Farmer Engagement Research Articles

Livelihood diversification and its impact on cocoa production in Morobe and East New Britain Provinces of Papua New Guinea

Cocoa is an important cash crop of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Despite considerable Government investment, with its technical research, development, and extension (RDE) focus, productivity remains less than potential. This study was carried out to establish the livelihood activities diversification and impact on cocoa production of selected areas of Morobe and East New Britain Provinces of PNG. The specific objective was to establish whether farmers’ livelihood diversification activities affected cocoa production of the study areas. A cross-sectional descriptive study, in the context of phenomenological reflection involving semi-structured interviews and discussions was used to study the livelihood diversity and its implications on cocoa production in the selected provinces. Data were analysed using NVivo software. It was found that the main causes of farmer engagement of diversified livelihood activities were due to: land shortage, land tenure, minimising risk, cultural factors, farming system practices, opportunities, comparative advantage, and with the effects of modern changes. The main rationale behind such diversified livelihood activities was to raise household’s income portfolio and to improved status in the community. Consequently, smallholder farmers do not put full effort into cocoa production.

Predicting and preventing TB breakdowns

The UK Government has committed to a strategy of Bovine Tuberculosis eradication, with the stated aim of England becoming TB free by 2038. A review of the progress of the programme was conducted in 2018, (published in October 2018) which made specific and relatively radical changes to the current plan, including changes to governance, technical innovation and better farmer engagement in more effective biosecurity for their cattle herds. This personal opinion on the possible changes to the current programme outlines some radical improvements that could be made to the statutory controls, providing a practical and effective way of implementing the recommendations of the Strategy Review and re-engaging the industry in a robust and effective TB control and eradication strategy.

Using the theory of planned behaviour framework to understand Tasmanian dairy farmer engagement with extension activities to inform future delivery

ABSTRACTPurpose: To identify and understand factors influencing farmers’ decisions to engage with extension activities. To understand farmer segments and how these factors vary in order to develop recommendations for future extension delivery.Methodology: Qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with 30 Tasmanian dairy farmers. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework was used to identify and explore factors influencing farmer engagement intentions and behaviour.Findings: There was a negative effect of social influence on experienced farmers’ intention to re-engage with extension, due to the belief extension activities were targeted to less experienced, younger farmers. Perceived control factors limiting engagement included lack of confidence about existing knowledge, resulting in farmers perceiving extension activities as confronting.Practical implications: Key factors influencing intention to engage and continued engagement with extension were identified. These findings will inform future design and targeting of extension activities to improve initial and continued engagement. Subsequent recommendations are presented.Theoretical implications: Previous TPB studies on adoption as an outcome of extension have typically focused on quantifying adoption predictions, rather than exploring how social factors interact and influence intentions and behaviours. This paper demonstrates how the TPB can be qualitatively applied to better understand farmer decision making, in this instance with respect to their initial and continued engagement with extension.Originality/value: This paper demonstrates how the TPB can provide an evidence-based framework to qualitatively explore farmer intentions and behaviour. This approach has led to new insights into farmer decision making that will inform improvements in future extension development.

Water conservation behaviors among beginning farmers in the western United States

Beginning farmers are a critical demographic in the context of a dwindling farm population in the United States. Research has shown that beginning farmers differ from established farmers in demographic parameters, farm size, education, and access to land. It is important to understand whether these differences play out in natural resource management. In this paper, we examine how beginning farmers in the western United States defined, prioritized, and practiced water conservation during a period of water scarcity. We used a survey to assess farmer engagement with water conservation practices and binary logistic regression to test the role of various predictor variables for explaining farmer engagement with these conservation practices. The majority of respondents were organic growers with an average of 4.6 years of experience in agriculture. Respondents reported using irrigation improvements, soil health practices, and experimentation with drought-tolerant crops in response to drought conditions. Approaches for improving soil were the most frequently cited means of water conservation. Binary logistic regression revealed that a sense of stewardship and education level played significant and positive roles in predicting respondents9 use of both building soil organic matter and using pressure irrigation as water conservation strategies. Understanding how beginning farmers engage in water conservation is key to supporting increased conservation engagement for this population.

Perceptions and Reality of Agro Forestry Practices in Oku, Cameroon

Every farming engagement is geared at obtaining utmost output. Small scale farmers draw knowledge of sustainable agro forestry practices either from resource persons or institutions. Appropriately, practical farming processes are done at an individual scale with the intension of obtaining maximum outcomes. This matches with perceptions and reality of agro forestry commitment undertaken by local farmers. This study underscores the different agricultural techniques practiced in Oku. This write up explores information gathered from focus groups, clear-cut direct observation from sowing, weeding, harvesting and storage of produce, interview of local farmers, and spot visits to selected farms within the locale. The biophysical setting of the milieu favours the practice of agro forestry. Farmers’ perception and expectations were investigated using field data, statistical findings and interview results. Obtained results revealed the positive correlation existing between perceptions and reality in the quality, quantity and variety of outputs obtained at the end of the farming season. Local techniques harnessed with modern methods positively matches perceptions and reality in this domain.

Global knowledge gaps in the prevention and control of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus.

The significant economic impacts of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus have prompted many countries worldwide to embark on regional or national BVD eradication programmes. Unlike other infectious diseases, BVD control is highly feasible in cattle production systems because the pathogenesis is well understood and there are effective tools to break the disease transmission cycle at the farm and industry levels. Coordinated control approaches typically involve directly testing populations for virus or serological screening of cattle herds to identify those with recent exposure to BVD, testing individual animals within affected herds to identify and eliminate persistently infected (PI) cattle, and implementing biosecurity measures such as double-fencing shared farm boundaries, vaccinating susceptible breeding cattle, improving visitor and equipment hygiene practices, and maintaining closed herds to prevent further disease transmission. As highlighted by the recent DISCONTOOLS review conducted by a panel of internationally recognized experts, knowledge gaps in the control measures are primarily centred around the practical application of existing tools rather than the need for creation of new tools. Further research is required to: (a) determine the most cost effective and socially acceptable means of applying BVD control measures in different cattle production systems; (b) identify the most effective ways to build widespread support for implementing BVD control measures from the bottom-up through farmer engagement and from the top-down through national policy; and (c) to develop strategies to prevent the reintroductionof BVD into disease-free regions by managing the risks associated with the movements of animals, personnel and equipment. Stronger collaboration between epidemiologists, economists and social scientists will be essential for progressing efforts to eradicate BVD from more countries worldwide.

Challenges of contract farming among small-scale commercial vegetable farmers in Eastern Cape South Africa

This research investigated the effectiveness of contract farming in commercialisation of small-scale vegetable farmers. The broad objectives of the study were to investigate the agri-business challenges inherent in contract farming and the government incentives required by agribusiness firms to engage small-scale vegetable farmers in contract farming programmes. A sample of 47 small-scale farmers and 15 agribusiness firms involved in contract farming production of vegetables were selected in Sarah Baartman district municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were chosen as data collection tools to identify the agribusiness challenges inherent in contract farming relationships between the parties. Findings from the study revealed that the contract farming environment in the area surveyed was highly polarised and characterised by a fundamental conflict of interest between agribusiness and farmers. Among the divergent key factors inhibiting contract farming engagement were a lack in terms of quality seeds, trust, entrepreneurial skills and formal contract agreements. The study recommends a collaborative partnership between private firms and government, with state support through revised policies and development programmes. These amendments are crucial to enhancing the engagement of small-scale vegetable farmers in lucrative agri-food chains.Keywords: agribusiness, commercialisation, contract farming, small-scale farmers

Status of hookworm infection in junior secondary students, Bwari Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria

Hookworm infection has long been classified as the second most common parasitic helminth disease of the tropic and sub-tropic most especially because besides its grievous public health implications, some of which are due to the pathological damage it causes in the human host’s tissue and organs, the disease also has negative impacts on both human and socio-economic developments in communities where it is endemic. This study aims to verify the prevalence and intensity of hookworm infection in secondary school students in Bwari Area Council, FCT, Abuja. Four secondary schools namely, Government Secondary School, Law School Road, St. Theresa’s Catholic Schools, Government Secondary School, Kuduru and Government Secondary School, Zuma II, were selected randomly as case study. Four hundred and eighty (480) stool specimens (i.e., 120 from each school) were collected exclusively from the Junior Secondary School students of these schools, ensuring that both sexes were equally represented in those to supply the stool specimens. Microscopic examination of the stool specimens was carried out using saline and iodine wet mounts, brine floatation and centrifugation/sedimentation methods to check for presence of ova of hookworm. Result obtained showed that only 167(34.8%) stool specimens contained ova of hookworm of which 107(64.1%) were those from male students and 60(35.9%) were from females. 67(62.6%) were from those within the age bracket of 9-13 years while the other 40(37.4%) were those from 14-18 years age bracket. Similarly, 33(55%) of the infected females were within 9-13 years’ age bracket while the rest 27(45%) were between 14-18 years. Further classification of the result revealed JSS 2 and JSS3 students as having the highest prevalence with 67(40.1%) and 57(34.8%), respectively, while JSS 1 had low infection with 43(25.7%). When infections amongst the schools were compared, it was found that Government Secondary School, Zuma II, had the highest with 48(40%) while the rest Government Secondary School, Law School Road, St. Theresa’s Catholic Schools and Government Secondary School, Kuduru, had 40(33.3%), 36(30%) and 43(35.3%), respectively. the study has confirmed that hookworm exist in Bwari Area Council. The observed high prevalence of infection amongst male students between the 9-13 years age bracket cannot therefore be unconnected with their active engagement in farming, hunting, sports (such as football, athletics, etc.) and other extra-curricular activities that make them expose themselves to unprotected and hookworm-infested soils. Prompt treatment of known cases beside adequate and regular health education campaign in primary, secondary, work places and public markets on the need for proper hygiene practices and regular environmental sanitation and avoidance indiscriminate human faecal disposal.Keywords: Hookworm; prevalence; intensity; secondary school; students; Bwari.

Learning communities and new farmer knowledge in Canada

This research examines the agroecological learning processes of new farmers in Canada in order to understand the role of learning communities in transforming food systems. We consider how these learning communities represent new farmer engagement with agroecology and community-based economies as part of a global movement building alternatives to dominant capitalist and productivist food systems. In particular, we examine how the lack of formal education in agroecological alternatives in Canada is being overcome by these new farmers. Our results arise from interviews conducted in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba with new and aspiring farmers, mentors, and farmer trainers. Farmer learning networks were described and compared according to factors that include region, gender, years of experience, and production practices. These networks showed remarkable similarities across these categories, indicating the importance of informal networks and the relevance of relationships that support farmers on their learning journeys. Farmers placed the greatest value on social learning, followed by independent learning, whereas institutional learning had much less value. Farmers who did not know each other were learning in similar ways, indicating that they may be part of a broader agroecological movement which relies on global assemblages of neighbours, peers, online tools, and mentors. Farming knowledge, as a component of a reimagined, sustainable, and just food sovereignty movement, has the potential to change the way farming is practiced and to facilitate the emergence of alternative food systems in Canada and indeed the world.

Impacts of improved extension services on awareness, knowledge, adoption rates and perceived benefits of smallholder dairy farmers in Pakistan

The provision of effective extension services to smallholder farmers across both developing and developed countries remains a challenge worldwide. The objective of the study is to demonstrate the impacts of improved extension services on awareness, knowledge, adoption rates and perceived benefits of smallholder dairy farmers in Pakistan. An extension program was developed and implemented in five districts of Punjab (Okara, Pakpattan, Jhelum, Kasur and Bhakkar) and two districts of Sindh (Thatta and Badin) provinces. The extension program involved the provision of research-based information on a monthly basis to smallholder farming families (FF = 523) over a 4-year period. The extension program was primarily a knowledge transfer-based system, but also relied on farmer engagement and feedback to help drive research and topics for discussion. No financial incentives were provided to the farmers for their participation. A ‘whole-family approach’ was used in the extension program, where comprehensive interdisciplinary training on the whole dairy-farming system was provided to the males, females and children of the farming household. To encourage greater participation and support different learning strategies, several information transfer media were used (including group discussions, one-on-one visits, practical demonstrations, problem-based learning techniques and videos). To assess the impact of this extension program on farms involved, data on farmer awareness, knowledge, adoption and their perceived benefits were collected using a mixed-method approach from three different groups of farmers; registered (IMPreg = 179) farmers directly involved in the extension program, non-registered (IMPnon-reg = 116) farmers indirectly benefiting from the program and traditional (IMPtrad = 104) farmers not associated with any project activities. Overall awareness, knowledge and adoption rates relating to seven different recommendations in the extension program were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the registered farmers than in the non-registered and traditional farmers. The perceived benefits of the adopted recommendations varied between the different extension messages, but farmers described that they observed increases in milk production, improvements in animal health (body condition and morbidity) and labour efficiency (time savings). These results suggest that adopting improved extension services using a whole-family approach we can significantly achieve higher adoption rates, leading to on-farm benefits to smallholder dairy farmers and their families.

Toxoplasmosis among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in a health facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Toxoplasmosis is a neglected tropical protozoan disease of public health importance. This study estimated the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and the associated risk factors among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria. Two hundred and thirteen (213) pregnant women antenatal clinic attendees were tested for IgG and IgM toxoplasma antibodies using conventional ELISA technique after ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained. Demographic data were collected using well-structured questionnaires. Out of the 213 subjects examined, 58 (27.2%) were positive consisting of 48 (24%) and 10(5%) positive for IgG and IgM toxoplasma antibodies respectively. The age-groups 25-29 and 30-34 years had higher prevalence rates of 19 (8.9%) and 16 (7.5%) respectively for IgG whereas age-group 35-40 years had the highest 4 (1.9%) for IgM antibodies. The age-group >40 years had the least prevalence for IgG 2 (0.9%) and IgM (0.0%) antibodies. It was observed that toxoplasma antibody IgG, increases with increase in trimesters while the IgM decreases simultaneously. Traders had the highest prevalence for IgG and IgM antibodies for occupation related seroprevalence. The two way anova and mean separation showed that the overall prevalence for IgG was statistically significant ( p 0.05). It also showed that there was no association between the age-group, trimester, occupation and seropositive subjects. Demographic data analysis showed that history of living with pets, eating improperly or unwashed fruits and engagement in gardening and farming were some of the risk factors associated with seropositivity to toxoplasmosis. The inclusion of Toxoplasma gondii test as one of the routine tests carried out in antenatal clinics, and awareness campaign of toxoplasmosis by government and NGOs were advocated. Keywords: Toxoplasma antibodies; seropositivity; pregnant women; Port Harcourt; Nigeria

Cholinesterase research outreach project (CROP): point of care cholinesterase measurement in an Australian agricultural community

BackgroundAustralian farmers are routinely exposed to a wide variety of agrichemicals, including herbicides and insecticides. Organophosphate (OP) insecticides are widely used for agricultural production, horticulture and animal husbandry practices. Symptoms of OP toxicity are the results of inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which is found in many types of conducting tissue in human bodies such as nerve and muscle, central and peripheral tissues, motor and sensory fibres. Cholinesterase can be measured in red blood cells/erythrocytes (AChE) and plasma (PChE). This study aims to explore integration of AChE monitoring into routine health checks for those at risk and also to examine any association between AChE activity and agrichemical use in a Victorian farming community in Australia.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study, where farmers and non-famers were compared on the levels of AChE at four time points of baseline, 3–4 weeks, 6-weeks and at 9-weeks. Study participants (N = 55) were residents from South West Victoria, aged between 18 and 75 years, spoke English, and had not had a previous known acute chemical accident. A total of 41 farming (had been farming for more than 5 years) and a convenience sample of 14 non-farming individuals met the inclusion criteria. Testing of AChE was repeated for all participants with a maximum of three times over 10 weeks.ResultsThe integration of AChE monitoring was very well accepted by all participants. There was no significant difference in average AChE activity between farming and non-farming participants (one-way ANOVA p > 0.05) in this study. There was no significant difference between personal use of agricultural chemicals on farm and the levels of AChE at baseline (measurement 1) or any of the follow up periods (p > 0.05). However, the mean activity of AChE was significantly lower within follow up periods [F (2.633, 139.539) = 14.967, p < 0.001]. There was a significant reduction of AChE between the follow up at 3-weeks and 6-weeks period (p = 0.015).ConclusionsThe routine monitoring of AChE may allow for early recognition of chronic low-level exposure to OPs when they are used by farmers, provided a reasonable estimate of baseline AChE is available. This work provides an evidence for recommending the integration of AChE monitoring into point of care (POC) procedures in rural health clinics and quantifying pesticide exposure and personal protection both on the farm and in the home. Farmer engagement is crucial to the successful integration of AChE monitoring into rural health clinics in Australia.Trial registrationACTRN12613001256763.

Exploring farmer perceptions of agricultural innovations for maize-legume intensification in the mid-hills region of Nepal

ABSTRACTMaize-legume intercropping is a fundamental component of mixed farming systems in the mid-hills of Nepal. However, its productivity is constrained by several biophysical and social factors, and limited adoption of proven agricultural innovations. In this study, we assessed the productivity impact of a selection of relevant agricultural innovations and changes in the associated perceptions of farmers through a series of two-year participatory on-farm trials. The evaluated innovations resulted in higher yields as compared to farmers' current practices. The active involvement of farmers enlarged our understanding of underlying decision-making factors to adopt or non-adopt agricultural innovations. Additionally, the in-depth farmer engagement in our onfarm trials positively influenced farmer perceptions of the innovations and their interest to adopt the agricultural innovations. Yet, farmers final decisions to adopt some of the evaluated innovations were limited by a host of factors including labour scarcity, the availability of inputs, and by cultural preferences despite the increased yields. This was particularly true for low and medium resource-endowed farmers. This study shows the importance of active farmer participation and context-specific design of research and development projects aiming for local impact.

Experiential Learning as a Tool for Farmer Engagement and Empowerment in a Changing Regional Climate

(2018). Experiential Learning as a Tool for Farmer Engagement and Empowerment in a Changing Regional Climate. Caribbean Quarterly: Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 114-135.

Participatory research with Acca sellowiana: Stimulating the breeding process for a native fruit species

ABSTRACTWe offer a proposal to develop participatory breeding strategies for feijoa (Acca sellowiana) for southern Brazil based on the results of breeding research with this native fruit. Our experiences provide an opportunity to develop a participatory research program focused on the use and conservation of A. sellowiana or other fruit tree species. Based on these experiences, we suggest formation of a multidisciplinary research group to implement participatory research to make best use of technical and local knowledge for the conservation and use of A. sellowiana. Considering the past surveys and interactions with farmers, a number of practical actions will be needed for such a program to succeed, including the creation of organizational and communication structures to improve farmer–farmer engagement, coordination among farmers and researchers on genetic selection criteria and evaluation standards, and mechanisms to specify participant rights and responsibilities and to provide for program continuity.

Ordering adoption: Materiality, knowledge and farmer engagement with precision agriculture technologies

In their efforts to understand why and how farmers adopt new technologies, techniques and programmes, rural sociologists and geographers have typically focused on the social and cultural relations in which farming knowledge and practices are embedded. However, limited scholarly attention has been given to the important ways in which materials and materiality are a constitutive element in how farmers come to know and engage with technology. This paper addresses this issue through the application of theoretical work on ordering, which focuses on the materially heterogeneous processes and implicit strategies that hold together and perform particular social and organisational arrangements. Drawing upon qualitative data from a research project on adoption of precision agriculture (PA) in the Australian rice industry, we identify two principal modes of ordering: (1) commercial-technological, in which lack of compatibility between technologies produced by different machinery manufacturers creates challenges for farmers in integrating and adapting PA to existing farming practices and systems; and (2) biophysical, where drought and low water allocations create uncertainty and a reluctance by farmers to make large capital outlays for PA technology. While these modes of ordering constrain rice growers’ capacities to adopt PA technology, we argue that growers also engage in their own alternative ordering practices to negotiate, work with, and work around these constraints. We refer to this work as tinkering and argue that it is a powerful, yet little recognised, form of ordering enabling growers to take advantage of the material benefits of PA in a way that is flexible, adaptable, and fits their immediate farming circumstances. In concluding, we contend that an ordering approach provides a fruitful way forward in recognising the more-than-cultural dimensions through which farmers engage with technology, and particularly the complex ways in which materiality intertwines with, shapes, and is shaped by, farming knowledge and practices.

Public-Private Partnerships Working Beyond Scale Challenges toward Water Quality Improvements from Private Lands.

In recognition that Iowa agriculture must maintain long-term production of food, fiber, clean water, healthy soil, and robust rural economies, Iowa recently devised a nutrient reduction strategy to set objectives for water quality improvements. To demonstrate how watershed programs and farmers can reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in Iowa waters, the Iowa Water Quality Initiative selected the Boone River Watershed Nutrient Management Initiative as one of eight demonstration projects. For over a decade, diverse public, private, and non-profit partner organizations have worked in the Boone River Watershed to engage farmers in water quality management efforts. To evaluate social dynamics in the Boone River Watershed and provide partners with actionable recommendations, we conducted and analyzed semi-structured interviews with 33 program leaders, farmers, and local agronomists. We triangulated primary interview data with formal analysis of Boone River Watershed documents such as grant applications, progress reports, and outreach materials. Our evaluation suggests that while multi-stakeholder collaboration has enabled partners to overcome many of the traditional barriers to watershed programming, scale mismatches caused by external socio-economic and ecological forces still present substantial obstacles to programmatic resilience. Public funding restrictions and timeframes, for example, often cause interruptions to adaptive management of water quality monitoring and farmer engagement. We present our findings within a resilience framework to demonstrate how multi-stakeholder collaboration can help sustain adaptive watershed programs to improve socio-ecological function in agricultural watersheds such as the Boone River Watershed.

Motivations and barriers for Western Australian broad-acre farmers to adopt carbon farming

Carbon farming policies aim to contribute to climate change mitigation, but their success strongly depends on whether landholders actually adopt desired practices or participate in offered programs. The Australian Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative and Emissions Reduction Fund policies were designed to incentivise the adoption of carbon farming practices. Although these policies have been active since December 2011, farmer engagement has been limited, and net emissions reductions low as a result. We surveyed broad-acre farmers in the Western Australian wheatbelt to explore their drivers and barriers to adopting carbon farming practices and participating in carbon farming policy programs. Drivers of adoption included knowledge and perception of co-benefits (for yield, productivity, and the environment), knowing another adopter, and believing that changes to farm management are an appropriate method to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Barriers to adoption included lack of information, uncertainty and costs. The key barrier to participation was policy and political uncertainty. The determinants of adoption and participation that we identify in our study offer important insights into how to best ensure the success of Australia’s land sector-based climate change policies. We conclude that, to increase landholder engagement, the co-benefits and climate change benefits of carbon farming practices must be actively promoted, and additional information is needed about the costs associated with adoption. Information diffusion is best achieved if it actively leverages landholder social networks. Finally, our results indicate that landholder buy-in to carbon farming could be greatly enhanced by achieving more continuity in Australian climate change policies and politics.

Factors Influencing Household Perceptions of Drought in Laikipia West Sub County, Kenya

The need for perception studies to drought is informed by the fact that different people perceive drought differently and derive local adaptation measures based on their individual perception. The objective of the study was to establish the household perceptions to drought and the factors that influence formation of such perceptions in Laikipia West sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted a household survey research design. The study utilized household surveys (N = 180). Logistic regression was used to identify the factors influencing drought perception in Laikipia West sub-County. The study found that 52.8% of the households felt that the 2009 drought was moderate and 47.2% the drought was severe. Drought perception was significantly related to age, source of income, and type of land ownership and the length of engagement in farming. The study recommends that formulation of the future policies on drought adaptation strategies in Laikipia West sub-County should take into consideration the household drought perception for effective implementation.

Patterns of agri-environmental scheme participation in Europe: Indicative trends from selected case studies

This paper investigates the personal and property characteristics of landowners who use EU Rural Development agri-environmental schemes (AES), as well as their motives for participation or non-participation in such schemes. The study is based on a questionnaire survey with landowners, in selected study areas in the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Italy and Greece. Our principal findings show that AES tend to attract more the owners of larger farms, who are frequently full-time, younger, post-primary school educated and agriculturally-trained farmers. The latter findings are contingent on local geographical particularities and on subjective factors, farmers' individualities, different rural cultures, landscape types, EU and national policies and special needs of the study areas—all areas where agricultural production is increasingly marginalized, for different reasons. Subsidy scheme participation motives did not seem to be strictly economic; they also regarded personal satisfaction. They are all together generally appeared to be place specific, since the respondents from peri-urban Northern European areas were more motivated to participate in AES than respondents from Central and Southern European areas with marginal potential for agriculture. Motives for non-participation were also found to be dependent on the level of farming engagement and on case-area landscape types.