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Are farmers in England equipped to meet the knowledge challenge of sustainable soil management? An analysis of farmer and advisor views

Ingram, Julie; Ingram, Jenny

Authors

Julie Ingram

Jenny Ingram



Abstract

Concern about the agricultural soil resource in England has led to the introduction of a range of measures, which potentially challenge farmers' knowledge about the soil and its management. Our understanding however of how well-equipped farmers are with regard to effectively carrying out more complex and knowledge intensive sustainable soil management practices is limited. Specifically, by drawing on the concept of scientific and tacit forms of knowledge, this paper examines the knowledge of soils held by farmers through analysis of data collected from semi-structured interviews with farmers and agricultural advisors and supplemented with data from an extensive postal questionnaire survey of advisors. The data indicate that, while farmers are technically well informed, they can often lack the in-depth scientific knowledge required to implement more complex practices such as using the nutrient value of manures. They also reveal that, while most farmers have good knowledge of their own soils, their tacit knowledge of soil management can be weak, notably in relation to cultivation. The paper concludes that although farmers' knowledge about soil and its sustainable management appears in general to be well developed there are some areas, which need to be significantly enhanced and as such require both a policy response and further research effort. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Ingram, J., & Ingram, J. (2008). Are farmers in England equipped to meet the knowledge challenge of sustainable soil management? An analysis of farmer and advisor views. Journal of Environmental Management, 86(1), 214-228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2006.12.036

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2008
Journal Journal of Environmental Management
Print ISSN 0301-4797
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 86
Issue 1
Pages 214-228
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2006.12.036
Keywords scientific knowledge, tacit knowledge, farmer, agricultural advisor, soil management, best management practice, diffuse pollution, cultivation
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1015875
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2006.12.036
Additional Information Additional Information : Food and Farming


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