Articles

Understanding farmers’ intentions to follow a nutrient management plan using the theory of planned behaviour

By: Daxini, A., Ryan, M., O’Donoghue, C., Barnes, A. P., & Buckley, C.

Gardening, Agriculture, Grass, Plant
Photo from pixabay

Farmer decision making in relation to chemical fertiliser and manure use is of great concern to policy makers. Inefficient use can lead to both environmental pollution and financial losses to farmers. Following a nutrient management plan (NMP) can help to mitigate these impacts and improve farm incomes. As the use of NMPs remains below expectation globally, this study aims to provide insights into the drivers of farmers’ intentions to follow a NMP and to understand how behavioural change can be encouraged. An extended version of the theory of planned behaviour is adopted and structural equation modelling is used to analyse survey data collected from a sample of Irish farmers. Results show that intention to follow a NMP is primarily driven by perceived behavioural control (ease/difficulty) over following a NMP, followed by subjective norm (social pressure) and finally attitude (negative/positive evaluation) towards following a NMP. Read more>>


Exploring diversity in expert knowledge: variation in local ecological knowledge of Alaskan recreational and subsistence fishers

By: Chan, M. N., Beaudreau, A. H., & Loring, P. A

Fishermen In India, Fisher In Kerela
Image from pixabay

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) of resource users is a valuable source of information about environmental trends and conditions. However, many factors influence how people perceive their environment and it may be important to identify sources of variation in LEK when using it to understand ecological change. This study examined variation in LEK arising from differences in people’s experience in the environment. From 2014 to 2016, we conducted 98 semi-structured interviews with subsistence fishers and recreational charter captains in four Alaskan coastal communities to document LEK of seven fish species.

Fishers observed declines in fish abundance and body size, though the patterns varied among species, regions, and fishery sectors. Overall, subsistence harvesters provided a longer-term view of abundance changes compared with charter captains. Read more>>