FABRICACIÓN DEL MOLDE

Among the factors that may strongly influence the adoption of an innovation in agriculture, the impact of innovation on production risks is very important (Ghadim Abadi et al., 2005, Marra et al., 2003) and, according to the farmers and technicians interviewed, the payment received by farmers involved in the TAEA (about 650 euro per hectare) was an important incentive for farmers to adhere to the project and to test innovative farming practices. As put it by two representatives of the provincial authority of Ascoli Piceno:

If I should give some figures, I would say that, especially the first year, almost the 40% of the participants decided to adhere to the agreement because of the payments … then it is essential training people and teach them that the payment is something that they receive to change their

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farming practice and that the objective is also adopting a convenient and profitable practice (INTERVIEW n. 15)

Farmers are sceptical about new techniques, absolutely, but farmers may be persuaded by payments. In some way it is sad, but it works like that. A high payment may convince them, but it is necessary to manage well the payment and above all, to put it in the right place, to associate the payment to the right practice that farmers are ready to adopt (INTERVIEW n. 17).

Thus, with regard to the involvement of farmers, the results of the research confirm what several economists have already demonstrated: the participation into collective action is strongly motivated by private benefits (Ayer, 1997). Indeed, the interviewed not belonging to the Association Nuova Agricoltura argued that they participated in this collective action because they believed that they would gain from participation, both by obtaining the payments of the TAEA and by saving in costs, due to the minor use of chemical products and machineries.

Indeed, many farmers have highlighted that a reduction of the treatments with pesticides in the orchards as results of the IPM was good also because this contributed to reduce the production costs, since a smaller quantity of crop protection products was purchased. At the same time, the reduction in the use of crop protection products also resulted in a decrease in the use of tractors and other machineries as well as of the labour.

In addition, another driver which influenced farmers in adhering to the TAEA is the recent EU legislative framework, in particular the Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides 2009/128/EC, which aims at reducing the risks and impacts on human health and the environment related to the use of pesticides, by reducing the number of permitted chemical products for crop protection and by promoting the use of alternative pest management methods.

The most reluctant farmers were persuaded by the most motivated farmers of Nuova

Agricoltura but, as they have highlighted, the efficacy of the new farming practices

adopted played a significant role. In many cases local farmers were already looking for alternative methods of cultivation, since they had observed increasing resistance of pathogens to the conventional crop protection products, resulting in higher crop losses.

The bulk of farmers involved in the agreement declared that they were motivated also by reasons which go well beyond the economic incentives, such as the willingness to reduce their health risks and to reduce the environmental impacts of their farming practices.

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Table 6.2 – Farmers’ motivation to participate into the collective action in Valdaso

Individual/economic reasons Social/environmental reasons

CAP payments

Effectiveness of integrated agriculture methods Cost reduction (labour, crop protection products, fuel) Positive health effects

Reducing water and air pollution

Increasing the tourist attractiveness of the area Positive effects of being involved in a local network of farmers (increasing learning opportunities and lobbying power)

Indeed, the data collected through the interviews show that the birth of the TAEA is also the result of a growing environmentally awareness of local farmers, who have increased their perception that more sustainable farming practices may play a key role for a transition towards to a more sustainable development to more of the all valley:

We have understood that we may contribute to save the valley. It is clear that we can make a lot for the local environment with our role. There are an increasing number of tourists here, they want to stay in agri-tourisms and they want a beautiful landscape and a safe and unpolluted environment. Houses have recently renovated, new campsites have been opened, and we producers we can make to contribute to this is producing in a certain way, and all together (INTERVIEW n. 23).

In addition, the majority of farmers have also emphasised that the issue of health is crucial and that they are adopting more sustainable techniques, also because are they spend a lot of time within the orchards and they want to work in a safer and healthier environment.

According to them, the most critical aspects are related to the fact that the IPM techniques, and especially the mating disruption, are knowledge-intensive techniques, especially during the first years, when producers who have always used conventional methods do not have the knowledge necessary to manage an orchard which is not always ‘protected’ by chemical products.

Farmers have highlighted that these methods require additional organisation and monitoring, both for the purchase of dispensers and as for the monitoring of insects in the field and a careful monitoring of weather conditions.