Evaluation of Sustainability of Maize Cultivation in Poland. A Prospect Theory—PROMETHEE Approach

Aleksandra Król, Jerzy Księżak, Elżbieta Kubińska and Stelios Rozakis
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Aleksandra Król: Department of Bioeconomy and Systems Analysis, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation—State Research Institute, 8 Czartoryskich St, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Jerzy Księżak: Department of Forage Crop Production, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation—State Research Institute, 8 Czartoryskich St, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Elżbieta Kubińska: School of Law and Finance, Cracow University of Economics, 27 Rakowicka St, 31-510 Cracow, Poland

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: This study aims at exploiting research outcomes concerning tillage practices in order to make solutions available to farmers to mitigate negative environmental impact to soils. Two alternative practices have been analysed against conventional full tillage based on data provided by a long-term experiment conducted at the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG) farm in Grabów, Central Poland. Reduced Tillage and Direct Sowing are evaluated against Full Tillage on the basis of socio-economic and environmental criteria. Multi-criteria decision analysis undertaken using the PROMETHEE method provided evidence that the ‘optimal’ maize cultivation system depends on the decision maker’s viewpoint and preferences. In fact, criteria selected and related weights elicited from representative farmers, as well as from an expert agronomist, reveal different viewpoints. Direct sowing was the most preferable for the large farm and expert perspective, whereas in case of small farm reduced tillage ranked first. Prospect theory developed by behavioural economists was incorporated to take into account decision biases. As a matter of fact, based on Prospect Theory-PROMETHEE from the small farm and the expert perspective, the conventional system was now ranked first, while for the large farm, the most preferable practice was still direct sowing.

Keywords: maize; tillage systems; multiple-criteria decision analysis; PROMETHEE; prospect theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4263-:d:183727

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