An Actor-Oriented Multi-Criteria Assessment Framework to Support a Transition towards Sustainable Agricultural Systems Based on Crop Diversification

Abstract

<jats:p>Crop diversification represents a key lever to support the development of sustainable agri-food systems. Knowledge on trade-offs and carry over effects from different crop diversification strategies is essential to inform agricultural stakeholders of potential costs and benefits. This knowledge is limited by existing data and performance measures predominantly focused on single crops, rather than complete rotations. Moreover, sustainability performance indicators are often used for assessment purposes, rather than supporting stakeholder learning and actions. A new set of 32 indicators was developed to address these needs, and used to evaluate the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the diversified agricultural systems highlighted in the case studies, which are often characterized by data availability constraints. This approach was tested in France, Germany and Italy to determine a critical ex-post diagnosis of the existing systems, and for the assessment of ex-ante innovative scenarios. The results will be used to support these case studies in the identification and design of more sustainable agricultural systems. Although the framework is based on feasible and proxy indicators, the assessment outcomes have allowed local actors to reflect on the effects generated by the implemented crop diversification strategies. Key issues include trade-offs occurring between optimizing economic and environmental performance.</jats:p>

Sustainability of Diversified Organic Cropping Systems—Challenges Identified by Farmer Interviews and Multi-Criteria Assessments

“…Sustainability assessment tools have been used, e.g., for identifying challenges and obstacles in the development of more sustainable agricultural practices, management, and policy (Lampridi et al, 2019) and for comparing different production systems (such as conventional and organic) (Pacini et al, 2003;de Olde et al, 2016). Research using such tools has focused on management practices, e.g., integrated pest management (Pelzer et al, 2012) and conservation agriculture (Trivino-Tarradas et al, 2019), increasing crop diversity in arable cropping systems by introducing grain legumes (Pelzer et al, 2017) or service crops in vegetable cropping systems (Diacono et al, 2019), and most recently a framework for assessing crop diversification practices (Iocola et al, 2020). While there is a recent study on the sustainability of cropping systems that combine several crop diversification practices in conventional production systems (Viguier et al, 2021), there seems to be a lack of studies that assess the sustainability of organic cropping systems when including several crop diversification practices.…”

“…The overall objective of this study was to assess challenges related to the implementation of diversified cropping systems in certified organic production in the region of Scania (southern Sweden). We used a multi-criteria decision aid method (MCDA) (Pelzer et al, 2012) and a sustainability assessment framework (SAF) based on the FAO (2013) guidelines for Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) (Iocola et al, 2020) to perform cropping system sustainability assessments. These assessments were combined with semi-structured interviews to identify strengths and challenges in examples of organic cropping systems that represent different crop diversification practices.…”

Economic Costs of Sharing the Harvester in the Control of an Invasive Weed

“…However, considering a more global ecological and economic context, rotations protect against invasive infestations, pests, diseases and help maintain soil fertility. Thus, rotations reduce the use of agrochemicals, which increases farmers' long-term benefits and results in greater sustainability of the agroecosystem [30,31]. In addition, as our results show, crop rotations substantially reduce the need for monitoring and control by the regulator, reducing public costs as a result.…”

A multi-criteria qualitative tool for the sustainability assessment of organic durum wheat-based farming systems designed through a participative process

“…The ex-post sustainability assessments were in line with the expectations of technicians and researchers who collected the data and who profoundly knew the realities of these farms. Profiling existing systems is very useful to identify strong points to be conserved and weaknesses to improve Iocola et al, 2020). Other than for the validation of the tool, this was also the secondary aim of this first assessment.…”

“…Assessing the sustainability of these different organic farming systems is relevant for the implementation of policies and measures addressed to reward farmers for improved sustainability performances and to foster the EU transition towards more sustainable agro-food systems. An effective assessment must be able to face and manage the complexity and the multidimensionality of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social pillars) and the presence of opposing and conflicting issues among and within the pillars (von Wirén-Lehr, 2001;Iocola et al, 2020). The sustainability assessment methods should provide decision making frameworks for the understanding of interactions and resultant trade-offs among dimensions in both existing agriculture systems (ex-post analysis) and potential ex-ante scenarios.…”