A typology of European farmers' viewpoints on soil management and an investigation of their context-dependency

Summary

This study employs Q-Methodology to identify and characterise five distinct archetypical viewpoints on soil management among 132 European crop farmers across five regions. The research demonstrates that whilst farmers' perspectives are partly shaped by natural farming conditions and farm structure, they are also substantially driven by subjective worldviews. The findings suggest that policy makers and advisory services could more effectively support farmers by tailoring interventions to these identified archetypal viewpoints rather than assuming uniform priorities.

UK applicability

The typology and context-dependency findings are likely applicable to UK crop farmers, given the inclusion of European case studies and the universal relevance of farmer heterogeneity. However, UK-specific validation would strengthen applicability to English and Scottish arable contexts, where farm structures and advisory systems may differ from continental Europe.

Key measures

Q-Methodology factor analysis applied to interview data from 132 farmers across five European case study regions; comparison of three different Q-Methodology approaches to assess robustness and context-dependency of identified archetypes

Outcomes reported

The study identified up to five archetypical viewpoints on soil management among European crop farmers, distinguished by their emphasis on soil health, farm economics, social sustainability, traditional farming values, and risk avoidance. The research investigated whether these viewpoints vary by regional, biophysical, and farm structural context.

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