Scrutinizing the impact of policy instruments on adoption of agricultural conservation practices using Bayesian expert models

Policy instruments—such as regulation, financial incentives, and agricultural extension—are commonly applied by governments to promote sustainable agricultural practices and tackle ecosystem degradation. Despite substantial investment, little data are available to gauge the impact of evolving policy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Conservation letters 2023-11, Vol.16 (6), p.n/a
Main Authors: Dean, Angela J, Eberhard, Rachel, Baresi, Umberto, Coggan, Anthea, Deane, Felicity, Hamman, Evan, Helmstedt, Kate J., Loechel, Barton, Jarvis, Diane, Mayfield, Helen, Stevens, Lillian, Taylor, Bruce, Vella, Karen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agribusiness
Agricultural conservation
Agricultural ecosystems
Agricultural management
Agricultural practices
Audiences
Bayesian analysis
behavior change
Behavioral sciences
Case studies
Cognitive ability
Collaboration
Compliance
Conservation practices
Costs
Ecosystem degradation
Enforcement
extension
Farmers
Financial instruments
Influence
livelihoods
Mathematical models
Population characteristics
practice adoption
Regulation
Sugarcane
Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable practices
Water quality
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Summary:Policy instruments—such as regulation, financial incentives, and agricultural extension—are commonly applied by governments to promote sustainable agricultural practices and tackle ecosystem degradation. Despite substantial investment, little data are available to gauge the impact of evolving policy mixes. We constructed a Bayesian network model to explore relationships between policy instruments, contextual factors, and adoption. Applying a series of scenarios, we present examples of how different instruments influence adoption and how their effectiveness is shaped by contextual factors. Scenarios highlight that the effect of policy instruments is often modest, and constrained by diverse practice and population characteristics. These findings allow us to reflect on the role of policy instruments, and the conditions necessary to support practice change. For example, our findings raise questions about the role of financial benefits versus financial capacity, and highlight the potential importance of concepts such as mental bandwidth in shaping both motivation and capacity to adopt.
ISSN:1755-263X
1755-263X
DOI:10.1111/conl.12988