An Actor-Oriented Multi-Criteria Assessment Framework to Support a Transition towards Sustainable Agricultural Systems Based on Crop Diversification

Ileana Iocola, Frederique Angevin, Christian Bockstaller, Rui Catarino, Michael Curran, Antoine Messéan, Christian Schader, Didier Stilmant, Florence Van Stappen, Paul Vanhove, Hauke Ahnemann, Jérémy Berthomier, Luca Colombo, Giovanni Dara Guccione, Emmanuel Mérot, Massimo Palumbo, Nino Virzì and Stefano Canali
Additional contact information
Ileana Iocola: CREA, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy
Frederique Angevin: INRAE-Eco-Innov, F-78850 Thiverval, Grignon, France
Christian Bockstaller: Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, F-68000 Colmar, France
Rui Catarino: Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, F-68000 Colmar, France
Michael Curran: Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Department of Socioeconomic Sciences, Ackerstrasse 113 CH-5070 Frick, Switzerland
Antoine Messéan: INRAE-Eco-Innov, F-78850 Thiverval, Grignon, France
Christian Schader: Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Department of Socioeconomic Sciences, Ackerstrasse 113 CH-5070 Frick, Switzerland
Didier Stilmant: Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques, CRA-W, 9 Rue de Liroux, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Florence Van Stappen: Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques, CRA-W, 9 Rue de Liroux, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Paul Vanhove: Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques, CRA-W, 9 Rue de Liroux, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Hauke Ahnemann: Chamber of Agriculture Lower Saxony, Nienburg office, Vor dem Zoll 2, 31582 Nienburg, Germany
Jérémy Berthomier: Chambre Régionale d’Agriculture des Pays de la Loire CRA-PDL 9, Rue André Brouard 49000 Angers, France
Giovanni Dara Guccione: Fondazione italiana per la ricerca in agricoltura biologica e biodinamica, FIRAB, Via Pio Molajoni 76, 00159 Rome, Italy
Emmanuel Mérot: Chambre Régionale d’Agriculture des Pays de la Loire CRA-PDL 9, Rue André Brouard 49000 Angers, France
Massimo Palumbo: CREA Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, Corso Savoia 190, 95024 Acireale, Italy
Nino Virzì: CREA Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, Corso Savoia 190, 95024 Acireale, Italy
Stefano Canali: CREA, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 13, 1-29

Abstract: Crop diversification represents a key lever to support the development of sustainable agri-food systems. Knowledge on trade-offs and carry over effects from different crop diversification strategies is essential to inform agricultural stakeholders of potential costs and benefits. This knowledge is limited by existing data and performance measures predominantly focused on single crops, rather than complete rotations. Moreover, sustainability performance indicators are often used for assessment purposes, rather than supporting stakeholder learning and actions. A new set of 32 indicators was developed to address these needs, and used to evaluate the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the diversified agricultural systems highlighted in the case studies, which are often characterized by data availability constraints. This approach was tested in France, Germany and Italy to determine a critical ex-post diagnosis of the existing systems, and for the assessment of ex-ante innovative scenarios. The results will be used to support these case studies in the identification and design of more sustainable agricultural systems. Although the framework is based on feasible and proxy indicators, the assessment outcomes have allowed local actors to reflect on the effects generated by the implemented crop diversification strategies. Key issues include trade-offs occurring between optimizing economic and environmental performance.

Keywords: evaluation; performance indicator; participatory research; sustainability; trade-off (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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