Abstract
Governments around the world and supply chain companies are looking to set ambitious GHG emission reduction goals that include farmers. It is recognised that other factors than those related to environment issues influence the adoption of mitigation practices in the agricultural sector, namely economic impacts associated to management practices. There is clear evidence that policy makers and agro-food businesses are interested in understanding the different components needed to successfully implement sustainable interventions. There are several tools that help stakeholders to account GHG emissions associated to management practices, which practices can mitigate GHG emissions, and what are their associated mitigation potentials. The University of Aberdeen is involved in the development of two of these tools, the Cool Farm Tool and more recently the CCAFS mitigation tool. But tools by themselves are not of much use without the knowledge on how to use them to provide solutions. In this KE fellowship I will co-create, with researchers and committed tool users, effective economic indicators to inform farmers and advisors to policy-makers about the economic impact of practices that reduce GHG emissions. I will measure the success of the project by monitoring the adoption of practices that reduce GHG emissions, in a two year period, in the case of the Cool Farm Tool users. For CCAFS mitigation tool, case studies will be used to demonstrate how the information provided has been used in the design of national programmes for climate change mitigation on agriculture as well as supporting the adoption of sustainable practices.
The programme of work will be structured around scheduled engagement events with CCAFS and Cool Farm Tool users, especially workshops. I will also seek to engage early with on-going NERC funded research and KE to identify synergies and further opportunities for knowledge translation, more specifically: Claire Feniuk & Andrew Balmford at University of Cambridge, mapping of landscape features to biodiversity; Ann Bruce at University of Edinburgh, working on social indicators of sustainability; Mat Williams at University of Edinburgh, leading the GREENHOUSE consortium, Laura Vickers at Harper Adams University, working on horticulture crops and Claire Quinn at University of Leeds, working with M&S. The main engagement commitments I will have are:
1)Meetings with researchers to assess expertise on an indicator of economic impact associated to the implementation of practices in the CCAFS and Cool Farm tools;
2)To organise workshops with CCAFS and Cool Farm tool users to monitor the influence these indicators will have on farmers' implementation of agricultural practices during the period of a year & to assess the ability of the indicators to drive positive environmental change together with the users of the decision tools.
Behaviour change theories will be explored in these workshops. The Defra Agricultural Change and Environment Observatory Discussion Paper "Understanding behaviours in a farming context" (2008) will be used. Other theories might also be explored for suitability. For example, the website https://www.forumforthefuture.org/thebigshift gives examples of how businesses shape and influence the whole sector within which they operate - whether that is food, energy or beyond. A psychological model such as the Theory of the Planned Behaviour might also be tested. This theory states that the performance of a certain kind of behaviour is determined by three kinds of beliefs: one's beliefs about the likely outcomes of the behaviour and the evaluation of these outcomes, normative beliefs about what other people do and what they expect a person to do, and finally beliefs about the presence of factors that may facilitate or hamper the performance of the behaviour. In this case, I will liaise with my colleague Dr William van Dijk who applied an extension of this theory in his PhD project.
The programme of work will be structured around scheduled engagement events with CCAFS and Cool Farm Tool users, especially workshops. I will also seek to engage early with on-going NERC funded research and KE to identify synergies and further opportunities for knowledge translation, more specifically: Claire Feniuk & Andrew Balmford at University of Cambridge, mapping of landscape features to biodiversity; Ann Bruce at University of Edinburgh, working on social indicators of sustainability; Mat Williams at University of Edinburgh, leading the GREENHOUSE consortium, Laura Vickers at Harper Adams University, working on horticulture crops and Claire Quinn at University of Leeds, working with M&S. The main engagement commitments I will have are:
1)Meetings with researchers to assess expertise on an indicator of economic impact associated to the implementation of practices in the CCAFS and Cool Farm tools;
2)To organise workshops with CCAFS and Cool Farm tool users to monitor the influence these indicators will have on farmers' implementation of agricultural practices during the period of a year & to assess the ability of the indicators to drive positive environmental change together with the users of the decision tools.
Behaviour change theories will be explored in these workshops. The Defra Agricultural Change and Environment Observatory Discussion Paper "Understanding behaviours in a farming context" (2008) will be used. Other theories might also be explored for suitability. For example, the website https://www.forumforthefuture.org/thebigshift gives examples of how businesses shape and influence the whole sector within which they operate - whether that is food, energy or beyond. A psychological model such as the Theory of the Planned Behaviour might also be tested. This theory states that the performance of a certain kind of behaviour is determined by three kinds of beliefs: one's beliefs about the likely outcomes of the behaviour and the evaluation of these outcomes, normative beliefs about what other people do and what they expect a person to do, and finally beliefs about the presence of factors that may facilitate or hamper the performance of the behaviour. In this case, I will liaise with my colleague Dr William van Dijk who applied an extension of this theory in his PhD project.
People |
ORCID iD |
Diana Feliciano (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Feliciano D
(2019)
A review on the contribution of crop diversification to Sustainable Development Goal 1 "No poverty" in different world regions
in Sustainable Development
Feliciano D
(2022)
Assessment of agricultural emissions, climate change mitigation and adaptation practices in Ethiopia
in Climate Policy
Feliciano D
(2022)
Stakeholders' perceptions of factors influencing climate change risk in a Central America hotspot
in Regional Environmental Change
Feliciano D
(2022)
Factors influencing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: the case of seven horticultural farms in the United Kingdom
in Scottish Geographical Journal
Feliciano D
(2017)
CCAFS-MOT - A tool for farmers, extension services and policy-advisors to identify mitigation options for agriculture
in Agricultural Systems
Feliciano D
(2018)
Which agroforestry options give the greatest soil and above ground carbon benefits in different world regions?
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Description | The CFT can be an effective tool in transferring knowledge about the source of GHG emissions in their farms - "it rings a bell"; Farmers enjoy discussing about solutions in a group and some changed something Farmers are only willing to implement practices that have no monetary cost to them/saves money Farmers are aware about the mismatch between lower prices and the costs to comply with environmental requirements (e.g. CFT reporting) Farmers would like incentives that are not volatile All farmers interviewed showed some level of custodianship and this can be further explored. The message about reducing GHG emissions in agriculture should be shaped to take into consideration: Farmers' definitions of good farmer: "good animal care", "cleanliness", "beautiful farm", "good waste management", "look at environment as a whole" Within the profit-oriented type of farmers there different personality "nuances" (e.g. pro-environment, sceptical, enthusiasts) Local conditions/context: e.g. being located in California is different from being located in Michigan in terms of why farmers do what they do. The CCAFS-MOT (Mitigation Options Tool) has been used in different countries (e.g. India, Ireland, Nigeria, Germany, Peru) to quickly assess greenhouse (GHG) emissions related to management options in agriculture and land use change and to identify emission reduction practices with no impact on crop yields. These results were used in scientific articles, governmental reports and as a tool to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals, especially sustainable development goals 12 - Responsible consumption and production and 13- Climate Action. Users highlighted the user friendliness characteristic of MOT and welcomed leadership from CCAFS, in partnership with an academic institution, in developing a tool that can help to inform policy makers about greenhouse gas emission sources and sinks in the land use sector, on the management options available to reduce those emissions and to enhance carbon sequestration, and on the technical and socio-economic potential of those options. |
Exploitation Route | Training extension services dealing with the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices in agriculture, education of students at universities and colleges, research and innovation about the contribution of agriculture to climate change. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Education Environment |
Description | The Government needs to address climate change, which threatens the land's ability to provide important ecossystem services including clean water, healthy soils, stable climate, timber and food. Findings were used in the Net Zero report (The UK's contribution to stopping global warming): England: England has a larger proportion of land used for crops than in the Devolved Administrations, making up around one-third of land area in 2016, compared with one-fifth for the UK as a whole. In the scenarios that offer significant emissions reduction (scenarios 2-4), the area used to grow crops reduces by 10-18% by 2050, but cropland continues to be the dominant land use. The area used for grassland declines by 37-42% across scenarios 2-4, with increases in forestry, biomass, restored peatlands and agro-forestry. Northern Ireland: The livestock sector dominates agriculture with over 90% of agriculture Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2016, with beef and dairy accounting for two-thirds. This reflects the high proportion of grassland, which comprise 75% of land area in 2016. Crops are only 4% of land, with forest land making up 6%. Given their dominance, grasslands offer the biggest opportunity to move to lower carbon land uses such as forestry, agro-forestry and biomass, which could increase by up to 11% of land by 2050. Scotland: Grassland was the main land use in Scotland in 2016, making up two-thirds of land, with croplands comprising 7%. One-fifth of land is currently forested, the highest proportion among all the countries, which could rise to almost approximately 30% under the deep emissions reduction scenarios. There is also the potential to double the area of restored peatland, from 0.6m hectares to over 1.4m hectares by 2050. Wales: Livestock is an important activity in Wales, with grassland being the dominant land use (74% in 2016). This could reduce by around 22-26% in scenarios 2-4, with land for forestry increasing by around 70%. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Education,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice |
Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | General impact of the KE fellowship |
Geographic Reach | Africa |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Instrumental impacts: Changes in practice such as M&S waiting for the results from the engagement with suppliers before recommending the use of the CFT to report GHG emissions; Mancomunidad Nor-Oriente wanting to prepare plans considering DF recommendations; Conceptual impacts: This has contributed to broad farmers' (mainly in UK and US), sustainability managers' (e.g. M&S, CFA members), international agency representatives' (e.g. USDA), regional stakeholders' (Mancomunidad manager, mayors, students, technicians in Guatemala, Ethiopia), understanding of the agricultural impacts on climate change, the importance of sustainable land use and management and the trade-offs between climate change mitigation, adaptation and food security. It also raised awareness about the tools available (e.g. UK, Ethiopia) to quantify the impacts of land use management and land use change on GHG emissions and crop yields. Communities of learning have been created which are now reproducing the method at the local and regional levels (e.g. PhD students and researchers in Ethiopia). Capacity building impacts: Training students, researchers, technicians and farmers was undertaken in UK, Ethiopia and Guatemala (women included). Individual and group reflections on experience, e-mails sent and uptake of methods learned confirmed that effective learning has occurred. Attitudinal impacts: The activities increased the willingness to engage in new collaborations (E.g. Guatemala: manager Mancomunidad, mayors; Ethiopia: PhD students, researchers) with the University of Aberdeen, but also between other stakeholders (e.g. USDA and Ethiopian Universities, Ethiopian ministry of agriculture and CCAFS etc.); Enduring connectivity impacts: Due to the NERC KE fellowship there is a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) between University of Aberdeen and M&S, a long-term collaboration with CCAFS has been made possible, research proposals to GCRF NERC (on CC resilience) and T2S (Transformations to Sustainability), with DF as PI, have been submitted involving a wide range of stakeholders in Guatemala (including the Mancomunidad Nor-Oriente) in cooperation with UK universities, and with the UK and several European universities, respectively. None have been funded. Several research questions which have been co-formulated with stakeholders are on hold. |
Description | Influence on the discussion about sustainability and what it means for Plan A - Marks and Spencer |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Description | Ground truth the CCAFS-MOT (Mitigation Option Tool) |
Amount | $35,311 (USD) |
Organisation | CGIAR |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | France |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | N/A |
Amount | $10,000 (USD) |
Organisation | U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 04/2018 |
Description | N/A |
Amount | $10,000 (USD) |
Organisation | CGIAR |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | France |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 04/2018 |
Title | Assessment of agricultural emissions, climate change mitigation and adaptation practices in Ethiopia |
Description | 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 insightsClimate 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. 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. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Assessment_of_agricultural_emissions_climate_change_miti... |
Title | Assessment of agricultural emissions, climate change mitigation and adaptation practices in Ethiopia |
Description | 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 insightsClimate 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. 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. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Assessment_of_agricultural_emissions_climate_change_miti... |
Title | Carbon in soil and aboveground - agroforestry systems |
Description | This database include data collected from several published articles on carbon sequestered on soil and aboveground in agroforestry systems. It also include the mean above ground carbon sequestration by agroforestry system type and continent (tC ha-1 yr-1), and mean soil carbon sequestration by agroforestry system type and Continent (tC ha-1 yr-1) and also: List of studies analysed Estimates above ground Estimates Soil R Code GLMM-fitting and validation Model coefficients |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Several researchers in different countries have already asked directly by e-mail for this database which is a sign that they have read the paper linked to this database and we will use the database for their research. |
URL | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880917305297?via%3Dihub |
Description | Adoption of sustainable agriculture practices in developing countries |
Organisation | U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | To broad the understanding of MSc and PhD students, researchers, technicians of the regional offices of the ministries of the environment and agriculture and policy-makers on the impact of agricultural practices on GHG emissions and carbon sequestration in trees and soils, the barriers to implement sustainable agricultural practices and the trade-offs resulting from the implementation of these practices. The activities consisted of: 1) One day field excursion with a CCAFS researchers and a group of Ethiopian PhD and MSc students (male and women), and researchers (plus 5 Ethiopian translators) in the Lemi district to observe and collect qualitative and quantitative information on biophysical characteristics and current agricultural practices, farmer's perceptions on weather changes and on how this impact on their practices, and on socio-economic factors (e.g. livelihoods, education). This was undertaken through observation and semi-structured interviews with farmers; 2) One day to discuss climate change science and policy with the team that went to the field and a USDA representative (women), hands-on exercises using the CCAFS-MOT to estimate GHG emissions from the agricultural systems visited, ranking mitigation practices, and discussion on the barriers and co-benefits of mitigation options; 3) One day-workshop with technicians (man and women) from the regional offices of the Ethiopian ministries of the environment and agriculture and two USDA representatives. In this workshop, each PhD student or researcher was allocated to 1 group of 5 technicians and facilitated hands-on exercises with the CCAFS-MOT and discussion of the results; 4) The results from the previous days were presented and discussed with policy-makers on a one-day workshop. This triggered a wider discussion around the implementation of sustainable agriculture in Ethiopia, barriers for implementation and potential mechanisms to support the implementation. A report is being written in cooperation with CCAFS, ILRI, USDA and several Ethiopian PhD students and researchers. |
Collaborator Contribution | The USDA, CCAFS, ILRI, EIAR, InterAIDE provided the contacts of a wide range of stakeholders interested in climate change adaptation and mitigation and arranged field activities and a workshop to discuss the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices in the Ethiopian context and the impact on GHG emissions mitigation and resilience to climate change. Stakeholders included representatives from Ethiopian ministries, universities, research institutes, NGOs, students |
Impact | Outputs: Working paper: MacSween, K. & Feliciano, D. (2018). 'Co-benefits of mitigation options in the CCAFS- Mitigation Options Tool (CCAFS-MOT)'. CCAFS Working Paper, no. 229, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), The Netherlands. Info-note: MacSween, K. & Feliciano, D. (2018). Comparison of online greenhouse gas accounting tools for agriculture. CCAFS Info Note. CCAFS Policy Briefs, CGIAR Research Program for Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), The Netherlands. Info-note: Feliciano, D. & MacSween, K. (2018). Using the Mitigation Options Tool (CCAFS-MOT): Case studies. CCAFS Info Note. CCAFS Policy Briefs, CGIAR Research Program for Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), The Netherlands. Powerpoint presentations: Estimating GHG emissions from agriculture in Ethiopia Workshop report: Feliciano D. 2018. Using the CCAFS Mitigation Options Tool to identify mitigation co-benefits in Ethiopia's land use sector. CCAFS Workshop Report. Wageningen, the Netherlands: CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Outcomes: Capacity building impacts: Training students, researchers, technicians and farmers was undertaken in Ethiopia (women included). Individual and group reflections on experience, e-mails sent and uptake of methods learned confirmed that effective learning has occurred. Attitudinal impacts: The activities increased the willingness to engage in new collaborations (E.g. PhD students, researchers) with the University of Aberdeen, but also between other stakeholders (e.g. USDA and Ethiopian Universities, Ethiopian ministry of agriculture and CCAFS etc.). |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Evaluate multiple benefits from the adoption of agricultural sustainable practices. Linking local benefits to regional benefits- linking benefits across scales. |
Organisation | Nestlé (Global) |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Organised a Skype meeting and a meeting in Newcastle with the Sustainability Director of Nestle and with a Senior Researcher in the Stockholm Environment Institute. Wrote the notes from the meeting and sent the notes around for comments. The objective was to refine Nestle framework to show the link between local benefits of sustainable agricultural practices with regional benefits and to evaluate the scale (e.g. local, regional) at which the benefits accrue and who the beneficiaries are. The work was expected to involve a diverse range of stakeholders including farmers, River Caldew catchment, co-operative, Defra, Rivers Trust, and United Utilities etc. Water was chosen as the cross cutting case to show the links with other benefits (e.g. biodiversity, GHG emissions, soil protection, soil quality, flood alleviation). The aim is to develop quantitative model (integrative and flexible) to measure sustainability. This work was going to be developed in partnership with a Senior Research Fellow, Stockholm Environmental Institute & York University. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Sustainability Director of Nestle participated in the meetings and provided information about the Nestle Sustainability agenda and the stakeholders to be involved in the collaboration. The Senior Research Fellow from York University provided the framework to link local benefits to regional benefits and to link benefits across scales. The partnership with the Senior Scientist at the Stockholm Environment Institute is still active. |
Impact | Meeting notes shared with the Nestle Sustainability Director and the Senior Researcher at the Stockholm Environment Institute. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | How land can be used to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals |
Organisation | Committee on Climate Change (CCC) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Working on the land use and waste sector contributions to stopping global warming which responds to a request from the Governments of the UK, Wales and Scotland, to the Committee to reassess the UK's long-term emissions targets. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided data for analysis and contact with stakeholders, including policy makers, through seminars, field visits and workshops. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary collaboration: geography, economics, forestry, political science, biological science Outputs: Technical Annex: How land can be used to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals. This annex presents the results of the analysis of mitigation undertaken for the Committee's land use report published in October 2018 by each country of the United Kingdom and to assess the main similarities and differences. Five mitigation scenarios were developed for the Land use report. These scenarios reflect different possible future land use pathways, developed to explore a range of 'what if' land use change and land management options that are technically feasible between now and 2050. The scenarios assume that land for settlements is met before options to use land for emission reduction are considered; that the current level of UK food production per capita is maintained; and that land designated as national parks and protected areas continues to be so in the future. Net Zero - The UK's contribution to stopping global warming This report responds to a request from the Governments of the UK, Wales and Scotland, asking the Committee to reassess the UK's long-term emissions targets. Our new emissions scenarios draw on ten new research projects, three expert advisory groups, and reviews of the work of the IPCC and others. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Is the Cool Farm Tool contributing to the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices? |
Organisation | Cool Farm Alliance |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | I became aware, through collaboration with Jon Hillier (now at U. Edinburgh) and the CFA (Cool Farm Alliance), that a group of US poultry farmers participated in three summits (2010, 2011, 2012) promoted by Costco and Sustainable Food Lab to use the CFT to estimate GHG emissions from their farm activities and to learn how to reduce carbon footprint. Purpose: DF and a colleague (left the University in 2016) prepared a structured interview, which was undertaken over the phone, in order to understand farmer's views on reporting GHG emissions to the retailers using the CFT, their motivation to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, the effectiveness of the summits to trigger change and to facilitate learning about GHG emission sources and mitigation options. The preliminary results were presented at the CFA general meeting in 2016 and the interim results and recommendations for future interventions with farmers using the CFT were presented at the CFA general meeting in 2017. Several stakeholders attended these meetings and participated in the discussions (e.g. Unilever, Mars, PepsiCo, Tesco, M&S, Yara, LEAF, consultants, researchers). I co-designed an interview guide with a colleague, and undertook phone interviews with 10 US farmers who have used the Cool Farm Tool. The Theory of Planned Behaviour has been used as a framework to formulate the questions and to analyse the data. The objectives are to understand farmer's motivations to adapt to environmental change and mitigate GHG emissions and to understand the efficacy of the CFT in advising farmers about the best options to reduce emissions from their farms. The intention was also to understand if farmers are aware of the costs of sustainable agricultural practices and if saving money one of the main reasons why sustainable practices are implemented. The discussions with he farmers in the U were very lively and we maintain the contact with the farmers. We have sent the transcripts of the interviews, information about climate change and sustainable practices and will send them the preliminary results and the results of our discussions. Prepared the presentation for knowledge exchange at the Cool Farm Alliance general meeting in 2016 and 2017. Results presented in general meeting Cool Farm Alliance - Oxford in 2017. |
Collaborator Contribution | Contacted farmers in the US who used the Cool Farm Tool, provided contacts of farmers in the US who used the Cool Farm Tool, presented the preliminary results at the Cool Farm Alliance general meeting in 2016 in Oxford, arranged the agenda to include a slot for the presentation of the results in the Cool Farm Alliance general meeting in 2017. The partner discussed the presentation with the researchers and chose the slides (from a total of 14 slides). |
Impact | Presentation about farmers' motivations to implement GHG mitigation practices/The role of the Cool Farm Tool in promoting the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. The collaboration is multi-disciplinary and involves disciplines such as agriculture, soil science, environmental psychology, climate change science. Two PowerPoint Presentations. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Sustainability trade-offs associated with the implementation of agricultural practices |
Organisation | Marks and Spencer |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Engagement with M&S (Marks and Spencer), a major food retailer in the UK, and with M&S suppliers (farmers across the UK). Purpose: M&S is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its supply chain and products and protecting natural resources, under Plan A. In 2015 M&S planned to request their suppliers to start reporting on GHG emissions using the CFT. The researcher and KE fellow (DF) suggested M&S to co-organise an engagement activity with suppliers that consisted of 1) A semi-structured interview around farmer's views on sustainable agriculture (including mitigation of GHG emissions and carbon sequestration); 2) A hands-on exercise to estimate GHG emissions in the farm using the CFT, a thematic discussion around farmer's views on reporting GHG emissions to M&S, the relevance of the CFT to trigger change, and the trade-offs resulting from the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices; 3) A visit to the farm, and a walking interview during which farmers explained which sustainable practices they were currently implementing and why (e.g. biodiversity plot, hedges, water reservoir).The activity, research questions and methods (e.g. interview guide) were co-designed with the Sustainability Delivery Manager at M&S. The results of the activity were discussed by e-mail, on site (M&S headquarters) and on the phone. A report with results and recommendations was produced and shared with M&S and to the farmers who commented on it. |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-design of the interview guide and co-design of the GHG emission accounting activity using the Cool Farm Tool with the farmers. M&S phoned the farmers to brief them about my visit. They have been closely involved with the process. Provided contacts with LEAF - Linking Environment and Farming and FAI farms (helps in the implementation of better farming practices) .to discuss how these two organisations perceive sustainability. Several meetings have been held at the M&S headquarters in Waterside. |
Impact | Report with preliminary results prepared and sent to farmers and to M&S. Further discussion with M&S to identify more farmers to visit in order to further develop the framework. This work integrates behavioural sciences (attitudes, perceptions, behaviour) with environmental sciences (ecosystem processes), economics (valuation) and policy analysis (incentives) to assess multiple benefits of protecting natural capital. The integration of these disciplines is essential in order to better understand farmers' motivations to implement sustainable agricultural practices and how to provide recommendations to measure the benefits. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Brexit: an academic conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Exhibition of main topics of my KE fellowship presented in a laptop with a rolling powerpoint on a stand. Participation in the parallel discussion on Energy and Climate Change, parliamentary researchers to discuss the impact of Brexit on energy and climate change policies. Inspired on this experience I wrote a proposal to the Scottish Parliament Academic Fellowship Scheme (SPICe). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Cool Farm Alliance general meeting in March 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Presented preliminary results of consultation with farmers in the US that used the Cool Farm Tool to estimate GHG emissions in their farms. There were questions from businesses afterwards. This helped to consolidate the agreement with Marks and Spenser. I have also met and discuss with the Sustainability director of PepsiCo who introduced me to a fellow researcher at Nottingham University. We already collaborated in a proposal for the GFS and we are in contact and expect to collaborate in further proposals. We are also thinking in working on a scientific paper about the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices together. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Interviews and engagement through workshops with farmers in the North Pennines |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Participation in workshops host by UTASS (Upper Teesdale agricultural support services) and the also workshops hosted by the North Pennines National Landscape. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2024 |
Description | Participation and discussion in workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Discussion about the barriers and opportunities for using GHG emission accounting tools. Discussion with farmers about their views on reporting GHG emissions to businesses. Discussion about the contribution of agriculture to climate change and the role of agriculture in climate change mitigation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Soil Security & SARISA Programme meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presented my fellowship to researchers working in the soil security programme. Facilitated discussion about the impact of research findings from the work being undertaken at the Soil Security Programme. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | The Mitigation Options Tool for Agriculture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Discussion about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the countries INDC's - Intended National Determined Contributions, GHG emission reduction targets, sources and sinks of greenhouse gases, greenhouse gas accounting tools, comparison between GHG accounting tools, characteristics of the CCAFS-MOT, co-benefits between adaptation and mitigation, mitigation options in agriculture. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Workshop in the Climate Change and Gender Council meeting in Guatemala |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Facilitated a workshop on agriculture and adaptation to climate change with policy-makers and practitioners (NGOs, farmers associations, women's associations, practitioners etc.) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |