A Survey on the Implementation of Agroforestry Practices
A recent study conducted in Sweden explored the reasons why there is such a significant gap between Swedish farmers’ intention to adopt ecological techniques and the actual steps taken to get there. The findings are quite surprising!
The researchers focused on several parameters, including membership in farmers’ associations, personal goals, perceived economic benefits of agroforestry, and labour constraints.
The Only Significant Factor at Stake
What is most surprising about the findings of this survey conducted with 387 farmers is that none of the factors studied had a significant impact on actual implementation of agroforestry practices, except one.
The winning solution? Joining farming networks and associations. In this sense, the survey suggests that the only behavioural driver causing farmers to engage or not in agroforestry practices is their involvement in formal agricultural communities. The study ultimately recommends fostering connection between farmers and agricultural networks to help disseminate ideas and share technical experience as well as agroforestry advice.
Once again, these findings highlight the crucial need for stronger community ties to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices. It would be fascinating to find out whether such a survey would reveal similar results among farmers in Quebec!