Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 3.6
Results of the survey among farmers - advantages and disadvantages of introducing
natural elements (Hopster and Visser 2001)
Only farmers who thought it important arranged the advantages. All farmers who filled in the survey arranged the
disadvantages. Rating scale used. 1 = most important, 5 = least important.
Netherlands
Italy
Switzerland
Spain
Int
A
Org
B
Int
Org
Number of surveys
16
69
16
7
7
13
Is it important to introduce
natural elements? (% Yes)
56
86
62
43
86
15
Adantages reported
Subsidy
5
5
1
2
5
1
Natural predators
6
3
2
5
2
3
Biodiversity
3
2
3
2
1
6
Preventing erosion
4
6
5
1
2
4
Better image
2
4
4
2
4
5
Disadantages reported
Loss of income
__
C
__
C
2
3
4
3
Weeds
1
4
2
4
2
5
Loss of productive area
5
1
3
1
2
1
Possible hosts for diseases
4
5
5
7
5
4
__
C
__
C
Barriers for operation of
machinery
3
2
1
2
A
Int, integrated farming systems,
B
Org, organic farming systems;
C
Not asked in the Swiss survey.
On-farm biodiversity can be optimised over time and space by a range of strategies. Greater
plant diversity can be produced by including a wider range of crops, using a mixture of culti-
vars, intercropping and polycultures, and planting companion species such as windbreaks and
hedgerows (Bastiaans
et al
. 2000, Chikoye
et al
. 2001, MacLean
et al
. 2003, Nass
et al
. 2003,
TangYa
et al
. 2003). Beyond the limits of the main production areas, landscape diversity also
includes consideration of topography, watercourses, naturally vegetated areas and infrastruc-
ture related to the farm and the wider community (Kuiper 1997, Vereijken
et al
. 1997) (see
Chapter 12 for a review of organic farming and the environment).
A survey among the vegetable farmers in four European countries, the Netherlands, Italy,
Switzerland and Spain, resulted in very different perspectives and expectations of the farmers
(Table 3.6). Additional subsidies were seen as the most important advantages by Italian and
Spanish farmers. Biodiversity was scored highest by Swiss and Dutch organic farmers, whereas
integrated farmers from Switzerland were most interested in erosion prevention, followed by
better image, biodiversity and subsidy. Dutch integrated farmers only mentioned better image
as an important criterion. As the most important disadvantages of introducing natural
elements, the loss of productive area was most often mentioned (three times), problems with
weed infestation mentioned only once, and barriers for operation of machinery indicated.
Dependent on topography, farm size, experiences in and motivation for organic farming, the
farmers' opinions ref lected different personal backgrounds.
Planting densities
For several years, German organic cereal growers have been attracted by the wide-row concept
developed by Stute (1996). To maximise the efficiency of limited N supply in an organic arable
farm, cereals were sown in row distances between 40 and 50 cm. That system was primarily
