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A-20/22 Crowdfunding of GHG mitigation measures in agriculture: A feasible contribution to the climate challenges? Sociocultural constraints and enablers in Norway

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Summary

Writers: Maja Farstad og Renate Marie Butli Hårstad

Agriculture is one sector under pressure when it comes to mitigation of climate change. To overcome the economic barriers preventing greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation measures from being implemented, this paper explores whether crowdfunding could be a feasible solution to this problem. The paper theoretically and empirically explores sociocultural barriers and enablers for crowdfunding aimed at agricultural GHG mitigation measures in Norway. The empirical analysis is based on focus-group interviews with farmers as potential fund-seekers and citizens as potential backers. The data are analysed in light of certain cultural characteristics previously identified as typical for Norway. Our findings indicate that, while these cultural characteristics manifest themselves in a crowdfunding context, they are not all-embracing. Our analysis points to opportunities for successful crowdfunding for GHG mitigation measures in agriculture given the right premises and including the right motivated people.

Geografisk Tidsskrift-Danish Journal of Geography, Volume 122, 2022 - Issue 2, https://doi.org/10.1080/00167223.2022.2152972

A-8/22 Political parties’ framing of farm animalwelfare: A fragmented picture

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Summary

Writers: Renate M. B. Hårstad og Jostein Vik

In this article, we draw from qualitative interviews with political parties' representatives and a content analysis of party programs to identify how political parties frame animal welfare policies in Norway. In analyzing the framing of animal welfare and its significance for understanding agricultural post-exceptionalism, we found that though they frame animal welfare issues in conflicting ways, most see Norwegian animal welfare as reasonably good but perceive potential for improvement. They also generally understand societal claims as lacking or having an unclear factual basis, which has legitimized their nonaction as political parties. Even so, because of active new actors such as animal welfare organizations and retailers, the parties do not believe that public pressure will wane. Although introducing new farm animal welfare policies can represent a move towards post-exceptionalism in Europe's agri-food sector, the discourse on animal welfare policies amongst political parties implies that such is not the case in Norway.
European Policy Analysis, https://doi.org/10.1002/epa2.1154

A-3/22 The role of farmers’ microAKIS at differernt stages of uptake of digital technology

Article
Summary

Writers: Gunn-Turid Kvam, Renate M.B. Hårstad og Egil Petter Stræte
Purpose
To explore the role of farmers’ Micro Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (microAKIS) for different adopter categories and stages of uptake of digital technologies, by studying single farmers’ assemblages and sources of knowledge.
Methodology
The Triggering Change Model (TCM) was used to explore the role of microAKIS at different stages of innovation uptake. Two case studies were carried out of a radical digital technology, Automatic Milking Systems (AMS), and an incremental digital technology, electronic bells (e-bells).
Findings
In the AMS case, the farmer-based organizations that traditionally advise farmers were not visible for pioneers and early adopters at any stages of the TCM, but they were able to develop support in cooperation with technology suppliers for later adopters. For e-bells, farmers’ microAKIS was broad in the awareness stage but narrowed in the later stages and consisted then of mainly peer – for farmers with less digital competence.
Practical Implications
For radical digital technology, the farmer-based organizations should take an active role in all stages of technology uptake for all farmer categories. For incremental digital technologies, there is a need for farmer-based organizations to support farmers with weaker digital skills. To improve advice, farmers-based organizations should cooperate with technology suppliers.
Theoretical Implications
The study provides new insight into farmers’ microAKIS at different stages of farmers’ uptake of a radical and an incremental digital technology and in the transformation of AKIS.
Originality
This paper combines the microAKIS methodology with the TCM and farmer adopter categories for both a radical and an incremental digital technology.
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2022.2046617

R-9/21 Smart teknologi for et bærekraftig landbruk

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This report summarizes the results and recommendations from the three-year project Smart technology for sustainable agriculture (SmaT, 2018-2021). SmaT was a collaboration between the Norwegian agricultural cooperative Felleskjøpet Agri, the Norwegian agricultural extension service Norsk landbrukssamvirke, the agricultural secondary school Mære landbruksskole, and researchers from Ruralis and NTNU. Technology-oriented farmers and other professionals have also taken part in the collaboration. The work was funded by the Agriculture and Food Industry Research Funds, and through in-kind contributions from the project’s user partners.

N-1/20 Smart teknologi i landbruket – kartlegging og modenhetsvurdering

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Klimaendringer, befolkningsvekst og behovet for økt matproduksjon skaper utfordringer for landbruket. En del av løsningen for landbruket er å forbedre praksis ved hjelp av miljøvennlig innovasjon. Teknologiutviklingen i landbruket skjer fort og har økende oppmerksomhet på presisjonsdyrking, digitalisering og automatisering for et mer bærekraftig landbruk. Det er et behov for å forstå hvordan utviklingen skjer, hvor langt vi er kommet, og hvordan vi skal møte teknologiutviklingen og legge til rette for den. Dette notatet beskriver innovasjonsprosesser og begreper knyttet til modenhetsmåling. Det har blitt gjennomført en kartlegging av 36 ulike teknologier og forskningsprogram rettet mot et bærekraftig norsk landbruk. Vi har utviklet et verktøy for å vurdere ny teknologi innenfor aspektene teknologisk, markedsmessig og samfunnsmessig modenhet. Gjennomgangen av teknologiene og litteratur på modenhetsvurdering av ny teknologi har resultert i modenhetstabeller og tilhørende spørsmålsbatteri som beskriver ni trinn med økende grad av modenhet.

R-2/19 Bonden, familien og melkeroboten – en ny hverdag

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Rapporten er en del av prosjektet «Nye strategier for avl, fôring, hygiene, helse og driftsledelse i automatiske melkesystemer (AMS)». Rapporten har som formål å belyse endringene i norsk landbruk som er knyttet til den kraftige økningen i andelen bruk med melkerobot de siste 20 årene, med særlig blikk på bondens ståsted. Rapporten baserer seg på analyser av en landsdekkende spørreundersøkelse blant et representativt utvalg melkeprodusenter, som ble gjennomført av Ruralis – Institutt for rural- og regionalforskning i årsskiftet 2017/2018. Noen hovedtema er melkerobotens effekt på arbeidshverdag, HMS, livskvalitet, familieliv, arbeidsdeling, psykisk og fysisk helse. Denne omveltningen i norsk landbruk handler ikke bare om en endring til en mer effektiv driftsmåte, men er også en endring for gården i sin helhet, og for de menneskene som bor og/eller jobber på gården.

N-1/18 Socio-cultural factors: Opportunities and challenges for crowdfunding climate measures in Norwegian agriculture

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As part of the project COOLCROWD, this report provides an overview of preliminary findings and results from WP 2.2 about socio-cultural conditions for crowdfunding in Norway. The primary objective of the project is “to explore the potential of crowdfunding for climate-friendly agricultural projects in Norway as a novel, socio-technical practice that promotes a rapid transition to a low-emission society.” Together with partners from the transport sector, COOLCROWD intends to make it possible for people to fund mitigation measures at local farms and, in this way, provide benefits to local communities as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. During the project period of three years, the project aims to study the level of interest amongst the Norwegian public and the interest of farmers in partaking in crowdfunding. An important purpose of the project is to develop possible business models for local climate crowdfunding in Norway, including the legal framework. This report attempts to map some of the socio-cultural opportunities and barriers that form the background of getting crowdfunding to work in Norway.

R-2/18 Kompetanse og rådgiving i jordbruket: Kunnskapsoversikt, aktuelle problemstillinger og analytiske perspektiver for studier av bønders kompetanse som samspill mellom bønder, rådgiving og forskning

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Rapporten gir en oversikt over norsk og internasjonal forskning på tema knyttet til rådgiving, kunnskap og innovasjon i jordbruket. Oversikten omfatter også en kort gjennomgang av de mest aktuelle faglige perspektiver som brukes i dag. Rapporten avsluttes med å peke på utfordringer forfatterne mener man har i det norske kunnskaps- og innovasjonssystemet.

A-6/17 Achieving best-fit configurations through advisory subsystems in AKIS: case studies of advisory service provisioning for diverse types of farmers in Norway

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Purpose: In light of the discussion on ‘best-fit’ in pluralistic advisory systems, this article aims to present and discuss challenges for advisory services in serving various types of farmers when they seek and acquire farm business advice. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical basis is data derived from four workshops, five interviews with staff from advisory organizations, and interviews with 11 farmers. Findings: Emerging configurations serve different types of farmers, that is, private advisors serve different clients in different ways; these could be considered subsystems within the overall advisory system. Practical implications: Best-fit configurations of advisory services exist within a country setting in response to farmers’ information demands and how they seek information, as well as public goals of the advisory system, and lead to advisory subsystems. Policy-makers should monitor the emergence of these subsystems and become active participants in some of them, in line with the concept of the public sector as regulator of private and commercial advisory systems. Theoretical implications: Best-fit has been mainly explored at country level, but this study shows that, within countries, different advisory service configurations are formed. So, best-fit should not be considered at national level only, in view of subsystems which can have wider or narrower boundaries. More broadly, the concept of Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) should not be confined to the national level, for example, in view of farmer specializations within countries and the international dimensions of advisory systems. Originality/value: The originality lies in the further unraveling of heterogeneity within AKIS and what this implies for advisory service delivery configurations.
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2017.1320640