Aude Ridier

The role of risk aversion and labor constraints in the adoption of low input practices supported by the CAP green payments in cash crop farms

Since the late 1980s, many alternative practices have been proposed to European farmers to reduce pesticide and input use in general. These practices have been promoted by agro-environmental contracts signed between individual farmers and the European Union and by which farmers engage themselves in changing their practices. The adoption rate of these measures has remained very low in many European regions particularly in Southwestern France. This article aims at stressing the role played by risk attitude and labor constraint in farmers’ adoption decision. After presenting a static theoretical model which assesses the impact of labor constraints and risk attitude on the level of adoption of low input practices supported by agro-environmental contracts, the article proposes a numerical application based on a mathematical programming risk-model implemented on two typical crop farms in South-western France. Three kinds of contracts (no tillage, long rotation, lower pest treatments) are tested, two of them (long rotation and lower pest treatments) aiming at directly reducing input use. The results show that, despite the overall positive impact of alternative practices under contract on environment and farmers’ income, increased yield variability under positive risk aversion and larger labor requirements are actual barriers to adoption.

Farmers' innovation adoption behaviour: role of perceptions and preferences

One way for grain farmers to reconcile productivity with environmental protection is to adopt agroecological innovations. These innovations are complex; combining classic agronomic tools with innovative production techniques. Adoption of innovations is a source of additional uncertainty. A number of studies have shown that agronomic, economic and psychosocial determinants affect the adoption decision process. However, few of the determinants identified in the literature appear to be common and applicable to all production contexts. Furthermore, other non-directly observable determinants influence the innovation adoption decision. This paper reviews the recent literature to identify the role of observable and unobservable determinants, such as individual perceptions and preferences, in the agroecological innovation adoption process.