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Who are Advisory Services Leaving Out? A Critical Reflection on ‘Hard to Reach’ Farmers

Author

Listed:
  • Pierre Labarthe
  • Lee‐Ann Sutherland
  • Catherine Laurent
  • Geneviève Nguyen
  • Talis Tisenkopfs
  • Pierre Triboulet
  • Noemie Bechtet
  • Ellen Bulten
  • Boelie Elzen
  • Lívia Madureira
  • Christina Noble
  • Jaroslav Prazan
  • Leanne Townsend
  • Eleni Zarokosta
  • Katrin Prager
  • Mark Redman

Abstract

Although the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union has broadened its objectives to integrate social issues, several hard‐to‐reach groups of farmers and workers continue to be ignored by advisory services and associated policies. Connecting with these groups has a strong potential to increase the economic and social cohesion of European agricultures. We interviewed over 1,000 farmers across Europe and identified features of these groups that are often overlooked by advisory services. We critically reflected on the social cohorts omitted from advisory services and how they could be better reached; they include farm labourers, new entrants or ‘career changers’, and later adopters. We clarify the different types of advisors in the advisory landscape, distinguishing between those who are linked to or independent from sales of inputs or technologies. We make concrete recommendations about how to engage advisors with hard‐to‐reach groups, with approaches suited to different national contexts of Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS); thus contributing to the ‘AKIS dimension of National Strategic Plans of the next Common Agricultural Policy, 2023–2027. We argue for the more effective use of advances in the social sciences through a better understanding of advice as social interaction which can bolster the inclusiveness of public policies. Bien que la Politique agricole commune de l’Union européenne ait élargi ses objectifs pour intégrer les questions sociales, plusieurs groupes d’agriculteurs et de travailleurs continuent d’être ignorés par les services de conseil et les politiques associées. Établir un lien avec ces groupes difficiles d’accès pourrait permettre d’accroître la cohésion économique et sociale des agricultures européennes. Nous avons interrogé plus de 1,000 agriculteurs à travers l’Europe et identifié les caractéristiques de groupes qui sont souvent ignorés par les services de conseil. Nous avons examiné de manière critique les cohortes sociales concernées et réfléchi à la manière de mieux les accompagner. Elles comprennent les ouvriers agricoles, les nouveaux entrants ou ‘changeurs de carrière’, et les adoptants ultérieurs. Nous clarifions aussi les différents types d’organisations dans le paysage du conseil, en distinguant ceux qui sont liés aux ventes d’intrants ou de technologies de ceux qui en sont indépendants. Nous formulons des recommandations concrètes sur la manière faire intervenir des conseillers auprès de groupes difficiles d’accès, avec des approches adaptées aux différents contextes nationaux des systèmes de connaissances et d’innovation agricoles (AKIS). Ces recommandations pourraient ainsi contribuer à la dimension AKIS des Plans Stratégiques Nationaux de la prochaine Politique agricole commune (2023–2027). Nous plaidons pour une intégration plus forte des avancées des sciences sociales permettant une meilleure compréhension du conseil en tant qu’interaction sociale, afin de renforcer le caractère inclusif des politiques publiques de conseil. Obwohl die Gemeinsame Agrarpolitik der Europäischen Union ihre Ziele um soziale Aspekte erweitert hat, werden mehrere schwer erreichbare Gruppen von Landwirten und Landwirtinnen sowie Beschäftigte von den Beratungsdiensten und den damit verbundenen Maßnahmen weiterhin ignoriert. Der Kontakt zu diesen Gruppen birgt ein großes Potenzial zur Stärkung des wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Zusammenhalts der europäischen Landwirtschaft. Wir haben über 1,000 Landwirte und Landwirtinnen in ganz Europa befragt und dabei Eigenschaften dieser Gruppen ermittelt, die von den Beratungsdiensten häufig übersehen werden. Wir haben kritisch über die sozialen Gruppen nachgedacht, die von den Beratungsdiensten übergangen werden, und darüber, wie sie besser erreicht werden könnten. Hierzu gehören Beschäftigte, Neu‐ oder Quereinsteigende und spätere Anwender und Anwenderinnen. Wir verdeutlichen die verschiedenen Arten von Beratung in der Beratungslandschaft und unterscheiden zwischen solchen, die mit dem Verkauf von Betriebsmitteln oder Technologien verbunden oder davon unabhängig sind. Wir geben konkrete Empfehlungen, wie die Beratung mit schwer erreichbaren Gruppen zusammenarbeiten kann, und zwar mit Ansätzen, die für die verschiedenen nationalen Kontexte der landwirtschaftlichen Wissens‐ und Innovationssysteme (AKIS) geeignet sind. Damit leisten wir einen Beitrag zur AKIS‐Dimension der nationalen Strategiepläne der nächsten Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik (2023–2027). Wir plädieren für eine effektivere Nutzung der Fortschritte in den Sozialwissenschaften durch ein besseres Verständnis von Beratung als sozialer Interaktion, die die Inklusivität der öffentlichen Politik stärken kann.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre Labarthe & Lee‐Ann Sutherland & Catherine Laurent & Geneviève Nguyen & Talis Tisenkopfs & Pierre Triboulet & Noemie Bechtet & Ellen Bulten & Boelie Elzen & Lívia Madureira & Christina Noble & J, 2022. "Who are Advisory Services Leaving Out? A Critical Reflection on ‘Hard to Reach’ Farmers," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 21(1), pages 50-55, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:eurcho:v:21:y:2022:i:1:p:50-55
    DOI: 10.1111/1746-692X.12347
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    1. Labarthe, Pierre & Laurent, Catherine, 2013. "Privatization of agricultural extension services in the EU: Towards a lack of adequate knowledge for small-scale farms?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 240-252.
    2. Laurens Klerkx & Karin Grip & Cees Leeuwis, 2006. "Hands off but Strings Attached: The Contradictions of Policy-induced Demand-driven Agricultural Extension," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 23(2), pages 189-204, June.
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