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Agricultural Advisory Services Analysis

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Agricultural Advisory Services Analysis Agricultural advisory services analysis Report to Defra Restricted Commercial ED47617 Issue Number 4 July 2010 Agricultural advisory services analysis Restricted – Commercial AEA/ED47617/Issue 4 Title Agricultural advisory services analysis Customer Defra Customer reference FF0202 Confidentiality, Copyright AEA Technology plc copyright and reproduction This proposal is submitted by AEA in response to the Invitation to Tender issued by Defra dated 20 th November 2009 (ref FFG0912/FF0202). It may not be used for any other purposes, reproduced in whole or in part, nor passed to any organisation or person without the specific permission in writing of the Commercial Manager, AEA. File reference T:\AIR\Projects and precontracts\Coleman_C\ED47617 Agricultural advisory services analysis\4 Report\ Reference number ED 47617 - Issue 4 AEA group 329 Harwell Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 0QJ t: 0870 190 6079 AEA is a business name of AEA Technology plc AEA is certificated to ISO9001 and ISO14001 Author Name Caroline Coleman, Paul Fisher, Hugh Martineau, Karen Miller, Joanne Reid, Jenny Ward and J Webb Approved by Name Hugh Martineau Signature Date 30 Ju ly 2010 ii AEA Restricted – Commercial Agricultural advisory services analysis AEA/ED47617/Issue 4 Executive summary Background In January 2010, AEA was commissioned by Defra to carry out a review of current agricultural advice and to draw from that analysis recommendations for a low carbon advisory service. These recommendations form part of an ongoing process to shape support for famers to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the farming sector. The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan sets an abatement target of 3MtCO 2 per year. An industry-led consortium set out plans for how this target might be met in the Agricultural Industry Greenhouse Gas Action Plan, which is also supported by Defra’s Climate Change Plan. Both make reference to the need for additional advice for farmers to help in achieving the abatement target. Approach The project involved a comprehensive survey of agricultural advice, taking into account published and grey literature through a desk survey. The project evaluated the existing provision of advisory services to the agriculture sector/farmers. This included an assessment of three current models of advice provision namely; • Cross Compliance Advice Programme; • England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative; • Industry Led Initiative - Pesticide Voluntary Initiative. Each was assessed on its monitoring and effectiveness in achieving environmental outcomes. Advisory services from across the agriculture sector were also approached, through an online questionnaire and targeted telephone interviews. This built a view of the current advisory ‘landscape’ and enabled the project team to benefit from the experience and expertise of advisers within the sector. Findings The research set out to answer a wide range of questions to give a view of current advisory provision. The key findings are summarised in section 5, but some of the main points are discussed here. The effectiveness of different approaches was highlighted by the comparison of three advisory services. As might be expected, the more management –intensive approaches enable a greater level of control and monitoring of effectiveness. However, they may also be limited by a lack of flexibility and therefore unable to quickly change their approach in response to new research or other external factors. The project looked at the Pesticides Voluntary Initiative as an example of an industry-led initiative. This approach potentially enables a light touch from Government and buy-in from the farming sector, but may be harder to monitor. The sizes of advice services vary enormously, from single farm consultants operating as sole traders through to national-scale large organisations such as the Agricultural Industries Confederation. There is a mix of funding streams for the advice available to farmers. Much of the public-sector funding comes from Defra Grant In Aid funds to Natural England or from European Common Agricultural Policy funds. Of particular relevance is the Rural Development Programme for England, which is used as a funding stream for agricultural advice at a national and regional level. Measures relating to nutrient management appear to be well catered for within current advice provision, perhaps because of publicly funded advice services such as the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative. Several areas appear to be less well covered, including livestock diet and health, measures relating to energy efficiency and carbon storage. There is also a low level of advice available to farmers on energy crops. There is a possible geographical gap in provision, with coverage appearing relatively low in the South West region. AEA iii Agricultural advisory services analysis Restricted – Commercial AEA/ED47617/Issue 4 Using data from the Scottish Agricultural College Marginal Abatement Cost Curves, it is possible to speculate on the abatement potential of mitigation measures and therefore to prioritise gaps in provision. An analysis of costs and the reach of different approaches in accessing farmers illustrates the complex relationship between cost and numbers of farmers reached. This fits into the wider picture of the effectiveness of advice services in achieving longer term outcomes, investigated through the literature review. Recommendations The conclusions from our research and interviews have led us to believe that a four tier strategy for decision making would assist decision making relating to the provision of low carbon advice to the agriculture industry. Our proposed approach is summarised below. Tier Review and capitalise on mitigation potential of existing public-funded services 1 e.g. Catchment Sensitive Farming, Farm Advice Training and Information Programme, Advice delivered through the Rural Development Programme for England, Cross Compliance, Nitrates Action Programme. Tier Mobilise and assess other existing services, including industry-led initiatives 2 e.g. Levy bodies, National Farmers’ Union, Agricultural Industries Confederation, private sector supply chain activity, Pesticides Voluntary Initiative, Campaign for the Farmed Environment, Tried and Tested (through the Professional Nutrient Management Group) and Livestock Roadmaps. Tier Mobilise independent advisers 3 Establish links with research through information hub. There will be elements of advice that farmers will pay for. There must be sufficient information and training for advisers to deliver this advice. Tier Review costs and abatement potential of remaining gaps and fill if appropriate. Review 4 methods of delivery and incentives for farmers to uptake advice. Consider capital grants where significant on farm investment is required. Explore the opportunity for an industry led initiative to fill part or all of the gaps in advice. iv AEA Restricted – Commercial Agricultural advisory services analysis AEA/ED47617/Issue 4 Table of contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project context ...............................................................................................................1 1.2 Project objectives ...........................................................................................................2 1.3 AEA’s approach .............................................................................................................3 1.4 Statistical validity of results .............................................................................................7 2 Literature review .............................................................................................. 8 2.1 Approaches to agricultural advice provision ....................................................................8 2.2 Effectiveness of current advice programmes ................................................................ 16 3 Survey results and discussion ..................................................................... 31 3.1 Survey participants ....................................................................................................... 31 3.2 Who provides and receives advice ............................................................................... 34 3.3 What advice is given .................................................................................................... 46 3.4 Gaps in coverage ......................................................................................................... 54 3.5 Communications strategies .......................................................................................... 66 3.6 Information sources ...................................................................................................... 68 3.7 Forms of advice ........................................................................................................... 71 3.8 Policy and objectives .................................................................................................... 72 3.9 Success criteria ............................................................................................................ 73 3.10 Attitudes and barriers ................................................................................................... 74 4 Cost of advice ................................................................................................. 77 5 Key findings ...................................................................................................
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