Farmer participation behaviour in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) Agricultural...
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Transcript of Farmer participation behaviour in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) Agricultural...
Farmer participation behaviour in the Rural
Environment Protection Scheme (REPS)
Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland5nd of November, 2009
Geraldine MurphyStephen HynesEithne Murphy
Cathal O’Donoghue
Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS)
Agri-environmental scheme since 1994
5-Year contract
Fourth phase since August 200711 basic measures2 additional biodiversity undertakingsoptional supplementary measures
Closure of REPS 4 to new applicants July 2009
Research questions: farmer participation decisions
Why do farmers participate in REPS?
farmer participation is voluntary and universalfarmers are primary environmental agents
Why do farmers participate in REPS?
Economic Factorsfarm sizefarm systemproductivity of farm
Demographic Factorsfarmers’ agepresence of a successor
Othersfarmers’ level of education/environmental awarenessfarmers’ previous experience with agri-environmental schemes
Research questions: farmer participation decisions
Why do farmers participate in REPS?farmer participation is voluntary and universalfarmers are primary environmental agents
Why are certain biodiversity undertakings more appealing to farmers than others?
National Farm Survey (NFS)
Farming and farm household activitiesData collected since 19721,200 farms representing 115,0002007 NFS data set
economic demographicfarm characteristic
Biodiversity undertakings
Why are certain biodiversity undertakings more appealing to farmers than others?
Requirements of the undertakingsize or environmental requirements
Farmers’ opinionslevel of effort, aesthetic pleasure
Planners’ opinions“a lot of the decision-making is down to the planner”
Utility maximisation theoryEffort required
changing management practicestime spent at each task
Other farm and farmer characteristics
appreciation of aesthetic beautyconcern for particular species
ModelMultinomial logit model using maximum likelihood estimationAll outcomes are compared to a base case scenario
Management groupings for biodiversity undertaking options
Table 2: List of 26 biodiversity undertaking options grouped according to management changes expected of farmers
Code REPS name Code REPS name Code REPS name2A Traditional Hay Meadows 3A Increased Watercourse Margin 3C Use of Planted Buffer Zones2B Species Rich Grassland 4A Creation of a New Habitat 4B Broad Leaved Tree Planting2C Use of Clover in Grassland Swards 4C Nature Corridors 4D Farm Woodland Establishment2D Use of Trailing Shoe Technology 7A 5A Hedgerow Coppicing2E Control of Invasive Species 5B Hedgerow Laying3B 9B 5C
9A Green Cover Establishment 9C Increased Arable Margins 5D Additional Stonewall Maintenance9D Low Input Spring Cereals 7B 8A Traditional Irish Orchard9E Minimum-tillage 8B Install Bird and or Bat boxes
8A
New Hedgerow Establishment orRejuvenation
Category 2: Farmers fence off part oftheir land
Category 1: Land being used for samepurpose, management changes
Category 3: Planting or recreating newhabitats
Management of PubliclyAccessible Archaeological Sites
Provide Landscaping Around theFarm
Increase in Archaeological BufferMarginsEnvironmental Management of Set-aside
Exclude all Bovine Access toWatercourses
Table 3: Results from a multinomial logit, which looks at the likelihood of farmers participating in biodiversity undertaking management categories
1 and 2 in comparison with category 3 (n = 1,101)
***significant at 1%
Variable Coeff. S.E. Variable Coeff. S.E.Farm Income -0.0059 0.0006*** Farm Income -0.0074 0.0005***Off Farm Job -0.4161 0.0224*** Off Farm Job -0.3115 0.0192***Farmers' Age -0.0043 0.0006*** Farmers' Age -0.0039 0.0006***Children -0.0129 0.0244 Children -0.0053 0.0215Married -0.2087 0.0276*** Married -0.332 0.0239***Dairy Other -0.9714 0.0494*** Dairy Other -0.4131 0.0435***Cattle -0.3759 0.0355*** Cattle 0.1255 0.0326***Cattle Other -0.6631 0.0358*** Cattle Other -0.3705 0.0337***Tillage -0.9092 0.0517*** Tillage 0.3317 0.0398***Sheep -0.9259 0.0370*** Sheep -0.3392 0.0335***Soiltype 1 0.2887 0.0257*** Soiltype 1 0.1981 0.0232***
Category 3: Planting or recreating new habitats
Category 1: Land being used for samepurpose, management changes
Category 2: Farmers fence off part of their land
Preliminary results
Set aside: Environmental value?
Farmland: Economic value?
Thank you for listening.Any suggestions or questions?