Factors influencing farmer participation in bottom-up collaborative agri-environment-climate measures

Abstract

Agri-environment-climate measures (AECMs) that focus on spatial coordination at the landscape level and the joint working of different actors represent a novel policy approach in Europe. As participation in AECMs generally depends on farmers' motivations and preferences, AECM design needs to consider their perspectives. In this respect, bottom-up collaborative AECMs become increasingly important, as they are driven by actor engagement and interaction. To investigate the factors influencing farmer participation in such approaches and assess their perceived importance, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 36 farmers in northern Germany. At the time of the interviews, the farmers had recently decided whether to participate in a novel bottom-up collaborative AECM initiative. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. We found that farmers' attitudes towards nature and administrative aspects were most relevant. Economics, farmers' curiosity, and social influences also played important roles. While many of these factors were shaped by past experiences, we identified characteristics specific to collaborative AECMs that influence farmers' decision-making. For example, spatial coordination, farmer-to-farmer communication, expert help or expected conflicts with others were found to have either a positive or negative impact. To increase participation, policymakers and collaborative AECM initiatives should utilise the positively perceived characteristics as levers. For instance, this could involve combining ecologically effective measures with non-monetary benefits, such as support structures and public outreach, as well as providing opportunities for farmers to exchange ideas and share success stories. However, such approaches should also take into account farmers’ level of experience with cooperation.