What is required of and what drives a soil health entrepreneur?

Last changed: 26 March 2024
Farmer holds shovel with dirt

The project aims to conduct supplementary qualitative in-depth interviews to a study that the Swedish Agency for Agriculture has carried out during 2021–2022 (the report is not ready yet).

The purpose of the Swedish Agricultural Agency's project was to describe the systems of some soil health contractors, from a technical and agronomic perspective. The supplement includes in-depth interviews with four of these soil health entrepreneurs with questions about their driving forces, knowledge needs, value base, experiences and relationships, which have and have had an impact on their decision to change their cultivation systems. What can we learn from those who go before, so that we can support those who come after?

Funding: Fred med jorden.

Main applicant: Christina Lundström, SLU RådNu.

Project period: 2021–2022.

Facts:

Research questions:

  • How do farmers applying soil health promoting cropping systems (such as CA and regenerative agriculture) justify their choice of management practices?
  • What are the knowledge and advice needs of farmers who are interested in developing their farming practices towards strategies that promote soil health?