S O I L D E G R A D AT I O N I N T H E P E R S P E C T I V E O F L O C A L S TA K E H O L D E R S : S O U T H M O R AV I A C A S E S T U D Y J A N V Á V R A , B A R B O R A D U Ž Í , M I L O S L AV L A P K A , E VA C U D L Í N OV Á Social and Economic Development & Regional Policy Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, Ústí nad Labem 27.– 28. 6. 2018
IMPORTANCE OF WATER EROSION http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Agri-environmental_indicator_-_soil_erosion • Soil degradation is estimated to affect 30 % of global land • Water erosion is most dominant (56 % of degraded soil) – Followed by wind erosion (28 %), chemical degradation (12 %) and physical damage (4 %) • EU – 13 % of arable land is affected by moderate or high erosion • Caused by physical conditions, heavy rains, and improper agricultural management – Large fields, steep slopes – Deep tillage – Wide row monocultures – No cover crops Nkonya et al., (2016); Oldeman (1997); Eurostat (2018).
WATER EROSION IN CZECH REPUBLIC • Cover management factor (Cp) indicator (2015 data) – 54 % of agricultural land not in risk – 34 % low risk – 12 % high risk • Loss of 21 mil. tons of soil annualy • Financial loss of 4,3 – 10 bil. CZK annualy • Lower yield, loss of land value, mud floods eAgri (2018); Ministry of Environment (n.d.), p. 132.
POLICY CONTEXT EU AND CZECH LEGISLATION CZECH CONDITIONS • EU Common Agricultural Policy – since 1990s shift from • Heritage of communist collectivization production only to multifunctional agriculture – Large fileds with monocultures – Cross-compliance standards (subsidies demand following some regulations) – Overuse of fertilizers and pesticides Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC, • – Change of ownership followed by restitution GAEC II) to already non-farming population – Particular regulation defined by Czech Republic (weak) – E.g. contour tillage, grass buffer strips, no wide row plants • Current state on steep slopes – Majority of land managed by enterprises – Greening concept – additional voluntary payments and conservation measures with more than 50 ha of land • Czech Act 334/1992 on the conservation of agricultural land – Highest average size of enterprise’s land in resources Europe (133 ha) – Erosion related risks and measures included in 2015 – Currently proposed ministerial regulation – More than 80 % of agricultural land is rented
RESEARCH REVIEW • Varying results of research of soil erosion – In general, perception of erosion as problem leads to soil conservation practices – But it is very context specific – Profitability is very important • Tensions between productivism and soil conservation – Changing rural paradigms (production now accompanied by conservation and consumption/amenity) – Productivism is still widespread among farmers and other agricultural stakeholders – General population is less productivist Photo by Barbora Duží. E.g. Knowler and Bradshaw (2007); Green and Heffernan (1987); Howley et al. (2014); Juntti and Wilson (2005); Holmes (2006).
RESEARCH QUESTIONS • 1. How severe is the problem of soil erosion according to the local stakeholders? • 2. Is productivist approach prevalent among the local stakeholders? • 3. What are the main causes of soil erosion according to the stakeholders? • 4. Which measures to mitigate soil erosion are preferred? • 5.What are the differences between the perception of soil erosion by farmers and local leaders?
METHODS • Perception of soil erosion in area of south Moravia – Research in 2012 – 2015 – Internal faculty project Socio-economic aspects of soil degradation (IGS08A1) using data collected in previous research – Respondents from districts Brno-Rural , Břeclav, Hodonín, Uherské Hradiště • Research area – 2 788 km2; 60 % of area is agricultural land (47 % arable land) – Intensive agricultural tradition – 23 % high erosion risk, 28 % low risk and 49 % no risk
Factors of cover-management and support practice Cp (threat of water erosion). Municipalities in which respondents live.
RESPONDENTS • Local stakeholders • Questionnaire-based interviews – N = 216 (Farmers = 133; Local leaders = 83) • Local professional research company • Farmers – private farmers, managers and • Quota + snowball sampling employees of large firms • Data collection: 2012 and 2014/15 • Local leaders – mostly mayors, vice mayors and municipal officials, local enterpreneurs • Statistical analysis in SPSS and professionals, hunters, etc. • Similar socio-demographic characteristics of both groups (farmers and leaders) – 87 / 80 % men – 44 / 53 % secondary school; 54 / 45 % university degrees – Average age 48 / 50 years
SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM • How severe is the problem of soil erosion Soil erosion is a big problem (in %) 100 according to the local stakeholders? 14,6 16,9 – No significant differences between the 4,8 10 80 groups (p = 0,38) – N = 213 60 I don't know No 40 Yes 78,3 75,4 20 0 Farmer Local leader
CONTROL QUESTIONS / PRODUCTIVISM • 4 questions allowing to express another opinion easily (phrased negatively) • High correlation of the 4 questions Aspects of soil erosion (in %) – Cronbach’s alpha = 0,65 Agree Neither agree, neither disagree Disagree • Productivist approach 100 p = 0,00 – Mean of the 4 answers 80 – Farmers 2,59 60 – Local leaders 2,29 40 – p = 0,01 20 – Scale: 1 disagree, 5 agree – N = 184 – 193 0 Farmer Local leader Farmer Local leader Farmer Local leader Farmer Local leader Soil erosion is not new Land management is good It is only scaremongering Soil erosion happens only phenomenon locally
CAUSES OF SOIL EROSION • What are the three most important causes of soil erosion? (N = 205) Causes of soil erosion (in %) Farmer Local leader 100 80 p = 0,01 60 p = 0,03 40 20 0 Irresponsible Lack of organic Climate change Chase for Heritage of Wrong EU Industry-like Other reason Economic crisis farmers fertilizers and heavy rains economic profit communist agricultural policy perception of for any cost collectivization agriculture
PREFERRED MEASURES • Choose three effective measures for soil preservation in south Moravian landscape. (N = 205) Soil preservation measures (in %) Farmer Local leader 100 80 60 p = 0,02 40 p = 0,00 20 0 Grow appropriate crops Split large open fields into Soil preservation subsidies Financial penalty for those Priority sale of land to the Other measures on soils in risk of erosion smaller with shrubs, rows for all farmers who cause erosion by their farmers who manage it and meadows farming
DISCUSSION • Both groups of stakeholders are aware of soil erosion. • Productivist approach is more prevalent among farmers but relatively low. • Critical perspective on agricultural management – Blaming farmers and lack of organic fertilizers • Perception of climate change – both reflection of the reality and defensive strategy? • Measures – Preference for growing appropriate crops and spliting large fields • Group differences – Local leaders more critical (land management is not good; blaming farmers) – Farmers more defensive (land management is good; blaming climate change) and supporting pro- farmers financial and legislation schemes (subsidies and priority sale)
CONCLUSION – CLASH WITH REALITY? • All stakeholders express support for conservation measures – In agreement with new ministerial regulation prepared in 2017 • Progressive goals to have 60 % of agricultural land not in erosion risk in 2030 • Stressing optimal size and shape of fields, grass buffer strips, belt-mix of crops, contour or no tillage • Has not yet been approved by the government • Priority sale of land to farmers not supported in general – Strongly supported by Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic (organization of large agro-food bussiness) • Today’s appointed Czech government as a strong revival of purely productivist approach???
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Jan Vávra, PhD University of South Bohemia Faculty of Economics Department of Regional Management České Budějovice, Czech Republic jvavra@ef.jcu.cz Further reading: Cudlínová, E., Vávra, J., Lapka, M. (2016). Soil as a key to food security. Social perception of soil erosion in the Czech Re public (a case study). In L. Westra, J. Gray, A. D ’ Aloia (Eds.). The Common Good and Ecological Integrity. Human Rights and the Suport of Life . (pp. 22 – 35). Abingdon, New York: Routledge. Duží, B., Vávra, J., Lapka, M., Cudlínová, E., Rikoon, S. (almost finished manuscript). Soil degradation in the perspective of local stakeholders: A water erosion case study from the Czech agricultural landscape.
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