Policy Recommendations
We have proposed four key policy recommendations derived from the research and innovation activities developed in AgriLink:
1. About independent advice: To avoid bias in the content of farm advice, it can be very difficult and it is not sufficient to delimitate the boundaries of who count as “independent and impartial” advisors. We consider that it is also necessary to take actions to enable “transparency and robustness” of the content of advice. To reach this objective, there is a key role for public actors in supporting, investing in, and controlling the back-office dimension of farm advisory services.
2. About advisors’ training: A farmer-centric approach, based on an understanding of farmers’ needs and personal networks, should be used to highlight gaps and needs in the supply of advisory services in specific contexts. There is a potential to better incorporate advances of social sciences on farmers’ decision-making (e.g. Triggering Change Model, microAKIS) in education and training modules for advisors.
3. About inclusive advice: Our findings show that some profiles are not included in the beneficiaries of farm advice. A part of these “hard-to-reach” populations are well known (small farms, part-time farmers, new entrants, women). But we identified other rural and agricultural populations that are less often considered within the family work force but also beyond (salaried workers, contractors, posted worker). We consider that there is a need to better understand who the hard-to-reach populations are and what their needs are regarding different types of innovation.
4. About integrated advice: We need to invest in situations which are characterised by uncertainty, gaps, and controversy if we want to stimulate the provision of integrated advisory services that contribute to more sustainable agriculture within its wider social and political context. We consider that more insights from social sciences could be used to identify these situations and subsequently support transformative changes both at the farm level and at the level of the co-design of innovation support services.
For more information, please download the full report on policy recommendations for strengthening farm advice for innovation and sustainability: