Research on Landscape Ecology Described by Researchers at University of Gloucestershire (Do Agricultural Advisory Services in Europe Have the Capacity to Support the Transition to Healthy Soils?): Ecology – Landscape Ecology

2022 JUN 14 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Research findings on landscape ecology are discussed in a new report. According to news originating from Cheltenham, United Kingdom, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “The need to provide appropriate information, technical advice and facilitation to support farmers in transitioning towards healthy soils is increasingly clear, and the role of the Agricultural Advisory Services (AAS) in this is critical.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from University of Gloucestershire: “However, the transformation of AAS (plurality, commercialisation, fragmentation, decentralisation) brings new challenges for delivering advice to support soil health management. This paper asks: To what extent do agricultural advisory services have the capacity to support the transition to healthy soils across Europe? Using the ‘best fit’ framework, analytical characteristics of the AAS relevant to the research question (governance structures, management, organisational and individual capacities) were identified. Analysis of 18 semi-structured expert interviews across 6 case study countries in Europe, selected to represent a range of contexts, was undertaken. Capacities to provide soil health management (SHM) advice are constrained by funding arrangements, limited adviser training and professional development, adviser motivations and professional cultures, all determined by institutional conditions. This has resulted in a narrowing down of access and content of soil advice and a reduced capacity to support the transition in farming to healthy soils.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “The extent to which emerging policy and market drivers incentivise enhanced capacities in AAS is an important area for future research.”

For more information on this research see: Do Agricultural Advisory Services in Europe Have the Capacity to Support the Transition to Healthy Soils?. Land, 2022,11(599):599. (Land - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/land). The publisher for Land is MDPI AG.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050599.

Our news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Julie Ingram, Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL504AZ, United Kingdom. Additional authors for this research include Jane Mills, Jasmine E. Black, Charlotte-Anne Chivers, Jose A. Aznar-Sanchez, Annemie Elsen, Magdalena Frac, Belen Lopez-Felices, Paula Mayer-Gruner, Kamilla Skaalsveen, Jannes Stolte, Mia Tits.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)