Conceptualising fields of action for sustainable intensification – A systematic literature review and application to regional case studies

Weltin, Meike; Zasada, Ingo; Piorr, Annette; Debolini, Marta; Géniaux, Ghislain; Pérez, Olga M. Moreno; Scherer, Laura; Marco, Lorena Tudela; Schulp, Catharina J.E.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2018.01.023

Cited by 101 publications

(81 citation statements)

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“…Our 18 priority practices correspond well to Weltin et al. 's () “agronomic development” and “resource use efficiency” fields of action for SI, those relevant at farm, rather than regional/landscape scale. Almost all the SI approaches defined by Weltin et al.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…Many research articles on SI have focused on debating the usefulness of the term, and on refining definitions, at the expense of developing a set of SI practices that could lead to practical gains. We do not suggest that there is a set of practices through which SI can solely be achieved, but rather that progress towards realising practical benefits can be made while a concept is evolving (Owens, 2003;Weltin et al, 2018). For example, Weltin et al (2018) propose an action-oriented conceptual framework to support identification of region-specific SI practices, based on participatory processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…We do not suggest that there is a set of practices through which SI can solely be achieved, but rather that progress towards realising practical benefits can be made while a concept is evolving (Owens, 2003;Weltin et al, 2018). For example, Weltin et al (2018) propose an action-oriented conceptual framework to support identification of region-specific SI practices, based on participatory processes. This paper focuses on the question of how SI may be delivered at farm scale in a UK context.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…For example, Weltin et al. () propose an action‐oriented conceptual framework to support identification of region‐specific SI practices, based on participatory processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sustainable Intensification (SI) is generally considered a process by which agricultural productivity is enhanced without negatively impacting the environment, preferably also creating social and environmental benefits (Gunton, Firbank, Inman, & Winter, 2016;Struik & Kuyper, 2017;Weltin et al, 2018). Developed initially in an African context in the 1990s (Clay, Reardon, & Kangasniemi, 1998;Pretty, 1997;Reardon et al, 1997), the term "sustainable intensification" (SI) has become increasingly popular in scientific and policy discourses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What agricultural practices are most likely to deliver “sustainable intensification” in the UK?

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et al. 2018

Food and Energy Security

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Sustainable intensification is a process by which agricultural productivity is enhanced whilst also creating environmental and social benefits. We aimed to identify practices likely to deliver sustainable intensification, currently available for UK farms but not yet widely adopted. We compiled a list of 18 farm management practices with the greatest potential to deliver sustainable intensification in the UK, following a well‐developed stepwise methodology for identifying priority solutions, using a group decision‐making technique with key agricultural experts. The list of priority management practices can provide the focal point of efforts to achieve sustainable intensification of agriculture, as the UK develops post‐Brexit agricultural policy, and pursues the second Sustainable Development Goal, which aims to end hunger and promote sustainable agriculture. The practices largely reflect a technological, production‐focused view of sustainable intensification, including for example, precision farming and animal health diagnostics, with less emphasis on the social and environmental aspects of sustainability. However, they do reflect an integrated approach to farming, covering many different aspects, from business organization and planning, to soil and crop management, to landscape and nature conservation. For a subset of 10 of the priority practices, we gathered data on the level of existing uptake in English and Welsh farms through a stratified survey in seven focal regions. We find substantial existing uptake of most of the priority practices, indicating that UK farming is an innovative sector. The data identify two specific practices for which uptake is relatively low, but which some UK farmers find appealing and would consider adopting. These practices are: prediction of pest and disease outbreaks, especially for livestock farms; staff training on environmental issues, especially on arable farms.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…For example, Weltin et al. () propose an action‐oriented conceptual framework to support identification of region‐specific SI practices, based on participatory processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%