Drivers of adoption of ecological approaches

This deliverable (D2.3) of the LIFT project presents the results of a series of investigations around up-take of ecological approaches across the value chain. We use primary and secondary data collected utilising a number of methods, built on conceptual frameworks developed within LIFT and elsewhere. This provides a range of empirical investigations for an overview of farming, supply chains and consumption drivers which may constrain or enable uptake of ecological approaches. Both exogenous and endogenous drivers were considered for these studies. The report is presented as a set of summaries from academic paper outputs - to show the individual exercises across farmers, value chains and consumers – and to understand both the barriers and enablers for transition to more ecological approaches within European farming. A summary table is provided to show these investigations, as well as the approach used and the type of data collected. Specifically the following sets of studies are presented: Typologies of farm activity and farmer perceptions towards ecological practices.This allows us to partition a large scale farmer dataset (from the LIFT large-scale farmer survey) with multiple variables of interest [papers 1,2]. Examination of the exogenous and endogenous drivers behind ecological uptake, such as gender, the farm family life-cycle, neighbouring farms and supply chains.These papers take either a quantitative approach, through the application of behavioural models, or a qualitative approach to understand what drives this decision to adopt ecological practices [papers 3,4,5,6]. Examination of the value chain, collaboration and cooperation.These are explored through quantitative and qualitative routes to understand how value chains operate for ecological practices, compared to conventional practices, and how actors engage within specific value chains [papers 7,8,9,10,11]. Finally the role of consumption is explored, through market segmentation, labels or specific traits of food products that offer opportunities to promote ecological practices [papers 12,13,14]. Overall, we find much heterogeneity in both practice and attitudes towards production and consumption of ecological approaches. The investigations presented here provide illustrations of how these approaches and perceptions are driven by both personal, informal and formal institutional influences, such as the support from local market conditions or sharing of knowledge. This leads to us understand the relationships between economic and non-economic goals, which are key to eventual uptake of ecological approaches. Incentives were considered to balance the conflicts between endogenous and exogenous drivers, such as labelling and support for social incentives, but also as a means to overcome perceived or real barriers through mechanisms which support further collaboration between farmers.