Will Farmers Accept Lower Gross Margins for the Sustainable Cultivation Method of Mixed Cropping? First Insights from Germany

Abstract

A decline in the legume cultivation has contributed to the biodiversity loss within the agricultural production across Europe. One possibility to include legumes into the production and promote sustainability is mixed cropping with legumes and non-legumes. However, the adoption of mixed cropping is challenging for farmers and information about the profitability is scarce. If mixed cropping should become a widely established production method, it is essential to gain an understanding of famers’ evaluation of the profitability mixed cropping needs to reach. Therefore, this article provides first empirical insights into farmers stated willingness to accept gross margin changes compared to current production possibilities. Based on a survey with results from 134 German non-adopters conducted in 2018 we can distinguish conventional farmers with a positive, neutral and negative willingness to accept reductions in gross margins as the trade-off for ecological benefits. Using an ordered logistic model we find that risk attitude, risk perception, the number of measures performed for ecological focus areas, the farmer’s age and being located in the south of Germany influence their willingness to accept gross margin changes compared to currently produced cereals.

More than the usual suspect: diversity of pollinators of chayote (Sechium edule) at high elevations in Chiapas, Mexico

“…We add evidence on the importance of various insect orders as pollinators of S. edule at high altitudes, in areas that could become vegetation refugia. In addition, the value of small-scale agroecosystems (Hass et al 2018) and mixed cropping (Lizarazo et al 2020) in favor of sustainability (Bonke et al 2021) is recognized by farmers and scientists alike. Our results contribute to building knowledge on valuing small-scale agroecological production of crops and strengthen the consideration that the control of weeds in crop fields requires a makeover, shifting towards efficient and environmentally smart management proposals (Stokstad 2013).…”

Diversified Farming Systems – An evaluation of ecological benefits, economic costs & risks farmers face

“…To determine the economic profitability of specific production programs, the gross margin is a standard indicator in farm economics (Penot et al, 2021), and it is used to evaluate the economic profitability of sustainable management practices (Bonke et al, 2021;Lüttringhaus et al, 2021). We established the gross margin by calculating the expected revenue which would result from the implementation of the DF practices and subtracting the variable costs expected by the farmers.…”

“…Cereal production, particularly of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), is highly profitable and dominates the central European agricultural sector (FAOSTAT, 2021). Since 1975, the availability of mineral N fertilizers and chemical crop protection products allowed to increase wheat productivity and its share in the crop rotation (Bonke et al, 2021). The implementation of DF practices to reduce external inputs is particularly important in winter wheat.…”