Publications (FIS)

More than spatial coordination

How Dutch agricultural collectives foster social capital for effective governance of agri-environmental measures

authored by
Rena Barghusen, Claudia Sattler, Richard Berner, Bettina Matzdorf
Abstract

Collective approaches for agri-environmental measures are known for aiming at spatial coordination of measures to enhance ecological effectiveness. In the Netherlands, governance networks for agri-environmental measures are centered around agricultural collectives that function as intermediaries between individual farmers and governmental as well as non-governmental actors. Against the background that some agricultural collectives are bottom-up and other top-down initiated, we analyzed in how far they can build up social capital through formal and informal relations. We used the Net-Map method to collect qualitative and quantitative data for a Social Network Analysis to uncover the network characteristics that contribute to a certain level of social capital. The results revealed that the umbrella organization links the collectives to the national governmental level and to other collectives. This is especially important for top-down initiated collectives. The facilitation of internal meetings within the collectives is important for social learning. Furthermore, a formalization of the exchange between collectives and stakeholders of nature conservation could strengthen cooperation where traditionally conflicts dominate. By analyzing interaction in detail, the social reasoning to promote collective agri-environmental measures was highlighted. They enable collaboration of different stakeholders at multiple levels to the end that knowledge and resources are bundled.

Organisation(s)
Institute of Environmental Planning
External Organisation(s)
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin)
Type
Article
Journal
Journal of Rural Studies
Volume
96
Pages
246-258
No. of pages
13
ISSN
0743-0167
Publication date
12.2022
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Geography, Planning and Development, Development, Sociology and Political Science
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.10.023 (Access: Open)