Farm-level acceptability of contract attributes in agri-environment-climate measures for biodiversity conservation
Opdenbosch, Harold ; Brady, Mark V. LU
; Bimbilovski, Ivan
; Swärd, Rebecca
LU
and Manevska-Tasevska, Gordana
LU
(2024)
In Journal of Rural Studies
112.
- Abstract
Farmers are key to preserving and restoring semi-natural pastures (SNPs) while maintaining their environmental and cultural significance. To support these efforts, it is essential to create favorable conditions that encourages voluntary participation of farmers in agri-environment-climate measures (AECM) for SNP management. This study aims to assess acceptability of contract attributes within AECM for SNP management at the farm-level, including supported activity, payment, inspection, and sanction. Using a qualitative document analysis on data from semi-structured interviews, scientific literature, and policy documents, this study provides insights into farmers' perceptions of how these attributes affect effective implementation, along... (More)
Farmers are key to preserving and restoring semi-natural pastures (SNPs) while maintaining their environmental and cultural significance. To support these efforts, it is essential to create favorable conditions that encourages voluntary participation of farmers in agri-environment-climate measures (AECM) for SNP management. This study aims to assess acceptability of contract attributes within AECM for SNP management at the farm-level, including supported activity, payment, inspection, and sanction. Using a qualitative document analysis on data from semi-structured interviews, scientific literature, and policy documents, this study provides insights into farmers' perceptions of how these attributes affect effective implementation, along with recommendations for alternative solutions, and the potential of the Strategic Plan (SP) 2023–27. Results highlight concerns with current AECM, such as: i) misunderstandings between authorities and farmers on stipulated practices and conflicts with other regulations; ii) growing importance and reliance on payments; iii) apprehensions concerning potential interactions with unfavorable inspectors and punitive financial measures. Farmers expressed a strong desire for increased management flexibility, underscoring its significance over stringent contract attributes, and convey a need for improved communication with authorities. The SP 2023-27 offers an opportunity for improvements, mainly through administrative modifications via service digitalisation. As such, the results contribute to governance debates linked to contractual design and have implications for policy effectiveness, addressing both the appropriateness of AECM as a policy instrument and the capacity of governmental agencies to implement them effectively.
(Less)
- author
- Opdenbosch, Harold
; Brady, Mark V.
LU
; Bimbilovski, Ivan
; Swärd, Rebecca
LU
and Manevska-Tasevska, Gordana
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Common agricultural policy, Contractual design, Policy effectiveness, Semi-natural pasture, Sweden
- in
- Journal of Rural Studies
- volume
- 112
- article number
- 103448
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85206255008
- ISSN
- 0743-0167
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103448
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors
- id
- 4fb2d5ba-dfea-4af4-9471-de0f74ae0125
- date added to LUP
- 2024-11-27 11:08:17
- date last changed
- 2024-11-27 11:09:06
@article{4fb2d5ba-dfea-4af4-9471-de0f74ae0125,
abstract = {{<p>Farmers are key to preserving and restoring semi-natural pastures (SNPs) while maintaining their environmental and cultural significance. To support these efforts, it is essential to create favorable conditions that encourages voluntary participation of farmers in agri-environment-climate measures (AECM) for SNP management. This study aims to assess acceptability of contract attributes within AECM for SNP management at the farm-level, including supported activity, payment, inspection, and sanction. Using a qualitative document analysis on data from semi-structured interviews, scientific literature, and policy documents, this study provides insights into farmers' perceptions of how these attributes affect effective implementation, along with recommendations for alternative solutions, and the potential of the Strategic Plan (SP) 2023–27. Results highlight concerns with current AECM, such as: i) misunderstandings between authorities and farmers on stipulated practices and conflicts with other regulations; ii) growing importance and reliance on payments; iii) apprehensions concerning potential interactions with unfavorable inspectors and punitive financial measures. Farmers expressed a strong desire for increased management flexibility, underscoring its significance over stringent contract attributes, and convey a need for improved communication with authorities. The SP 2023-27 offers an opportunity for improvements, mainly through administrative modifications via service digitalisation. As such, the results contribute to governance debates linked to contractual design and have implications for policy effectiveness, addressing both the appropriateness of AECM as a policy instrument and the capacity of governmental agencies to implement them effectively.</p>}},
author = {{Opdenbosch, Harold and Brady, Mark V. and Bimbilovski, Ivan and Swärd, Rebecca and Manevska-Tasevska, Gordana}},
issn = {{0743-0167}},
keywords = {{Common agricultural policy; Contractual design; Policy effectiveness; Semi-natural pasture; Sweden}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Rural Studies}},
title = {{Farm-level acceptability of contract attributes in agri-environment-climate measures for biodiversity conservation}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103448}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103448}},
volume = {{112}},
year = {{2024}},
}