Newsletter on bioeconomic and social
research on
Sustainability and Economics in Agriculture
Issue 3, February 1999
|
|
Newsletter on bioeconomic and social
research on |
 |
Editor:
Dave Pannell, University of Western Australia, email David.Pannell@uwa.edu.au SEA Project main funder: Grains Research and Development Corporation Address of the SEA News web site: http://www1.crcsalinity.com.au/newsletter/sea/ |
In This Issue
Editorial
In
Brief
Weeds/technology transfer
meeting.
Articles:
The economics of monitoring
crops at the micro level: Precision weed management
Dryland Salinity Control: What Do We Usefully Know (in
1999)?
Uncertainty and Adoption of Sustainable
Farming Systems
Policy
Forum:
Research & Development
Priorities for Salinity in Western Australia
Ideas
and Lessons on Sustainability from Overseas:
Smallholder Adoption of Soil Conservation
Technologies in The Philippines
Research
Methodology
Social
Surveying
Regular
Bits and Pieces
News and Coming Events -
Overview of the SEA Project - People in the SEA Team -
Publications available
Welcome again to SEA News. We have another smorgasboard of sustainability-related research and comment to share with you. We also have a fancy new URL or web site address: http://welcome.to/seanews - rather easier to remember than the old one. The success of this web-based approach to communicating our research to a broad audience has stunned us all. Since May 1998, we have had over 10,000 hits on the SEA News pages or on related articles on the web site. On average, each visitor to the site looks at about 10 pages. Thanks very much for your interest and all the feedback.
On a less happy note, since the last issue Nicole Glenn has left the SEA team . Nicole made a great contribution to the project and will be sorely missed. We wish her well in her new role at UWA.
For newcomers, SEA News is a newsletter canvassing issues related to sustainability and economics in agriculture. Our focus is on bioeconomic and social research results and their implications. Much of the research is from the SEA project, funded by Grains Research and Development Corporation. The main way to access SEA News is through email and the web site, but you can also elect to receive a hard copy of the newsletter by snail mail if you prefer.
Weeds/technology transfer
meeting. On October 19-20 1998, a meeting was held at the
University of Western Australia bringing together people from the
Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, the
Cooperative Research Centre for Weed Management Systems, and
other relevant experts. The aim was to discuss and review the
current knowledge and activities focussing on improving the
adoption of technology in cropping systems, particularly as it
relates to herbicide resistance. For more information see http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/weedmeet.htm
|
|
The
Economics of Monitoring Crops at the Micro Level:
Precision Weed Management by Dave Pannell
and Anne Bennett "the realistic level of benefits is very low in most scenarios - too low to cover likely costs. This is not primarily because of limitations in the technology ... [it is] because of the nature of the problem" |
One of the topics
of interest to the SEA project is the economics of monitoring
sustainability indicators. Precision farming technologies are
really about monitoring indicators at a micro scale. In this
study, we looks at the example of precision technologies for weed
control, which offer the prospect of reduced herbicide use and
greater profits. However evaluating their overall impact on
profit can be very difficult. We found that simple evaluations
based only on savings in herbicide can be very misleading. There
are a number of important complexities which influence the level
of benefits gained and unfortunately the complexities tend to
reduce the level of benefits. In a case study of the WASP
technology for detection of weeds during pre-crop treatment, we
found that the realistic level of benefits is very low in most
scenarios - too low to cover likely costs. This is not primarily
because of limitations in the technology. Even if these
limitations could be overcome, the benefits would still be low
because of the nature of the problem. This finding is reinforced
by an assessment of an hypothetical in-crop precision sprayer. We
found that the benefits are likely to be even lower for the
in-crop situation because of the greater importance of weed
detection errors in this case.
For the full article, see this web page: http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/dpap9903f.htm (128K)
 |
Dryland
Salinity Control: What Do We Usefully Know (in 1999)? by Steven
Schilizzi and Gavin White "We conclude from this survey that a reallocation of research effort is desirable" |
We investigated
how much of the research work on dryland salinity in Australia
could be used for informing farm management decisions, policy
formulation, and bioeconomic modelling. Out of over 2000
references screened, we found a little over 50 to be of direct
use, providing some 200 pieces of useful information. Focusing on
the relationships between land use and salinity, we organised the
information into three categories, distinguishing: differences
between trees, crops and pastures; impacts of tree species,
density and plantation design; and impacts of rotations with
crops and pastures. We also distinguished between biological and
mechanical rehabilitation strategies (ground-cover vs. pumping,
drains and contour banks). For each category we identified what
was considered to be somewhat known and what was as yet poorly
known. We found that the main types of useful information came as
quantitative relationships, numerical parameter ranges for
specific site conditions, identification of factors that do make
a difference, scale effects, and acceptable simplifications. We
conclude from this survey that a reallocation of research effort
is desirable towards the production of more management-related
knowledge. Such an effort could enhance the effectiveness of
salinity and, more generally, sustainability indicators for land
use.
For the full article, see this web page: http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/dpap9904f.htm (16K)
|
|
Uncertainty
and Adoption of Sustainable Farming Systems by Dave Pannell
"Uncertainty has been under-recognised as an impediment to the adoption of innovative land conservation practices." |
In articles in
previous issues of SEA News, I have argued that
uncertainty has been under-recognised as an impediment to the
adoption of innovative land conservation practices. In this
article I focus on the various causes and impacts of this
uncertainty. High levels of uncertainty inhibit adoption because
(a) most farmers are psychologically averse to risk and
uncertainty, (b) uncertainty leaves room for misunderstanding and
misperceptions about the innovation and (c) in some cases there
can be an option value from not trialing. I emphasise that
adoption is a process involving collection, integration and
evaluation of new information (i.e., reduction in uncertainty
over time). I discuss the range of factors that contribute to
high uncertainty about conservation innovations, factors that
reduce the potential for trials to reduce this uncertainty, and
factors that contribute to the high cost of trials of
conservation technologies. I argue that even though Landcare and
other extension programmes are enhancing the flow of information
within the agricultural community, they are are not helping to
reduce major causes of farmer uncertainty about conservation
practices, particularly for salinity. Innovative
approaches to extension are needed to address this problem. New
technology development could also help.
For the full article, see this web page: http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/dpap9901f.htm (50K)
Policy Forum
We welcome reactions to articles in SEA News, or on topical relevant issues. We continue the Salinity R&D theme with an outline of a consultative review of salinity R&D priorites conducted in Western Australia during 1998.
 |
Research & Development Priorities for Salinity in Western Australia by Sally Marsh (CLIMA/UWA) and Don McFarlane (Agriculture Western Australia) |
Early in 1998, the State Salinity Council initiated a review of R&D related to salinity. (There was a call for submissions in the first version of SEA News #1). The review involved broad consultation and has established the R&D priorities for salinity in Western Australia. This R&D review ensures that the Western Australian Salinity Action Plan is closely aligned with the National Dryland Salinity Program Phase 2 (NDSP2) and other R&D initiatives. The NDSP is funded mainly from the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation, the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Murray Darling Basin Commission.
It was recognised in the review that all of the broad areas of research are potentially important to the containment of salinity. However there was a clear consensus that the top priority is increasing the range and potential of perennial plant species, in order to better capture and transpire rainfall. Another important outcome was recognition of a major R&D gap in the area of appropriate institutional arrangements and policy design.
For a summary, see http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/forum3.htm
For full document, see http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/programs/srd/south_coast/salinity/index.htm
Ideas and Lessons on Sustainability from Overseas
To help us think laterally about the problems we face in Australia, we include an example from overseas in each issue of SEA News. This article is from Rob Cramb, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Queensland.
Smallholder Adoption of
Soil Conservation Technologies in The Philippines
Soil erosion due to smallholder agriculture in upland areas of the Philippines is widely regarded as the country's most serious environmental problem. There has been a plethora of upland development projects implemented by government and non-government agencies, many with international funding, and all with a significant component for the promotion of soil conservation and agroforestry measures among upland farmers (notably, contour hedgerow intercropping, in a package known as Sloping Agricultural Land Technology or SALT). Yet it is widely felt that adoption of such practices has been minimal and that the problem of soil erosion and land degradation is not abating.
The University of Queensland and the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Agriculture (SEARCA) were commissioned by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to investigate the technical and socio-economic factors limiting adoption of recommended soil conservation technologies by upland farmers. The process of adoption of conservation farming technologies in the case-study sites was complex and highly variable. The seven case-study sites studied represented a sample of the better-resourced and more successful projects, yet in general adoption rates were low and diffusion beyond the project site almost non-existent. The implications for the vast areas of the uplands not in proximity to the "nodes of diffusion" created by well-resourced upland projects are not encouraging.
Conservation farming technologies, particularly hedgerows, were widely seen by farmers who were aware of them as useful and even necessary, but it has required resource-intensive project intervention to get the adoption process going, and adoption is often constrained by farmers' specific circumstances (rather than their personal attributes and perceptions). A wider range of more profitable and less demanding conservation technologies is needed, promoted more flexibly and with greater on-going support for farmers in their efforts to experiment with improved farming systems. This implies a need to pursue a major program of adaptive research and extension in the uplands which better accommodates the range of farmers' goals and circumstances. However, the higher-order, politico-economic constraints to implementing such a program in the Philippines are formidable.
For the full article, see this web page: http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/seaos3.htm
|
|
Introduction
to Social Surveying: Pitfalls, Potential Problems and
Preferred Practices by Pauline Pannell and Dave Pannell "Conducting a survey is much more difficult than appreciated by most researchers outside the social sciences" |
Starting
with this issue, we are going to include occasional papers
relating to research methodology in SEA News.
This first one provides a range of practical advice on conducting
social surveys, which are much more difficult to do well than
most people realise. The paper includes an outline of the steps
involved in designing and implementing a rigorous survey, and
discusses issues involved in designing valid and reliable
questions.
For the full article, see this web page: http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/seameth3.htm (66K)
Regular Bits and Pieces
Overview of the SEA
Project
This project has a strong integrative focus, bringing together several sustainability issues and considering their biological, physical and economic implications at the whole-farm level. The main issues being researched in the project are soil salinisation, soil acidification, management of herbicide-resistant weeds, farmer adoption of sustainable practices and the economics of monitoring sustainability indicators. Main funding: Grains Research & Development Corporation. Commencement: 01-Aug-97 Completion: 30-Jun-02
People in the SEA Team
Direct collaborators in Western Australia - Economists: Martin Chopping (Department of Environmental Protection), Gavin White (Campbell White and Associates), Simone Blennerhassett (Agriculture Western Australia), Amir Abadi, Anne Bennett (University of Western Australia), Vanessa Stewart (Agriculture Western Australia), Michael O'Connell (Agriculture Western Australia). Bio-physical scientists: Don McFarlane, Bill Porter, Chris Gazey, David Bowran, Dan Carter and Rob Hetherington (Agriculture Western Australia), Steve Powles, David Jasper (University of Western Australia), Norm Campbell, Tom Hatton + team (CSIRO)..
Publications
available
As
well as the articles summarised in this Newsletter, the SEA
Project has a range of publications which we invite you to read.
A list is shown at the following web page address. You can view
and print most of the papers directly in your browser.
Web page:
http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/seapprs.htm
We also have a page with papers that focus on agricultural extension, and adoption and diffusion of innovations in agriculture: Web page: http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/dpannell/adoppprs.htm
Other issues of SEA News
Copyright note: Some articles in SEA news have subsequently been submitted for publication in journals or books. SEA News contains pre-publication versions of these articles. They have not been subject to peer review, and copyright rests with the authors. When an article is formally published, the version on the SEA News web site is not updated to the published version, as this would violate copyright. However, the citation shown on the web page is updated to allow readers to identify the published version. Readers are encouraged to make use of the material present on the web site, provided that its source is acknowledged. Readers who wish to make direct quotes from an article in SEA News should not attribute the quote to a more formal (e.g. journal) published version of the paper without checking the published version, since the quote may have been alterred or even omitted from the published version.
If you have any comments about SEA News or wish to make additions or deletions to our mailing list, contact David.Pannell@uwa.edu.au
|
| Grains
Research and Development Corporation |
