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 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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 V R A , B A R B O R A D U , M I L O S L AV L A P K A , E VA C U D L N OV
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
– Followed by wind erosion (28 %), chemical degradation (12 %) and physical damage (4 %)
erosion
agricultural management
– Large fields, steep slopes – Deep tillage – Wide row monocultures – No cover crops
Nkonya et al., (2016); Oldeman (1997); Eurostat (2018).
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Agri-environmental_indicator_-_soil_erosion
– 54 % of agricultural land not in risk – 34 % low risk – 12 % high risk
eAgri (2018); Ministry of Environment (n.d.), p. 132.
EU AND CZECH LEGISLATION
production only to multifunctional agriculture
– Cross-compliance standards (subsidies demand following some regulations)
GAEC II)
– Particular regulation defined by Czech Republic (weak) – E.g. contour tillage, grass buffer strips, no wide row plants
– Greening concept – additional voluntary payments and conservation measures
resources
– Erosion related risks and measures included in 2015 – Currently proposed ministerial regulation
CZECH CONDITIONS
– Large fileds with monocultures – Overuse of fertilizers and pesticides – Change of ownership followed by restitution to already non-farming population
– Majority of land managed by enterprises with more than 50 ha of land – Highest average size of enterprise’s land in Europe (133 ha) – More than 80 % of agricultural land is rented
E.g. Knowler and Bradshaw (2007); Green and Heffernan (1987); Howley et al. (2014); Juntti and Wilson (2005); Holmes (2006).
Photo by Barbora Duží.
– In general, perception of erosion as problem leads to soil conservation practices – But it is very context specific – Profitability is very important
– 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
leaders?
– 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
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
Factors of cover-management and support practice Cp (threat of water erosion). Municipalities in which respondents live.
– N = 216 (Farmers = 133; Local leaders = 83)
employees of large firms
and municipal officials, local enterpreneurs and professionals, hunters, etc.
both groups (farmers and leaders)
– 87 / 80 % men – 44 / 53 % secondary school; 54 / 45 % university degrees – Average age 48 / 50 years
according to the local stakeholders?
– No significant differences between the groups (p = 0,38) – N = 213
75,4 78,3 10 4,8 14,6 16,9
20 40 60 80 100
Farmer Local leader Soil erosion is a big problem (in %)
I don't know No Yes
20 40 60 80 100
Farmer Local leader Farmer Local leader Farmer Local leader Farmer Local leader Soil erosion is not new phenomenon Land management is good It is only scaremongering Soil erosion happens only locally
Aspects of soil erosion (in %)
Agree Neither agree, neither disagree Disagree
– Cronbach’s alpha = 0,65
– Mean of the 4 answers – Farmers 2,59 – Local leaders 2,29 – p = 0,01 – Scale: 1 disagree, 5 agree – N = 184–193
p = 0,00
20 40 60 80 100
Irresponsible farmers Lack of organic fertilizers Climate change and heavy rains Chase for economic profit for any cost Heritage of communist collectivization Wrong EU agricultural policy Industry-like perception of agriculture Other reason Economic crisis
Causes of soil erosion (in %)
Farmer Local leader
p = 0,01 p = 0,03
20 40 60 80 100
Grow appropriate crops
Split large open fields into smaller with shrubs, rows and meadows Soil preservation subsidies for all farmers Financial penalty for those who cause erosion by their farming Priority sale of land to the farmers who manage it Other measures
Soil preservation measures (in %)
Farmer Local leader
p = 0,00 p = 0,02
– Blaming farmers and lack of organic fertilizers
– Preference for growing appropriate crops and spliting large fields
– 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)
– In agreement with new ministerial regulation prepared in 2017
– Strongly supported by Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic (organization of large agro-food bussiness)
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 Republic (a case study). In
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.