Incorporating agri-environment schemes into farm development pathways: A temporal analysis of farmer motivations

This paper aims to capture the complexity and dynamic nature of motivations for participation in agri-environment schemes (AESs). Specifically, it examines the extent to which decisions about family farm participation in Tir Gofal (TG), a whole farm AES in Wales, can be traced to long-term motivations for farm continuity; and how Tir Gofal fits into dynamic farm development pathways that farmers follow to ensure their continuity. It reports the findings from narrative style interviews with 25 TG agreement holders and 12 non-agreement holders across Wales.The results show that the continuance of the family farm is an important goal for agreement and non-agreement holders alike, and this is linked to enduring commercially or traditionally oriented values. Three broad sets of development pathways were identified and the extent to which TG fits in with these pathways is considered, with particular reference to different periods in the farm life cycle. The paper concludes that incorporating a temporal dimension into the wider question of farmers’ participation in agri-environment schemes can help to improve understanding of farmers’ behaviour particularly given the variety of possible opportunities currently open to, and used by, family farms.

► Uses dynamic farm development pathways as a framework for understanding agri-environment scheme participation.
► Includes wider perspectives of motivation which are underpinned by family aspirations and family farm continuity.
► Looks at agri-environment participation from a historical and future looking perspective.