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Crop type maps are essential in informing agricultural policy decisions by providing crucial data on the specific crops cultivated in given regions. The generation of crop type maps usually involves the collection of ground truth data of various crop species, which can be challenging at large scales. As an alternative to conventional field observations, street view images offer a valuable and extensive resource for gathering large-scale crop type ground truth through imaging the crops cultivated in the roadside agricultural fields. Yet our ability to systematically retrieve crop type labels at large scales from street view images in an operational fashion is still limited. The crop type retrieval is usually at the pixel level with uncertainty seldom considered. In our study, we develop a novel deep learning-based CropSight modeling framework to retrieve the object-based crop type ground truth by synthesizing Google Street View (GSV) and PlanetScope satellite images. CropSight comprises three key components: (1) A large-scale operational cropland field-view imagery collection method is devised to systematically acquire representative geotagged cropland field-view images of various crop types across regions in an operational manner; (2) UncertainFusionNet, a novel Bayesian convolutional neural network, is developed to retrieve high-quality crop type labels from collected field-view images with uncertainty quantified; (3) Segmentation Anything Model (SAM) is fine-tuned and employed to delineate the cropland boundary tailored to each collected field-view image with its coordinate as the point prompt using the PlanetScope satellite imagery. With four agricultural dominated regions in the US as study areas, CropSight consistently shows high accuracy in retrieving crop type labels of multiple dominated crop species (overall accuracy around 97 %) and in delineating corresponding cropland boundaries (F1 score around 92 %). UncertainFusionNet outperforms the benchmark models (i.e., ResNet-50 and Vision Transformer) for crop type image classification, showing an improvement in overall accuracy of 2–8 %. The fine-tuned SAM surpasses the performance of Mask-RCNN and the base SAM in cropland boundary delineation, achieving a 4–12 % increase in F1 score. The further comparison with the benchmark crop type product (i.e., cropland data layer (CDL)) indicates that CropSight is a promising alternative to crop type mapping products for providing high-quality, object-based crop type ground truth of diverse crop species at large scales. CropSight holds considerable promise to extrapolate over space and time for operationalizing large-scale object-based crop type ground truth retrieval in a near-real-time manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Accurate and detailed spatial information on rice cultivation is essential to developing agricultural policy and reducing the negative impacts of agriculture. However, the dependence of most traditional methods on samples severely limits the feasibility of large-scale rice cultivation mapping. This study proposes a robust large-scale sample-free monitoring method for single-season rice in northern China. A new rice phenology index, quantifying dynamic phenological features of rice (i.e., the occurrence of flooding during transplanting and the growth of rice after transplanting), was generated to highlight rice. Subsequently, a constrained cyclic threshold classification strategy was designed to obtain plausible rice maps using statistical data. Innovatively combining rice mapping with statistical data, the most detailed (10 m) single-season rice map in northern China to date was created. Compared with three other high-precision rice map products, the resulting rice map has high accuracy and good local details. The results indicate that the rice phenology index has excellent and robust performance in identifying rice cultivation locations in northern China. Moreover, the proposed mapping method exhibits clear advantages in the tracking of large-scale and historical rice cultivation. As a whole, this study provides a paradigm of using statistical data instead of samples for crop mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the case of interference, when a unit's treatment also affects other units' outcome. When interference is at work, policy evaluation mostly relies on the use of randomized experiments under cluster interference and binary treatment. Instead, we consider a non-experimental setting under continuous treatment and network interference. In particular, we define spillover effects by specifying the exposure to network treatment as a weighted average of the treatment received by units connected through physical, social or economic interactions. Building on Forastiere et al. (2021), we provide a generalized propensity score-based estimator to estimate both direct and spillover effects of a continuous treatment. Our estimator also allows to consider asymmetric network connections characterized by heterogeneous intensities. To showcase this methodology, we investigate whether and how spillover effects shape the optimal level of policy interventions in agricultural markets. Our results show that, in this context, neglecting interference may underestimate the degree of policy effectiveness. • Policy interventions may spill over across units and generate indirect effects. • Spillover effects are formalized considering agents' exposure to a network. • A weighted directed network is used to consider different degrees of exposure. • The potential outcomes framework is used to quantify direct and spillover effects. • An application to policy effectiveness in agricultural markets is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-subsistence households in developing countries play a considerable role as both producers and consumers of agricultural products, with a substantial part of their consumption contributed by home production for home consumption (HPHC). This study employs a modeling framework that integrates an HPHC augmented database with a modified economywide model that accommodates the distinct features of these households. Results from model simulations with border price shocks and several policy responses indicate that farm households are less influenced by external price shocks but are more responsive to enhancements in the local marketing system. Subsidies to strategic non-food imports during soaring prices appear less effective in inducing agents to engage in production. This finding suggests that the welfare gains reported by studies on price incentives locally, and agricultural policy reforms in developed market economies are likely to be large overestimates of the welfare implications for semi-subsistence households in many of the least developed economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new framework for assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of climate adaptation policies for the agriculture sector at the subnational level. The role of the subnational level in climate policy is highly relevant, especially on the heels of the Paris Agreement (PA) of 2015. However, there is limited literature on climate adaptation policy implementation at the subnational level in the agricultural sector. Climate adaptation policy in agriculture is generally discussed at the national level, and subnational climate adaptation policies rarely address agriculture. Thus, this study was conducted to fill this gap by establishing an analytical framework based on the two existing literatures, which are not connected: climate adaptation policies at the subnational level and adaptation policies in the agricultural sector. The core components of the framework are (i) locally driven initiatives, (ii) locally capable institutions, (iii) legally implementable measures, and (iv) effective intergovernmental relations. The framework is then applied to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Punjab, two provinces in Pakistan, a country highly dependent on the agricultural sector and one of the most vulnerable to climatic changes. We found that both provinces have locally driven policies and have made efforts to build capabilities in their public administrations to adapt to climate change in the agriculture sector. Punjab has advanced in several indicators of the components of the framework but still is weak in others, such as local monitoring and evaluation efforts. KPK has interesting efforts in the dissemination of farmers' adaptation innovative initiatives (hidden adaptation), but still lags behind in the legal base for the policies. Finally, both provinces lack strong institutions for intergovernmental relations. • Climate change has produced real threat especially for developing world. • Climate change has posed unprecedented impacts on the agriculture sector. • Subnational governments are key in adaptation to climate change. • Framework for climate adaptation policies at subnational level is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use (LU) monitoring and mapping from remote sensing (RS) data are relevant topics in Earth observation (EO). LU monitoring requires powerful/robust classification approaches able to provide reliable identifications in decision-making applications, even over challenging areas. The European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) promotes the use of remote sensing for LU monitoring in Europe useful in the compliance control of the subsidy payments. In this context, the present study proposes a novel classification chain to identify ten land uses, namely: forest (FOR), pasture with trees (TRE), pasture with shrubs (SHR), pastureland (PAS), vineyard (VIN), arable land (ARL), fruit trees (FRU), nut trees (NUT), citrus (CIT), and olive grove (OLI), over three areas in the Valencian Autonomous Region (Spain) where smallholding farming predominates. The approach exploits the multitemporal information provided by Sentinel-2 data using a novel spatial strategy specifically designed to deal with heterogeneous agricultural areas. More precisely, we implemented a deep learning algorithm based on bidirectional recurrent neural networks to account for complex temporal dynamics. The classification results over the three areas showed accuracies higher than 95.5% over validation sets composed of in-situ checks never used during the training process. The proposed methodology outperformed standard approaches that not consider the spatial variability of the training samples, and revealed very good agreement concerning the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) of Spain. In addition, the developed chain proposes the novelty of using the kernel normalized difference vegetation index (kNDVI) as a predictor in a LU classification processing chain. Including the kNDVI instead of the traditional NDVI outperformed the classification accuracy in all metrics and classes. Ultimately, the obtained classifications were used for assessing the 2020 farmers' declarations in the three study areas. The declarations showed a level of agreement concerning the proposed approach near 99%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-Normal Science (PNS) emphasises the need for scientists and policy-makers to iteratively co-analyse and learn together, as part of an extended peer community. However, the roles and implications for scientific experts when interacting with policy-makers are not well understood. Informed by insights from science and technology studies (STS) on modalities of interaction and the multiple potential roles of experts, we reflect on our experiences as scientific experts working on European agricultural policy within the interdisciplinary H2020 MAGIC project. We aimed to analyse and facilitate science-policy dialogue on a variety of European sustainability challenges. Whilst we achieved stimulating interactions on the nexus of issues associated with sustainable agriculture, our experiences did not fully match our deliberative vision. In part this was due to the varied constraints and reactions of policy-makers: many had limited remit for engagement, some expressed scientists should act as 'fact' providers in support of current tasks; others contested scientific analyses when these implied policy approaches were insufficient. Our own roles and reactions also varied across the scientific team and over time: from attempting to foster relationships, to emphasising our relevance to their tasks, or making stronger judgements. This dynamic mix was at times personally uncomfortable and challenging. Navigating such processes needs explicit reflection on the potentially plural roles expected of scientific and other experts working on and for sustainability. Meanwhile, the persistent expectations and institutional constraints that underlie and constrain science-policy interactions need more recognition, including by policy institutions themselves. • Scientists working on agri-food nexus planned policy interactions as per Post-Normal Science (PNS). • Implementing PNS was challenging, due partially to varying scientist and policy-maker expectations. • Scientists' responses ranged from advocacy for change through to downplaying scientific expertise. • Achieving PNS needs reflexivity on expert roles plus reflection on institutional constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. • Farmers are crucial to preserve semi-natural pastures and their ecosystem services. • Acceptability of agri-environmental contracts hinges on effective design. • A comprehensive, structured, and multi-source analysis of contract attributes. • Results address contract suitability and the capacity of governmental agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baldios are wide areas, integrated in extensive farming systems, historically held and managed by local communities for animal grazing and other extractive activities in support of their livelihoods. This land tenure regime persisted despite successive political and socioeconomic changes that threatened its communitarian nature, profoundly influencing the socioeconomic structure of rural areas. Today, use and possession of the baldios by the local communities is safeguarded by formal legal rights. In 2007 an agri-environmental scheme (AES) designed for managing the pastures in the baldios was proposed to the commoners of two protected areas. While one was successfully implemented and is still active, the other was discontinued. This study focuses on the Peneda-Gerês National Park experience, where the AES was widely adopted, aiming to understand the effects of its implementation on local dynamics for management of baldios , looking at its social and cultural benefits, particularly regarding local capacity for collective action. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in all the baldios in the park, and a period of stay in one of the villages allowed an opportunity for deeper analysis. Other stakeholders were also interviewed (e.g., state institutions). We argue that the benefits of this scheme went beyond the direct monetary payouts, playing an important role in the revitalization of local institutions. Moreover, we conclude that in depopulated and aging rural areas, top-down site-specific agri-environmental schemes that rely on existing social and institutional structures to operate are critical to recover and/or recreate institutions and practices for local collective landscape management. • Reliance on local actors and institutions to implement and operate the agri-environmental scheme revealed to be adequate. • Cooperation between actors, encouraged by the design of the agri-environmental scheme, had a central role in its success. • Social/cultural capital revealed to be both a result and a key element in the implementation of the agri-environmental scheme. • The potential of cooperative dynamics in the context of rural development and agri-environmental initiatives is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding agricultural land systems is paramount to preparing for future transitions under climate change. Systematic quantitative, multi-context analyses of agricultural land systems are a promising way of increasing our understanding but rely on the availability of large-scale and commensurable data. The available data, however, are outcomes of political priorities and processes and thus not neutral windows into agricultural realities. We map, describe, and compare publicly available and publicly curated data describing agricultural land systems—those devoted to the production of food, fuel, and fiber—in the United States (US) and European Union (EU) to identify underlying data collection norms and political priorities. We discuss how these priorities shape what we can(not) see in each region and articulate future data needs to support an in-depth understanding of agricultural land systems dynamics. This comprehensive understanding of how and why agricultural land systems change is imperative to promoting sustainable, resilient, and just agriculture futures. • We compare publicly available data on agricultural land systems from the EU and US. • Both regions provide good data on production of major commodities and farm revenues. • Little data on diversity and other drivers of agricultural land use are available. • Information on land ownership, farm labor, and agricultural value chains is lacking. • Political priorities shape data availability and contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of existing research predict that the area of abandoned land will increase in many European regions. One of the countries that are the most prone to this process is Poland where agriculture, after many transformations, is still an important sector of the economy. It is essential to determine drivers of the abandonment of agricultural land use in order to effectively counteract this process. Through the Common Agricultural Policy, the European Union financially supports farmers who use agricultural land in accordance with the environmental protection requirements. This study investigated to what extent the land use, the characteristics of agricultural holdings, the demographics as well as economic factors impacted the process of land abandonment in Poland during the period 2002–2020. The analysis was carried out using statistical and spatial data pertaining to the period before and after Poland's accession to the European Union. Our results demonstrate that the share of abandoned land within the country's agricultural area has decreased from 9.7 % to 1.2 %. Direct payments to farmers and the agrarian structure of farms were the most significant factors affecting this process. Spearman's rank order correlations between the share of abandoned arable land and the two mentioned variables are close to or higher than 0.5 in each analysed year. The obtained results did not confirm the common conviction that environmental factors play a decisive role in the process of cultivation abandonment. • In 2002–2020, the area of agricultural and abandoned land in Poland decreased. • Direct payments and farm size are the drivers of land abandonment. • The large fragmentation of farms intensifies the process of land abandonment. • There was a weak correlation between abandoned land and environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of alfalfa in rotation with intensive crops is common practice to mitigate the physical and chemical issues arising from intensive farming practices. However, there is a dearth of studies on this practice. Given the current concern regarding climate change and the significant impact agriculture has on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, understanding the emissions associated with this practice, as well as the most suitable soil and crop management techniques for their mitigation, is of paramount importance. The present study aimed to (i) quantify emissions of N 2 O, CO 2 and CH 4 in an alfalfa crop following a maize cropping scenario; (ii) to determine which tillage system generates the lowest GHG emissions, and; (iii) to determine how N fertilisation from a preceding intensive maize crop affects GHG emissions during alfalfa cropping period. A three-year field experiment (2019, 2020 and 2021) was conducted to assess the emissions of N 2 O, CO 2 and CH 4 from alfalfa cultivation following a three-year period of irrigated maize. Two soil management practices (no-tillage and conventional tillage) were implemented during both the maize cropping period and the alfalfa establishment. Additionally, the nitrogen (N) fertilisation rates applied to the preceding maize crop were included as a treatment (0, 200, and 400 kg N ha⁻¹, corresponding to zero, medium, and high fertilisation levels, respectively) in a randomized block design with two factors. Emissions of N 2 O in alfalfa ranged from 0.05 to 0.32 mg N 2 O-N m⁻² day⁻¹, being significantly higher only during first month of sampling in the treatments that had received fertilisation. CO 2 emissions ranged from 1158 to 4258 mg CO 2 -C m⁻² day⁻¹. Year-average CH 4 fluxes were −0.27 g C ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. The average total dry matter produced by alfalfa was 17700 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, being higher for the no-tillage treatment, though significantly so only during first month of sampling. Under Mediterranean conditions, the tillage system and mineral N fertilizer rates have a relative effect on greenhouse gas emissions during the alfalfa cropping period. Plots without N fertilization initially produced lower N 2 O emissions and higher total dry matter, resulting in the lowest scaled emissions. For the tillage treatment, no significant differences were found in emission dynamics, which may be due to the fact that alfalfa does not involve soil disturbance, leading to a homogenization of the treatments. However, the NT treatment showed lower scaled emissions due to higher yields in the first year. Therefore, alfalfa cultivation is characterized by low GHG emissions, high yields, and a notable capacity to mitigate the negative effects of previous intensive crops. This study provides data on GHG emissions during alfalfa cropping in the typical Maize-alfalfa crop rotation under Mediterranean irrigated systems, which is useful for new agricultural policies aimed at reducing pollution in the agricultural sector. Additionally, it demonstrates the capability of this crop to mitigate adverse agronomic and environmental conditions caused by preceding intensive farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing and quantifying crop diversity ("effective number of crops") across scales is needed to understand a wide range of issues related to resilience of farms and the agricultural sector, the provision of ecosystem services, and ultimately to provide a scientific basis for effective agro-environmental policies. We use a novel European Union (EU) wide satellite-derived product at 10 m spatial resolution to produce datasets of crop diversity across spatial (1–100 km) and administrative scales for the year 2018. We focus on the 27 EU countries and the United Kingdom. We define local crop diversity (α -diversity) at the 1 km scale corresponding to large farms or clusters of small-to-medium sized farms. Across countries, the α crop diversity ranges from 2.3 to 4.4 with the highest levels achieved by systems dominated by a high number of small farms (less than 10 ha on average). Computed at grid level aggregation, γ -diversity (the number and area of crops that are grown independently from the precise location, for landscape region, and country levels) increases rapidly from 2.85 at 1 km to 3.86 at 10 km and levels off 4.27 at 100 km. Such diversity levels are higher than that reported for the U.S.A., likely related to differences in farm structure and practices. β -diversity, the ratio of γ and α diversity, provides a measure of the diversity between agroecosystems and ranges from 1.2 to 2.3 across EU countries. Based on the magnitude and change of γ -diversity across scales, we classify countries' diversity in four groups with possible consequences for regional to national agro-environmental policy recommendations, in particular the monitoring activities and indicator development of interventions for the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the EU. Forthcoming annual high-resolution continental Copernicus crop type maps will facilitate temporal comparisons. Various ecosystem co-variates are to be explored for deeper understanding of the link of crop diversity to agro-ecosystem services. • An EU wide crop diversity analysis is derived from a 10 m EO crop map. • We characterize α (local), γ (landscape) and β (γ / α) diversity up to national scale. • We cluster EU countries in 4 policy approaches from their multi-scale crop diversity. • EU countries with farms smaller than 10 ha show the highest local diversity. • Landscape diversity is 40–50 % higher in the EU than in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We review the use of data from the Integrated Administration and Control System. • Common use cases are in ecology, agronomy, social sciences, and remote sensing. • Data are often used to analyze the impacts of agricultural land use. • Data and method descriptions are often not detailed enough for reproducibility. • The data are unique and valuable, but user should address their limitations. As of the 2021 reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Member States are obliged to make land use datasets from the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) publicly available. These data include annual geospatially referenced information on crops grown on all land used by farmers to claim CAP-related payments. This paper sets out to comprehensively collect and systematically review scientific literature that has used IACS land use data. It provides a reference for future users of the data and demonstrates their unique scientific potential. Following the methodology of a systematic mapping review, we identified 270 publications using IACS land use data from Austria, Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic), France, Germany, and Sweden. Most were from the disciplines of ecology, agronomy, and land use sciences with fewer from remote sensing, economics, hydrology, and medicine. Based on a subsample analysis, we demonstrate that IACS land use data are most commonly used to describe agricultural land use and related impacts on ecological and agronomic outcomes, and to calibrate various types of models to observed land use. However, it appears that research groups using the data are not well connected, common terminology is lacking, and reproducibility suffers from missing details about data acquisition, pre-processing, and use. For more effective data use, we suggest increased collaboration, improved data infrastructure and documentation, and data harmonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In several lower middle income countries, organic agriculture (OA) has emerged as a top-down government initiative backed by strong political interest, which entails the risk of seriously neglecting the challenges faced by many organic farmers. In some cases, the promotion of OA, particularly large-scale OA conversion programs like in Sikkim and Bhutan, has received widespread attention. A system-level analysis of conversion to OA can provide a fair assessment and is desirable but rare. Often, there are serious issues with data paucity hindering deeper analyses of the feasibility of large-scale OA and its system-level challenges. This article aims to analyze the feasibility of large-scale conversion to OA by describing management and farming practices, yield gaps, nutrient balances, as well as the governance and the institutional setting of OA in Bhutan. Bhutan is a suitable case study given the generally good availability of data on the agricultural sector. We conduct qualitative content analysis of annual, status, and consultation reports, and gray literature. We analyze the yield gap between organic and conventional farms using agricultural census data. A tentative aggregated nutrient balance at the district and organic village levels is also carried out relying on data from agricultural surveys and censuses and associated reports. OA in Bhutan requires compliance with the standard requirements defined in the Bhutan Organic Standard (BOS), which is part of the family of standards established by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). Farmers are increasingly opting for certified organic farming, with 6% and 3% of arable land being registered and certified, respectively, under the local organic assurance system (LOAS). The National Center for Organic Agriculture (NCOA) has instituted model organic villages (MOVs) and provides capacity building training and in-kind farm support to organic farmers. The results of the yield gap analysis show that yields in organic systems are between 18% to 45% lower across the three main agro-ecological zones compared to conventional cropping systems. This could exacerbate the country's food self-sufficiency. The results of the nutrient balance reveal a general nitrogen deficiency which could be mitigated with improved OA practices. OA faces many challenges, such as a shortage of funds for implementing organic programs, missing extension for OA, and a lack of research to improve the existing methods. This paper provides clarity on the challenges faced by farmers under state-driven large-scale OA conversion. Understanding the challenges of converting to OA in Bhutan can lead to transferable findings for many similar contexts characterized by smallholder farming systems. [Display omitted] • Large-scale organic agriculture (OA) in Bhutan–a lower middle income country– is implemented with a top-down approach backed by strong political interest. • A system-level analysis of large-scale conversion to OA can provide a fair assessment of the challenges faced by smallholders. • An in-depth analysis of the large-scale OA policy initiatives in Bhutan is presented. • OA in Bhutan faces challenges in terms of management and farming practices, crop yields, nutrient balances and governance. • Analyzing and understanding the challenges of OA transition in Bhutan can lead to transferable lessons for similar contexts of smallholder farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral factors have been identified to determine farmers' uptake of the adoption of sustainable farming practices. However, the coherent consideration of empirically identified behavioral factors in ex-ante model-based policy assessments is still rare. This study presents an agent-based modelling framework that integrates empirical data on farmers' cognitive, social, and dispositional characteristics. Using this framework, we test and quantify the impact of including behavioral factors in ex-ante assessments of agricultural policies aimed at promoting sustainable farming practices. Thereby, we apply the same modelling framework to quantify and compare the effectiveness of results-based payments for climate change mitigation measures and precision agricultural technologies in two Swiss case studies. Our results indicate that farmers' cognitive and dispositional factors (e.g., reluctance to change) reduce the uptake of sustainable farming practices by 20–70% compared to simulations using income maximization as the underlying decision-making concept. In contrast, social factors can increase adoption by up to 40%. We conclude that including behavioral factors allows to improve ex-ante policy assessments in the context of sustainable farming practices. In addition, these approaches can highlight the importance of policy instruments that complement traditional economic measures, such as public support for the creation of networks. • We integrate behavioral economics in ex-ante assessments of agricultural policies. • The study combines agent-based modelling and empirical data on farmer behavior. • Results allow for a comparison of different decision-making models. • Behavioral factors reduce the uptake of sustainable farming practices. • Social factors can increase the adoption and the efficiency of agricultural policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification has a profound negative impact on farmland biodiversity worldwide. Birds closely associated with agricultural landscapes are a key indicator group for evaluating sustainability in land use. We identified key determinants of hatching success in northern lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) in agricultural landscapes of Estonia. In total, we monitored 133 nests to record the causes of nest failures on 85 field plots from three farming management types over two years. Hatching success as indicated by daily survival rate of nests was significantly lower in organic (94%) when compared to conventionally managed (98%) cultivated fields. We showed that this was mainly caused by increased nest predation by mammalian and avian predators in organic fields. Landscape elements, such as drainage ditches with tall vegetation decreased nest predation by mammalian predators. Depredation of nests by avian species was negatively related to the breeding density of lapwings, suggesting the effectiveness of their collective defense against raptors and corvids. We conclude that the hatching success for ground-breeding birds in arable fields is mainly affected by differences in nest predation. Agri-environment schemes, such as providing funding for organic farming, effectively increase the diversity and abundance of wild animals, while also increasing the number of nest predators as a side effect. The challenge is to control the abundance of mammalian and avian nest predators using different methods. Regional agricultural policy should support the retention of ditches with tall vegetation in agricultural landscapes that can effectively reduce nest predation by mammals. • Hatching success of lapwings was lower in organic than in conventionally managed fields. • Organic fields were associated with increased nest predation. • Drainage ditches with high vegetation were related to decreased nest predation by mammalian predators. • Nest predation by birds was negatively related to the breeding density of lapwings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural landscapes are the result of the long-term, complex, and intermingled interfaces between nature and culture. Among the stakeholders involved in the production of agri-environmental and climate services, farmers play a crucial role, and their contribution should be duly acknowledged to promote sustainable land management. Therefore, this research aims to contribute to the participatory design of agri-environmental contracts to incentivize landscape and biodiversity practices. To achieve this goal, 13 innovation labs with multi-actor perspective were established across nine different European countries. These groups envisioned a future sustainable landscape characterized by diversity and balance of economic, socio-cultural, and environmental components. Trust-based networks and effective communication channels emerge as vital components for the success of sustainable local production systems. Practitioners emphasize the significance of European-level policies in effecting transformative change and influencing farmers'willingness to contribute to both food production and environmental public goods. They defined concrete contract features such as public funding, hybrid payments, and the presence of intermediaries for the potential of agri-environmental measures. Notably, practitioners perceive a wide range of benefits associated with the implementation of agri-environmental measures, extending beyond economic compensation. Gaining a deeper understanding of practitioners' perceptions of their territories and agri-environmental measures is crucial for policymakers to design tailored and appealing programs that resonate with practitioners'needs. • Agroecosystem living labs are valuable approach for facilitating transition. • Trust-based networks and communication channels enable transformative change. • Agri-environmental measures yield benefits beyond economic compensation. • Preferred contract features are public funding, hybrid payments and presence of intermediaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasslands, important agricultural land systems, are undergoing significant shifts such as intensification, abandonment, and conversion to alternative land uses in Europe, leading to biodiversity loss. Despite major efforts, the European Union´s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been unable to halt the decline of grasslands and to appropriately adjust management intensity because implemented policies have not considered the heterogeneity of grassland systems. However, accounting for this heterogeneity is essential to increase the policies´ effectiveness. In this study, we used archetype analysis to identify recurrent patterns in the heterogeneity of farm configurations, using Germany as an example, that can help tailor policy instruments to specific regional conditions. By applying self-organising maps, we reveal nine archetypes integrating 16 farm accountancy indicators. Advancing archetype analysis, we discuss their dynamics (including their emergence, disappearance and persistence) between 1992 and 2019 at the level of federal states and interpret these dynamics in the light of CAP. For example, archetypes in the western federal states are dominated by small crop and dairy farms, while archetypes in the eastern federal states are more diverse, including larger subsidised farms and medium crop farms. Moreover, archetype dynamics in the southern federal states indicate a decline in small dairy farms and an increase in small crop farms, implying the loss of valuable habitats for wild species. Policy instruments tailored to such regional conditions could more appropriately halt this loss. These insights derived from agricultural land systems in Germany can enrich the debate about how to better tailor policy instruments to regional conditions to preserve functional grassland systems in Europe and worldwide. • Archetypes were identified in Germany from 1992 to 2019 using Self-Organising Maps. • Nine archetypes characterized grasslands of which six were persistent in all years. • Importance of promoting farm diversity within federal states to build resilience. • Valuable insights for policy tailoring to enhance resilience in the farming sector. • Similarities in grassland systems can support regional transfer of insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoning regulates which land uses belong on land. Also, zoning ordinances signal the local government's intent for land use regulation and its consequent exclusion of land uses, activities, and people. Exclusionary zoning has been well studied in urban settings, but less is known about its impact on farmlands. The archipelago of Puerto Rico serves as an important case to examine recent land-use policy changes and the government's intent on agricultural lands. This paper examines the 2010, 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2022 Joint Permit Regulations to ask: What rhetorical work do these five regulations employ for agricultural land? What insights do each of the Joint Permit Regulation offer about the government's intent for agricultural land? How do these regulations shape Puerto Rico's agricultural landscape and whose interest do they serve? To answer these questions, I employ two policy analytical methods, policy archeology and genealogy, along with five key subject-matter experts' interviews to assess how municipal-level zoning policies articulate territorialized politics of belonging on agricultural land zoned as productive agriculture (agrícola productivo, in Spanish). Theoretical thematic analysis from interviews with subject-matter experts shows how the official planning discourse in Puerto Rico uses the cover of disaster recovery and sustainable development to foster land dispossession and exclusion of farmers on Puerto Rico's most valuable agricultural land. • Zoning regulates which land uses belong on land. • Land-use policies define what and who belongs on productive agricultural lands. • Zoning policies use rhetoric that normatively creates a desired bounded landscape. • Puerto Rico is an important case to examine land-use policies that exclude farmers. • Zoning policies should be tailored to specific contexts and people [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper investigates the effects of agricultural exports on agricultural growth and overall growth in ECOWAS countries. • The instrumental variables approach is applied to control the cross-sectional dependence and endogeneity issues. • Findings indicate that the agricultural export-led agricultural growth hypothesis is verified. • We show that agricultural export increases the overall economic growth while the combined effect of the agricultural export and agricultural growth does not affect overall growth. • To increase foreign exchange earnings and avoid vulnerability to external shocks, ECOWAS' policymakers should pursue the implementation of outward-looking strategies, and agricultural export promotion and adopt market diversification policies. Given the urgent need to increase farming income and foreign exchange earnings, a substantial expansion of agricultural production for export is often a rational policy in developing countries, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The study analyzes the effects of agricultural exports on agricultural growth and overall economic growth in the ECOWAS region for the period 1996–2018. It also explores the combined effect of agricultural exports and agricultural growth on economic growth. We use the instrumental variables approach to control the endogeneity issue. Findings indicate that agricultural exports significantly enhance agricultural growth and overall economic growth. Moreover, the effect differs considerably from the agricultural growth equation to the economic growth equation. We also find that there is no complementarity nor substitutability effect of agricultural exports and agricultural growth on economic growth. These findings have important policy implications in agricultural development policy design and implementation in ECOWAS countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual paper draws on Max Weber's Iron Cage metaphor to explore its value in understanding how farmers are responding to the institutional contexts that influence and constrain entrepreneurial activities. We create Ideal Types of farmers, farm businesses and farm business strategies to provide a nuanced understanding into the heterogeneous ways Upland farmers are navigating and responding to ever-shifting Constrained Institutional Contexts (CIC's). We examine Weber's original cage metaphor, and draw on its limitations by framing it alternatively to provide a unique lens to examine the UK farming context. We add clarity into how farmers are responding to the challenges arising from the contexts within which they operate, providing a strong theoretical underpinning that can be used by other scholars to examine constrained rural entrepreneurship. • Ideal type of Farmers. • Weberian Analysis. • Uncertainty in the UK farming sector. • UK Agricultural policy will have a dramatic effect on the UK farm sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• German pesticide policy begins to shift away from pesticide-reliant agriculture. • Shift away from current pesticide regime is stronger in European policy strategies. • Transfer of destabilisation governance frameworks beyond energy sector is promising. • Existing regime destabilisation governance frameworks yield complementary insights. • Comparing destabilisation governance perspectives shows potentials for more robust frameworks. The deliberate destabilisation of socio-technical regimes receives increasing attention in sustainability transition governance. Existing conceptualisations differ substantially in underlying assumptions and analytical scope. Yet, a systematic identification of differences between analytical frameworks is missing. To fill this gap, we explore the explanatory power of a deliberative , a regulatory and a transition pathways perspective on regime destabilisation governance. Each represented by a key analytical framework, these perspectives are comparatively applied to German pesticide policy in the context of European multilevel governance. We find that each documents different aspects of governance efforts to destabilise the incumbent pesticide regime. Through a content analysis of policy documents, we reveal how policy, especially on the European level, is increasingly, but incompletely oriented away from the incumbent pesticide regime, expressed in discursive shifts, changes in policy instruments and evolving political goal setting, respectively. Thus, we identify avenues for developing more robust frameworks of regime destabilisation governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper tillage combined with straw management is crucial for maintaining agroecosystem sustainability and crop yield, especially under intensified agricultural activities. However, the optimal depth for tillage in combination with straw incorporation remains unclear. To address this, we established a field experiment in 2011 in Mollisols with five treatments: conventional tillage (CT, tillage depth 20 cm), no-tillage combined with straw return (SNT), conventional tillage combined with straw return (SCT), inversion tillage combined with straw return (SIT, tillage depth 35 cm), and subsoil tillage combined with straw return (SST, straw depth 20–35 cm). We assessed the effects of these treatments on soil quality by evaluating the Soil Physical Property Index (SPI), Soil Chemical Property Index (SCI), and Soil Microbial Property Index (SMI) in relation to the Soil Quality Index (SQI) and crop yield. Our findings shown that tillage combined with straw return significantly improved soil properties. Compared to the CT, SNT, and SST treatments, the SCT and SIT treatments increased SPI and SQI in the 0–20 cm soil layer by 43.9–845.4 %. While the SIT and SST treatments enhanced SPI, SCI, and SMI in the 20–35 cm soil layer by 69.2–307.7 % more than the CT, SNT, and SCT treatments. Among all treatments, SIT treatment resulted in the highest SPI, SCI, and SMI in the 0–35 cm soil layer. Additionally, SQI and maize yield under the SIT treatment were 11.7–140.5 % and 15.6–78.0 % higher, respectively, compared to other treatments. Linear regression analysis revealed that SPI in all layers had a significant impact on maize yield, while SCI and SMI were significantly correlated with yield only in the 20–35 cm layer (P < 0.05). SPI's contribution to maize yield was 18.6–156.8 % higher than that of SCI and SMI. Partial least-squares path modeling identified SPI as a direct influence on SMI and SCI, making it the largest driver indirectly improving SQI and maize yield in Mollisols. Therefore, SIT treatment is a highly effective soil management practice for improving soil quality and crop yields in the Mollisols region. Our study provides guidance for enhancing soil environmental quality and designing sustainable agricultural policies in the Mollisols region and other arable soils. • This study based on a 13-year long-term experiment. • Straw incorporation through inversion tillage outperform other practices. • Improvement in soil physical index is the main driver of soil quality and crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our framework for uncertainty analysis uses a range of calibrated parameters. • We explored the uncertainty range of the runoff parameters in grazing activities. • This study employed the calibrated APEXgraze model based on the Moriasi Criteria. • A holistic approach captured the internal dynamics of hydrological processes. • This work opens avenues to conduct uncertainty and scenario analyses of any model. Researchers in hydrological sciences have developed agro-hydrological models to study water quantity and quality in small-scale watersheds. These models, however, often exhibit significant uncertainty in both parameters and response variables. The study aims to address limited research on the uncertainty range of runoff-related parameters in watershed models, particularly those analyzing the impact of grazing operations. It also seeks to improve existing uncertainty analysis protocols because these protocols rely on parameter distributions, which are often difficult to determine. A generalized uncertainty analysis protocol that statistically considers multiple acceptable solutions from calibrated agro-hydrological models was developed. This approach employed a variant of the Agricultural Policy eXtender (APEX) model with an expanded grazing module called APEXgraze to perform uncertainty analysis of runoff and sediment-related parameters. Four small-scale watershed models were developed for calibration: a) native prairie, b) native prairie under grazing operations, c) cereals (winter wheat and one season of oats), and d) the same cereals under grazing operations in a semi-arid region of Oklahoma, United States. This work demonstrated that a simplified uncertainty analysis approach effectively captured the internal dynamics of hydrological processes within a statistically significant range of parameters. This observation was evidenced by a small range of water balance in both magnitude and percentage. The procedure also helped identify redundant parameters in sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. The proposed generalized uncertainty analysis protocol offers a reliable method for assessing hydrological models' internal dynamics and identifying critical parameters. This approach can enhance the accuracy of watershed models, particularly in regions with grazing operations. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to shed light on the impact of the crop diversity criterion of green payments on farms' economic and environmental performances, alongside land use practices. In order to provide causal evidence, we exploit the natural experiment from the 2013 Common Agricultural Policy reform, which established stronger crop diversity eligibility criteria for farmers with over 10 ha (and 30 ha) of arable land. More precisely, we use a difference-in-discontinuity design on a sample of French farms and compare those respectively above and below the two thresholds. Our findings suggest that farms around 10 ha experienced significant land reallocation and an increase in crop diversity, while farms around 30 ha increase their number of crops. Interestingly, we also found that the main effects were primarily driven by farms that already met the diversification requirements. This suggests that the crop diversity criterion did not result in much additional change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy soils provide critical ecosystem services, addressing modern societal challenges such as human health safeguarding, food security, climate change adaptation, etc. Unfortunately, 60–70 % of soils in the European Union (EU) are in an unhealthy state, due to various natural and socio-economic factors. Degradation is the most severe threat, impairing soil quality, hindering the full delivery of its functions, jeopardizing its productivity, and constituting a monetary hazard. This is why the European Commission (EC) has put soil health at the epicenter of several EU policies, in different, yet inter-connected domains (e.g., agriculture, climate, etc.). Soil governance has gained increasing interest over the years, with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the European Green Deal (EGD) being frontrunners in the attempt to achieve climatic neutrality, zero pollution, and sustainable food provision. These times call for a holistic revision of our production systems, consumption patterns, and the management of soil. However, a significant gap between soil conservation science and practice raises concerns about the effectiveness of soil-related policies. With a focus on soil erosion, this review provides an overview of such policies and how they promote soil restoration and preservation, underlining in parallel the importance of public awareness and participatory engagement in achieving their objectives. • An overview of soil-related policies and missions in the EU is presented. • There is a particular (but not exclusive) focus on soil erosion. • The importance of public awareness and participatory engagement is underlined. • Barriers that hinder policy effectiveness and potential contingencies are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The water footprint related to food loss and waste is quantified. • The logarithmic mean Divisia index is applied to decompose the change in the water footprint. • The case of Lithuania shows that cereal crops pushed the green and grey water footprints up. • Changes in area sown and yields were important for grey, green, and blue water footprints. • Changes in the crop-mix and loss rate did not offset other factors. Food production has significant impacts on the environment, particularly in terms of water usage. Losing food along the supply chain means that all resources, including water, used to produce that food are wasted. Through the lens of the water footprint, this paper expands the scope of water resource assessment by looking at the blue, green, and grey water footprints associated with food losses along the supply chain. The index decomposition analysis (IDA) is applied to quantitatively analyze the effect of four driving factors (total area sown, crop-mix, yield, and food loss rate) to water resources related to food losses along the agri-food chain in Lithuania for the period 2003–2021. The analysis only considers food crop products meant specifically for human consumption. The results indicate an increase in the water footprint associated with food losses along the supply chain, rising from 100.5 million m3 to 131.2 million m3. This represents a 30.6% increase over the period 2003–2021, equivalent to an average annual increase of 2.6%. The total agricultural area sown under crops and yields emerge as the most significant factors shaping this increase. These effects were partially offset by changes in the crop-mix and reduced loss and waste rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistances (AMR) present a particularly challenging cross-sectoral policy problem, affecting human and animal health as well as the environment. Compared to the actual problem pressure, the public awareness for AMR is comparatively low and the issue has not been high on the political agenda in most. Given the rising problem pressure, we aim to find out as to what degree and under which conditions political parties bring AMR on the political agenda. By means of multilevel logit regressions based on 173 electoral manifestos in 30 European countries from 2015 to 2020, we explore the conditions that explain whether AMR are taken up in manifestos. The empirical findings indicate firstly that AMR are only addressed by political parties in Northern and Western Europe, in no case in Eastern, and only in one case in Southern Europe, though resistant bacteria are more widely spread in the latter. Secondly, Green parties are those who are most likely to address the AMR challenge. Thirdly, vote share is positively associated with AMR agenda-setting, while EU membership is insignificant and the national average on antibiotics consumption is negatively related to AMR agenda-setting. Finally, AMR are surprisingly mainly perceived as a problem of the agricultural policy subsystem despite its cross-sectoral policy character. The study makes theoretical and empirical contributions: regarding theory, the article shows that typical variables that are used for agenda-setting are less explanatory for complex intersectoral policies. This is also accompanied by the empirical contribution: since problem awareness and complexity of policy problems are correlated, AMR are reduced to an agricultural issue and as such, it is taken over by political parties that have expertise on agricultural-environmental topics. • Antimicrobial resistances (AMR) are a challenging cross-sectoral policy problem. • Public awareness for AMR is low and the issue is not high on the political agenda. • AMR are only addressed by political parties in Northern and Western Europe. • Green parties are most likely to address the AMR challenge. • AMR are mainly perceived as a problem of the agricultural policy subsystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the latest reform of the EU's common agricultural policy (CAP) in 2021, the EU has introduced a modified toolkit of environmental instruments. This paper compares the final version of the legal texts of the current and preceding CAP to analyse whether there is potential scope for greater environmental ambition. A pivotal element of the new CAP is the new delivery model. This model grants Member States more flexibility to adjust CAP instruments according to their respective needs. While the new delivery model provides opportunities for more targeted interventions, clear guardrails are missing. In consequence, the EU institutions have limited influence on the CAP Strategic Plans' level of ambition. Generally, the ambition level of the conditionality and also the budget attributed to environmental instruments within Pillar 2 was increased. The design of and participation in Eco-schemes, a new instrument in Pillar 1, will be the key factors determining whether the new CAP will lead to a significantly higher environmental performance. However, the Strategic Plan Regulation only contains vague recommendations to the Member States to take the Green Deal into account, which in no way meets the requirements formulated in the Green Deal. Furthermore, recent revisions to the new CAP legislation have rolled back some of the potential improvements that we identify in this paper. • More money is earmarked for environmental concerns, but it is likely too little given the large-scale challenges. • Green Architecture is a step forward concerning policy design, but contains many inconsistencies, challenges and exceptions. • Member States can use the additional freedom to address environmental challenges or just meet the formal requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the dependencies between the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) and indicators related to sustainability and adaptation using Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) models. Methodologically, the study utilizes the forward and backward propagation capabilities of BBNs in GeNIe software to identify critical indicators. It also examines the predictive power of these indicators by analyzing their mutual value of information in Hugin software. Data utilized in the analysis include GFSI data for 2022 and associated sustainability and adaptation indicators. Key findings reveal the critical importance of proactive risk management strategies, sustainable agricultural practices, and effective governance mechanisms in shaping food security outcomes. Disparities between high- and low-performing countries in GFSI outcomes underscore the need for tailored interventions to address systemic vulnerabilities. High-performing countries in the food security environment exhibit a very high probability of 93% of achieving high performance in the national agricultural adaptation policy. Conversely, low-performing countries exhibit a very high probability of 91% of achieving low performance in the agricultural water risk – quality indicator. The study contributes theoretically by uncovering the complex interactions within food systems and practically by offering insights for policymakers and practitioners to develop targeted interventions. The implications of the findings emphasize the importance of integrated approaches and evidence-based policymaking to address food security challenges effectively. • Investigates Global Food Security Index (GFSI) dependencies with sustainability and adaptation. • Employs BBN models to analyze direct indicator connections. • Utilizes 2022 GFSI data and associated indicators. • Emphasizes proactive risk management and governance. • Reveals disparities, guiding tailored interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A policy on agricultural land zoning, based on land suitability maps, has been introduced to optimize the use of resources for crop production in Thailand. However, the impact of activities occurring during cultivation in different land suitability classes has not been considered. A land–water–climate nexus index (LWCNI) has therefore been introduced as a holistic analysis that integrates three indicators––land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and climate change impact in terms of GHG emissions. This can guide resource allocation by highlighting areas that need improvement. We aimed to assess the land–water–climate nexus in different land-suitability classes for sugarcane and cassava in Thailand in order to compare the nexus performances and improve the planning and management of resources for sustainable production. The LWCNI was developed and assessed by combining it with geographic information system–based tools for evaluating the nexus performances of sugarcane and cassava cultivation as per the agricultural zoning policies. The scope of the work was "from cradle to farm-gate", and the final products considered were sugarcane and fresh cassava. The results revealed that sugarcane cultivation in moderate-suitability areas is the most effective, with the best LWCNI score being 0.87, suggesting efficient cultivation practices with a minimal use of land and water resources, and a minimal climate change impact. The three indicators of land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and GHG emissions for sugarcane were estimated at 0.010 ha/t, 108 m3/t, and 6.2 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e)/t, respectively. Cassava cultivation in the high-suitability area was the most efficient, with the best LWCNI score, at 0.95, and using less land, fewer water resources, and having less of a climate change impact. The land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and GHG emissions of cassava were estimated at 0.030 ha/t, 255 m3/t, and 35.7 kgCO 2 e/t, respectively. Growing crops in marginal and unsuitable areas presented a risk of a high climate change impact as well as competition for water resources due to limited local resources. We found that, even in the same land-suitability class, the amount of fertilizer used by the farmers varied depending on their knowledge, experience, and finances. Excessive fertilizer application increased GHG emissions, which in turn brought about a decrease in the LWCNI score, leading to a poorer nexus performance. The findings emphasize the relationship between land and water use and climate change impact across varying spatial contexts. The LWCNI approach offers valuable insights for supporting agricultural zoning policy. [Display omitted] • Cultivation in high and moderate suitability land needed for sustainable agriculture. • Farmers' practices regarding fertilizer have a major impact on GHG emissions. • Land-water-climate nexus reveals trade-offs between land, water and GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European countries have set ambitious targets to reduce the risks of pesticide use. Achieving these targets will require a large proportion of farmers to adopt sustainable crop protection practices. However, how to enable this transition and what are the best policies to support farmers remain open questions. Here, we provide a coherent review of existing evidence and new insights into farmer decision-making and policy analysis in the context of the transition to more sustainable crop protection. We synthesise and extend the empirical evidence and the conceptual and methodological foundations to examine farmers' decisions to adopt sustainable crop protection and to assess the potential of different policy measures to support this transition. Our analysis focuses on European agriculture. We provide a framework and synthesise evidence by reviewing the literature and combining agronomic and economic perspectives. We focus on three issues: i) indicators for empirical analyses of adoption of sustainable crop protection practices; ii) behavioural perspectives on farmer adoption; iii) insights into methodological approaches for assessing adoption of sustainable crop protection practices and related policies. We have identified four main findings and implications. First, sustainable crop protection practices consist of combinations and bundles of individual measures that are not currently regularly considered in policy instruments and policy analysis. Second, definitions of adoption should move from simple adoption metrics to impacts, for example on pesticide risk reduction. Third, behavioural factors are highly relevant to farmers' adoption decisions, but are currently under-researched and under-represented in the field of sustainable crop protection practices. Fourth, the tools currently used for policy analysis do not allow these key aspects to be represented. We draw policy conclusions. Our analyses help guide policy decisions to achieve pesticide use and risk reduction objectives, and have implications for pesticide policy in Europe and beyond. We identify gaps in current conceptual and methodological approaches, promising avenues for future research, and ways to make results more coherent and comparable. Our analysis thus provides new insights and templates to guide future research and policy analysis on the adoption of sustainable crop protection approaches. [Display omitted] • The adoption of sustainable crop protection practices is needed to meet ambitious targets for reducing the risk of pesticide use. • We provide new insights into farmer decision-making and policy analysis towards more sustainable crop protection approaches. • Definitions of adoption need to move from simple adoption metrics to impacts, for example on pesticide risk reduction. • Behavioural factors are highly relevant to farmers' sustainable crop protection decisions, but are currently under-researched. • Our analysis will help guide policy decisions to achieve pesticide use and risk reduction targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding strategy is a major dimension of intensification and largely determines the environmental and economic impacts of livestock production systems, in particular concerning land use competition, greenhouse gas emissions and rural livelihoods. Literature suggests that a key driver of intensification is increasing population density – associated with decreased labor costs, shifts in demand and institutional and political change; whilst at the household level farmer education and market access are also important. However, the topic has not been addressed in the rangelands of post-Soviet Eurasia, where vast underused pasture resources may be reclaimed, but improved feeding is also a key aim of agricultural policy. We aim to firstly describe the extent to which land users in an extensive rangeland system in Kazakhstan exploit pastures, arable land or markets to feed their animals, and secondly to explore the determinants of these decisions. We identify three potential strategies: self-production of roughage or concentrate, purchase of these inputs, or expansion of pasture use through mobile pastoralism. We then investigate the determinants of these feeding strategies and their interactions, including variables capturing farm and farmer characteristics, access to land and other assets and outcomes of post-independence reforms. We examine the factors determining the three feeding strategies using a farm survey dataset from south-eastern Kazakhstan to estimate a simultaneous equation system, considering herd size as an endogenous variable. Herd size combined with access to land for fodder production largely determines how producers feed their livestock. Barriers to the substitution of pasture for purchased or self-produced fodder include cropland access, distance from markets, and credit availability, so that use of remote and seasonal pastures is the major feeding strategy employed by larger producers. Access to both arable land and pasture is dependent on land reform outcomes, which constrain farmers' livestock feeding decisions today. Other factors such as farmer education, human population density and household labor are less important. Grazing expansion strategies employed by farmers studied here differ from those based on external input use observed in many regions of the world. Instead, they reflect the continuing importance of pastoral resources in rangeland environments implying important trade-offs to intensification which merit further study. [Display omitted] • Globally, livestock systems are intensifying, with implications for production efficiency and environmental impact. • Using surveys, we evaluate the importance of pastures, arable land and fodder markets for livestock feeding in Kazakhstan. • We then investigate the factors influencing the choice of feeding strategy, and variation in these across holding size. • Larger producers are more dependent on pastures, whilst intensification is limited by access to arable land and credit. • Pasture-based production is the main pathway to growth where structural constraints to fodder availability are high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose that post-productivism offers a useful analytical framework for understanding the multi-scalar and diverse changes that are taking place in China's rural revitalization. As a theoretical framework that emerged from the study of rural changes in the Global North, the applicability of post-productivism in the Global South has been contested. This paper offers the first comprehensive analysis of the emergence of post-productivism in rural China and uses post-productivism as a framework to conceptualize a wide range of changes in China's rural revitalization. We conceptually clarify the driving forces that give rise to post-productivism and the outcomes these drivers produce. The two key drivers of post-productivism in China have been: 1) discontents with productivist agriculture from the state, urban consumers, and rural communities, which manifested in a shift in government's policy priority from agricultural production to ecological restoration, urban consumers' demands for "quality food", and rural producers' demands for a "quality life", and 2) urbanites' desire to experience the rural idyll, which translated into demands on rural space for urban consumption. We use seven representative cases to illustrate the various types of post-productivism that the two drivers have generated in rural China. These cases underscore that the transition to post-productivism is a key characteristic of China's rural revitalization. • Apply the post-productivism framework to understand the multi-scalar changes in China's rural revitalization. • Clarify the drivers of post-productivism and the pathways of each driver to post-productivism. • The drivers and pathways of post-productivism in the Global North are also present in the Global South • The transition to post-productivism as a key characteristic of China's rural revitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition towards more just and sustainable food systems is a major challenge which requires persuasive policy narratives for motivation and coordination. However, research about how relevant European actor groups view crucial elements of food system transitions is scarce. The consultation on the European Commission's Farm-to-Fork Strategy provided an opportunity to analyze how elements of food system transitions are represented and connected in the policy narratives of European stakeholders. A deductive-inductive content analysis of 164 public responses, using an analytical framework based on the multi-level-perspective of food system transitions, found twelve distinct narratives, mostly focused on agricultural production. Ten of them showed clear connections to three established agricultural policy discourses: neomercantilism, multi-functionalism and market liberalism. While the narratives together provided a comprehensive account of transition drivers, challenges, opportunities and responses, individually they presented rather partial perspectives. For example, market-liberal narratives emphasized the role of value chain actors and "consumer choice", whereas multifunctionalist narratives called for more regulation. Farmers' associations mainly deployed neomercantilist, NGOs multi-functional and industry representatives market-liberal narratives, revealing dissent on the importance and desirability of change. The findings indicate that shifting the discussion venue away from core agriculture policy arenas broadened entrenched discourses only marginally. • Analyses public responses to the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy. • Identifies 12 narratives with strong links to established, competing CAP discourses. • Shows that actor groups frame elements of food system transitions differently. • Provides insights into ongoing conflicts over the implementation of the F2F strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural policies in OECD countries, which had treated farming as an exceptional sector that needs and deserves extensive state support, have been partially transformed by liberal and multi-functionalist influences since the mid-1980s. The ensuing post-exceptionalist policy arrangements entail significant tensions between old and new ideas, institutions, instruments, and interests. Related changes in relationships between the state and farmers, however, have rarely been analysed. To address this gap, this paper examines state-farmer relations in the implementation of direct payments in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2022, using Germany and the policy instrument that absorbs 75% of the CAP budget as a case. Based on the political sociology approach to policy instruments, we develop a framework to reconstruct the problematizations, subject constitution and modes of coordination underlying policy instruments along three levels of observation: instruments as institutions, techniques and micro-devices. An analysis of policy documents, legislative texts and policy artefacts finds that the differentiation of several direct payment components implies contradictory problematizations at instrument level: farm income, payment distribution, and remuneration of public goods. The techniques and micro-devices used to implement direct payments problematize eligibility and compliance with behavioural requirements. Hence, farmers are effectively constituted as dependent, only conditionally deserving beneficiaries and potential deviants. The non-hierarchical modes of coordination implied in transfer payments are overlaid by hierarchical modes involved in the setting of categorical and behavioural conditions and compliance controls. Analysing state-farmer relations therefore supplements earlier explanations for tensions created between non-aligned dimensions of agricultural post-exceptionalism. • The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) provides income support for farmers in the EU. • Direct payments are increasingly linked to sustainability requirements. • Changes in income support shape the relationship between the state and farmers. • The CAP represents a case of agricultural post-exceptionalism. • Realigning state-farmer relations explains tensions in the CAP policy arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation of maize landraces in the Mexico center of origin is critical for sustainable agriculture. However, farmers in many regions of Mexico are reducing landraces for more modern maize varieties, particularly hybrid maize. The reasons why farmers choose to maintain maize landraces have been recently recognized to be strongly linked to their specific values (i.e., intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values). However, there is a lack of studies that empirically investigate the nuances of farmers' specific values and how these values are adequately considered in broad agricultural policies. Using a mixed-methods case study based in indigenous and mestizo communities in Chiapas, Mexico, we analyzed farmers' maize production strategies, how those strategies connect to farmers' value orientations, and the limitations that they confront in enacting such values. We found that households within both indigenous and mestizo communities fell into one of three categories regarding their maize production: 1) hybrid maize production for market sales, 2) landrace production for household consumption, and 3) a combination of these two strategies. All farmers hold a diversity of values in which mostly instrumental and relational values were mentioned among the three groups of farmers, who emphasized the livelihood and subsistence value of maize. Value differences for farmers who prioritize the cultivation of maize landraces were related to the strength of relational values, such as the biocultural diversity and heritage value of maize. In contrast, the farmers relying on hybrid varieties were the ones confronting the most limitations to their maize production, particularly economic limitations. Based on our empirical findings, we conclude that policies aimed at promoting the conservation of landraces must extend beyond a purely economic and market-oriented approach. The current policy emphasis on instrumental values is likely to fall short in achieving the desired outcomes since it does not sufficiently foster plural values that underpin the continued production of maize landraces. • Farmers managing maize landraces hold a diversity of values associated with their livelihoods and subsistence. • Maize landraces mostly operate outside of global market logic buffering farmers' risks with climate, labor and capital. • Farmers managing hybrid maize confront several limitations due to rising input prices and low prices of their maize sales. • Current agricultural policies do not adequately integrate diverse values, affecting maize landrace conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a significant contributor to global environmental problems such as greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EU and China are key players in this regard, and both have introduced policies for sustainable agriculture. This research takes a critical policy analysis approach to investigate the extent to which current EU and Chinese agricultural policies reproduce discourses which are commensurate with a transition to a more sustainable agriculture. Drawing on a four-phase methodology for critical policy analysis, we analyse policy documents from the EU and China, comparing them and positioning them on a heuristic scale of weak to strong sustainability. Three positions from weak to strong sustainability are distinguished, namely the techno-economic/productionist, blended, and agroecological/ruralist. Our findings suggest that agricultural policies of both the EU and China have reproduced the dominant techno-economic/productionist position, leaning towards weak sustainability, while policy discourses aligned with a fundamental transformation of agriculture to strong sustainability are marginalised. Such a shared policy orientation towards weak sustainability is rooted in policymaking processes of the EU and China, albeit manifested differently in the two political contexts. Based on our reflections of the common patterns underlying the agricultural policy discourses, we call for deeper cultural and social critique on current discourses and more participatory and reflexive policymaking processes to embrace alternative discourses. • Three positions in agricultural sustainability discourses are distinguished. • The EU and China share the same dominant discourse, the techno-economic. • Policy discourses in neither context advocate for fundamental transitions. • The orientation toward weak sustainability is rooted in policy processes. • More participatory and reflexive discursive construction processes are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global sustainable development challenges affect the agricultural sector, and many innovations aimed at addressing these challenges have been introduced in the agri-food sector. In this complex context, new agricultural policies are being implemented in Europe. Their success depends on their potential to adapt to new realities, responding to the opinions and demands of the European population. Given the rapid rise of social media as an important part of people's daily lives, public administrations have introduced digitalization and communication strategies through social media sites. Social media can provide policymakers with large amounts of data on user opinions. Given the value of social media as a rich source of data on public views and opinions, the aim of this paper is twofold: (i) to use natural language processing (NLP) to identify the events that have led to negative or positive opinion about European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform and (ii) to evaluate the ability of NLP to study users' opinions on Twitter/X. The findings show that issues such as Brexit, the European Green Deal, the role of CAP in the environment, livestock farming, food safety, and illegal practices and corruption in the distribution of CAP funds have crucial implications for the design and application of the new CAP. Moreover, the study also suggests that NLP techniques can provide opportunities to integrate agricultural policies and instruments in the agri-food sector by assessing society's opinions. Sentiment analysis, even considering its limitations, could support sound and inclusive policymaking approaches anticipating public opinion in cases of risk of social unrest. • Natural language processing techniques offer opportunities for agricultural policy. • Sentiment analysis serves as an assessment tool for agricultural and rural policies. • Natural language processing techniques identify social sentiment on global issues. • Social media enriches agricultural policy design and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory regimes codify complex social objectives for agriculture, and judge producers' compliance relative to the resulting rules and standards. By combining Access Theory with Regulator-Intermediary-Target Theory, we frame farmers' compliance with agricultural rules and standards as a dynamic, relational product of social networks, rather than an asset that a farmer either has or lacks. To build these arguments, we compare four cases of governance over distinct social objectives sought from agricultural production: (1) legitimacy, examined through ongoing cannabis legalization in California; (2) safety, examined through the proliferation of microbial risk management into specialty crop agriculture in the United States; (3) organic, examined through the evolution of the US National Organic Program standards; and (4) fairness, examined through the fair trade movement and the split between Fair Trade International and Fair Trade USA. We find that farmers must continuously negotiate their compliance to maintain market access. Three key types of intermediaries participate in that negotiation: gatekeeping intermediaries who judge who shall pass, normative intermediaries who reify norms of 'good' as opposed to 'bad' farms and farmers, and facilitating intermediaries upon whom farmers depend to help them claim compliance. Our comparative analysis reveals novel insights into the network of social relations that shape who can comply and who cannot, which in turn determines who may participate in agriculture, in what ways, and for the sake of whom. • Social networks construct compliance with agricultural rules and standards. • Farmers must continuously negotiate compliance to maintain market access. • Intermediaries shape compliance by gatekeeping, norm-setting, and facilitating. • Achieving compliance depends on factors that ought not to matter or are beyond farmers' control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces four key groups of actors (armchair rewilders, pioneer farmers, policy entrepreneurs and guerrilla rewilders) whose actions are driving rewilding discourse, practice and policy in England. These groups were identified during a comparative case study of two English rewilding sites (the Avalon Marshes in Somerset and Wild Ennerdale in Cumbria). Research involved 49 interviews: twelve expert interviews, followed by stakeholder and practitioner interviews in the Avalon Marshes (n = eighteen) and Wild Ennerdale (n = nineteen). Armchair rewilders and pioneer farmers shape discourse by advocating for rewilding from idealistic (armchair rewilders) or practical (pioneer farmers) standpoints. Pioneer rewilders and guerrilla rewilders shape practice by conducting rewilding by licit (pioneer farmers) or illicit (guerrilla rewilders) means. Policy entrepreneurs and guerrilla rewilders shape rewilding policy through lobbying (policy entrepreneurs) or direct action (guerrilla rewilders). The ability of these groups to shape rewilding in England relates both to the way that rewilding in still evolving in England, having travelled to the UK from the USA via Europe, and to the opportunity presented by the 'policy window' created as a result of Brexit and the UK's withdrawal from the Common Agricultural Policy. The resulting policy moment offers a chance to shape British agricultural and environmental policy in a way that will have significant implications for rewilding's future in England and the UK. • A unique form of rewilding exists within the English context. • Brexit created a window of opportunity for advancing the rewilding agenda in the UK. • Rewilding practice & policy in England is being shaped by distinct groups of actors. • Participatory communication can reconcile different attitudes with regard to land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Examines the possibilities and challenges of nurturing UK agri-food justice. • Land justice is crucial to engender food system transformation. • 'Public goods' approach to agri-food policy acts as a depoliticising consensus frame. • The land-food nexus must be placed more prominently on the research agenda. • Argues for participative, inclusive agri-food praxis based on socioecological justice. This paper examines the possibilities and challenges of nurturing agri-food justice by using land as a foundational node in the context of the UK leaving the European Union – what has been termed 'Brexit'. Drawing upon the interconnected literatures of land justice and food justice, which have received sparse coverage in the UK, we develop an agri-food (in)justice lens to reveal the diverse contestations and struggles to transform the physical and political agri-food Brexit landscape in more socioecological just ways. Our research highlights the tensions and difficulties in addressing the complex social and environmental injustices bound up with UK agri-food relations, given the unequal power dynamics that permeate food and farming politics and policy. In particular, the research reveals the continued 'hidden' politics of historically-embedded land (in)justice. We therefore argue for greater focus on the multiscalar relationships between land and the intersecting contestations of agri-food labour, capital and knowledge. We end the paper by discussing the limitations of the nascent 'public goods' approach to agricultural policy under a purported 'Green Brexit' and arguing for participative and inclusive agri-food praxis based on land and food justice to cultivate more socioecologically just futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural economies and agri-food systems are strongly affected by institutions and institutional settings, as evidenced by many scholars exploring the impact of agricultural policies. By contrast, intangible forms of institutions (e.g. routines, conventions) inscribed in economic practices and their interplay with formal institutions are not yet well understood within the field of agri-food studies. We address this gap by exploring the diverse role of both formal and informal institutions for the re-configuration of agri-food chains. For this, we use three examples of crop production (potatoes, rapeseeds, sugar beets) in Lower Saxony, Germany. Drawing on more than 50 qualitative interviews, we will show, among others, that the interplay of formal rules and economic practices is moderated by context-specific institutional patterns, entailing shifts in corporate strategy, focus of production or supplier-customer relations – which together we would label 'flexible diversification'. Further insights of the study refer to the strengthening of 'bonding social capital' or the exertion of 'collective power' as specific forms of 'institutions-in-practice' in order to adapt to a changing macro-economic environment. A particular focus lies on the way of how (smaller) crop producers deal with sustainability issues and their formal enforcement via regulations/prohibitions or incentive schemes (secured by certified standards), which both seem to undermine the acceptance of sustainability as a guiding principle among upstream actors of the value chains. • Evidence on the interplay of formal and informal institutions in three crop chains (potato, rapeseed, sugar beet). • Crop farmers and processors create informal arrangements to deal with agricultural policies. • 'Flexible diversification' is a wide-spread strategy to adapt to changing macro-economic environments. • Bonding social capital and reputation are important institutional mechanisms for governing supplier-customer relations. • Formalisation of sustainability undermines its acceptance as a guiding principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article outlines the importance of place-based policies derived from knowledge on local realities. Through an analysis of maize policies and their impact on the Zambezi region, Namibia, we illustrate the constraining limitations of insufficiently place-based policies. We highlight the problems of current top-down policies of production promotion, value chain integration, and sector protection which barely integrate region-specific knowledge. We emphasize the importance of integrating knowledge on soil, climate, water conditions, production capacities, and local farming practices. Based on our analysis, we recommend a more knowledge- and place-based policy including a multidimensional perspective, adapted agricultural management, and open decentralized governance structures that engages region-specific agricultural, economic, political, and environmental knowledge. • Agricultural policies often only poorly consider the local realities. • We suggest place-based approach instead of generalized top down policies. • This approach includes knowledge on soil, climate, water, production capacities and practices. • We base our results on an interdisciplinary study from social & natural sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why is hazardous pesticide pollution of water bodies in the EU not effectively limited by state regulation? Using the conceptual framework of unsustainable lock-ins by Karen Seto et al., we show that there are various "pesticide lock-ins" in Europe. We draw on semi-standardized interviews with decision-makers in the field of pesticide politics to formulate six lock-ins that describe how state actors fail to tackle this global environmental challenge. We outline infrastructural, institutional and behavioural lock-ins that are self-stabilizing and can be moved only through tremendous resources, time, or extraordinary windows of opportunity. • explains why state actors are not tackling pesticide overuse, despite stringent pesticide regulation in the EU; • uses novel ethnographic methods to survey problem perceptions in pesticide politics across sectors and governance levels; • shows how land use patterns, EU agricultural policy, regulatory apathy and regulatory capture, consumer norms as well as the exclusion of civil society contributes to dependency on agricultural chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present-day agricultural crop protection relies heavily on synthetic pesticides, which are known to adversely affect the environment and human health. As remediation, European agricultural policies strive for a transition to low-pesticide agriculture. However, these policy efforts have so far shown limited success. We argue that neglecting the diversity of the according routinized practices belongs to the reasons for that limited success. We specifically investigate how farmers' current local crop protection practices differ. Methodologically, the article is based on semi-structured interviews with farmers and crop protection experts as well as on qualitative data from a survey among Swiss farmers. Using practice theory to analyze our data, we identify the meanings, materials and competences in farmers' practice narratives. From our analysis, five types of routinized crop protection practice emerge, revealing a picture of diversity, also in their responses to current incentive-based agri-environmental policy instruments. This diversity cannot be accommodated by a one-size-fits-all policy approach but rather requires a balanced mix, for example of command-and-control instruments, financial incentives and extension services. • We study current crop protection practices on Swiss farms by using practice theory. • Five crop protection practice types are identified. • The current agri-environmental policy approach cannot accommodate such diversity. • The transition to low-pesticide farming needs more differentiated policy solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to guarantee the efficiency of the agricultural sector and to shape production in order to limit its negative impact on the natural environment is one of the most important priorities of the European Union's (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In particular, the relationship between efficiency and environmental balance under the policy support for small-scale family farms has not been widely established. Answering this question is important because small-scale farms are the basis for the functioning of agricultural sectors in many regions of the world. Such a situation takes place also in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), which, apart from some exceptions (e.g. the Czech Republic), are characterised by a fragmented agrarian structure. Hence, the article is an attempt to identify the connection between the economic and ecological performance of small-scale farming in five countries. As three countries under study belong to the European Union's agricultural support system and two are outside this system, the next target is to check whether farms in countries covered by the CAP showcase higher economic and environmental indicators. The study was based on surveys conducted in small-scale farms in Poland (710 farms), Lithuania (1000), Romania (900), Serbia and Moldova (550). To find the results, data envelopment analysis (DEA), single-factor analysis of variance (the ANOVA method) and linear ordering methods were used. Two main conclusions were drawn: First, regardless of the support system (EU vs. national), the researched farms are characterised by relatively low technical efficiency and relatively high environmental sustainability. Thus, it can be concluded that they are rather weak economically but environmentally friendly. Second, there are no statistically significant differences in the environmental balance and technical efficiency for farms in EU countries (Poland, Lithuania and Romania) and non-EU countries (Serbia and Moldova), despite the fact that the latter obtained significantly lower agricultural support. • Small-scale family farms are inherently environmentally sustainable. • Market conditions lead to income relative deprivation of small-scale farming. • Agricultural policy is ineffective in ensuring the economic balance of small farms. • There are no differences in farms sustainability between Central European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of farm economic viability has received intermittent academic interest with limited attention given to the conceptual framework surrounding the issue. This paper focuses attention on farm economic viability in Ireland where there are growing concerns about a two-tiered agricultural sector with increasing levels of economic vulnerability. The measurement of farm economic viability is usually based on the headcount ratio, which identifies whether a farm business is viable or non-viable and does not inform about the extent of non-viability. Therefore, it is necessary to develop alternative techniques to provide more clarity on viability levels and thereby inform assessments regarding the efficacy of the Common Agricultural Policy. This paper draws on concepts from the poverty literature to develop a viability gap measure and a viability severity measure. The results are sensitive to the choice of indicator and point to a wide distribution of viability between the most viable and least viable farms. The headcount ratio provides the basis for an incomplete assessment of viability levels and multiple indicators should be considered in monitoring viability levels. • The Farm Viability Gap is calculated using methods from the poverty literature. • The Viability Gap shows wide dispersion in the viability of farms in Ireland. • Farm Viability improves in disadvantaged areas of natural constraint. • The 2018 summer drought has a large impact on the viability gap. • Off-Farm employment is highest for the least viable 20 per cent of farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the background of fundamentally changing political and social requirements of agricultural production, the requirement profile of farmers has changed. The future of agriculture is widely discussed. To prepare a ground for future debates and policy programme design, it is essential to obtain an understanding of which values underlie the behaviour of farmers. This paper applies Schwartz's value theory to a large quantitative survey (N = 787) of German farmers. In addition to the overall value portrait, different value portraits within the sample of farmers are analysed. Farmers of the sample first and foremost prioritise self-transcendence values followed by openness to change. Conservation and self-enhancement are ranked to be less important within the value priorities of farmers. Furthermore, three different value portraits are identifiable within the sample. These groups differ significantly in their risk attitude and involvement in structural diversification. Implications for agricultural policy design and agricultural management are derived from the results. • Application of the Schwartz value portrait to a large farmer sample. • Farmers are particularly self-transcendent and open to change. • Unsupervised Machine Learning used to identify value clusters within the sample. • Risk affinity and structural diversification occur with distinct openness to change. • Rather conservative farmers more often pursue part-time farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]