Digging in Flemish Farmers’ Preferences and Satisfaction with Soil and Water Quality Extension Services

Ines Chiadmi

No 356774, Agricultural Economics Society 99th Annual Conference, April 14-16, 2025, The University of Bordeaux, France from Agricultural Economics Society (AES)

Abstract: The efficacy of information provision policy instruments is proven to complement traditional environmental policies in pollution control. In the agricultural sector, information is notably disseminated through agricultural extension services. In this study, we focus on advisory services that target the improvement of soil and water quality in Flanders, Belgium. Using a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE), we elicit Flemish farmers’ preferences for advisory strategies in terms of the group size, the interaction format, the provenance of the advisors, the theme of guidance activities, the frequency and the cost of participation. The DCE analysis results, accounting for both homogeneous and heterogeneous preferences, indicate a consistent aversion to government-affiliated advisors and sensitivity to the cost attribute. The latent class model reveals two distinct segments: one pragmatic class, which prioritizes face-to-face interactions, private consultants, and cost considerations, and another more engaged class, open to participating in guidance activities as long as they are not led by government advisors, while still exhibiting a negative sensitivity to cost. We are currently investigating the interaction between our DCE results and covariates representing farmers’ satisfaction with existing advisory activities and their tendencies toward information avoidance.

Keywords: Agribusiness; Crop Production/Industries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 19
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aes025:356774

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.356774

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