Smart landscape diversification? Farmers' perspectives on how digital tools can facilitate (collective) agri-environmental action in Brandenburg, Germany

Abstract

Landscape-level diversification in the form of agri-environment-climate measures (AECM) is needed to promote biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. Effective implementation requires coordination between farmers and other actors. The (collective) implementation of AECM may be facilitated by digital technologies. As the implementation of AECM and the use of digital tools are voluntary, understanding farmers' perspectives is crucial to foster adoption. The results of this Q study with farmers in Brandenburg, Germany, reveal three distinct perspectives on the use of digital applications which could facilitate (collective) AECM: one focusing on the associated benefits, one questioning the meaningfulness of such approaches and one strongly valuing personal exchanges. While all viewpoints are open to the use of digital applications if they provide clear added value, farmers doubt the reliability of more advanced technologies. The different viewpoints highlight the importance of attitudes and subjective perceptions, which vary regardless of farm and farmer characteristics. For the successful development and diffusion of digital innovations and to steer the transition towards a digitally supported implementation of collective AECM, it is crucial to build institutional trust by providing planning security and ensuring the usefulness and viability of new approaches. In general, digital technologies may support the implementation of collective AECM directly through tailored applications or indirectly by increasing farmers' capacity to adapt to changes. They should promote rather than replace in-person exchanges. Finally, results highlight that digital applications will not solve existing flaws of the current AECM system, but future improvements may be supported by digital technologies.