Field burning practices in a southern region of Brazil

Abstract

Purpose – The practice of field burning has been used for many years in the south regions of Brazil as an ideal way to maintain pastures. The purpose of this paper is to understand if such activity is logically explicable or if it is the result of a cultural reality, being “prisoner” of this technique because of path dependence, within the paradigm of the path dependence theory. Design/methodology/approach – This present research is exploratory. The use of cases study was the most appropriate technique to explore the field burning practices and their impact in this specific region of Brazil, while describing its context, for which limits are not clearly defined. Thus, this research carries out a multi-case study that provides a greater perception than a single case and has an identical methodological structure. Findings – This paper analyzed the reasons why the producers insist with the procedure and identified these reasons are not merely economical. The study demonstrates a clear path dependent process and it became obvious that once the technique is part of the family use history, it anchors a strong conviction that field burning is actually the best technique to be used for land maintenance. Research limitations/implications – This work suggests a need for other specific researches to substantially complement field burning practices to other phenomenon. Practical implications – The fact that alternative techniques are rejected, giving priority to field burning, it may suggest that other situations and practices may be tied to inadequate or less profitable technologies as well (milk, confined raising, pasturing). The study raises the question on the validity of such practice as a paradigm of reason and pragmatism, or as a “Platoons Cavern” in which they are “trapped” in their decision process developed over time. Originality/value – Presence and implications of environmental laws, which tend to be observed by the producers much more because they fear punishment than because they really understand the benefits of its application; showing the government’s failure in teaching and informing the producers about environmental laws.

Why are agri-food systems resistant to new directions of change? A systematic review

“…59 publications discuss how attitudinal and cultural factors are a key determinant in the propensity of individuals to behave and act differently in relation to technology adoption, food consumption habits, and their willingness to ignore or proactively address negative environmental externalities of agri-food systems. This explainations appears most frequently in publications belonging to the AS and STS research domains, arguing that values, attitudes, cultures create a lock-in that keeps actors stuck in certain production and consumption modes (Barnes et al, 2016;Beilin et al, 2012;Bonke and Musshoff, 2020;V De Herde et al, 2019;Gonçalves et al, 2015;IPES, 2016;Reenberg et al, 2012;Renwick et al, 2019;Stassart and Jamar, 2008;Wilson, 2008). For example, for farmers, this means that after the initial adoption of a certain cropping practice, the practice becomes part of the family tradition, and thus is automatically labelled as the "best" one -even when it endangers negative externalities (Gonçalves et al, 2015).…”

“…This explainations appears most frequently in publications belonging to the AS and STS research domains, arguing that values, attitudes, cultures create a lock-in that keeps actors stuck in certain production and consumption modes (Barnes et al, 2016;Beilin et al, 2012;Bonke and Musshoff, 2020;V De Herde et al, 2019;Gonçalves et al, 2015;IPES, 2016;Reenberg et al, 2012;Renwick et al, 2019;Stassart and Jamar, 2008;Wilson, 2008). For example, for farmers, this means that after the initial adoption of a certain cropping practice, the practice becomes part of the family tradition, and thus is automatically labelled as the "best" one -even when it endangers negative externalities (Gonçalves et al, 2015). A study in Brazil revealed how field burning practices in are still employed in spite of their negative environmental externalities, as they have become part of the family history, and thus farmers do not want to detach from them.…”

“…The three research domains, namely the AS, FS and STS discuss different aspects of resistance to change. The AS mostly provides insights on dynamics of change at the farm level of scale, mostly showcasing how technology choices and individual behaviours hamper the switch to more sustainable production patterns (Gonçalves et al, 2015;Wilson and Tisdell, 2001). By contrast, the FS captures the patterns of power and politics that shape food system trajectories at the global level.…”

Study and Analysis of the Implementation of 4.0 Technologies in the Agri-Food Supply Chain: A State of the Art

“…Educational challenges are associated with "attitudes and cultures that cause aversion to change" and "research priorities, practices and dominant innovation narratives misaligned to the transformational change agenda". When certain practices are adopted and considered as part of the family tradition, they are automatically labelled as the "best" ones [103]. Finally, policy challenges emerge from "misaligned institutional settings, policies and incentives" and "political economy factors that skew the direction of change".…”