Mitigating diffuse water pollution from agriculture: an interdisciplinary approach using behavioural and catchment science

Evidence shows that conventional agricultural systems, which currently dominate global food production, are a key contributor to diffuse water pollution from agriculture (DWPA). This threatens ecosystems’ and human health, reduces the recreational value of water bodies and increases water treatment costs, adding further impediments towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, integrating agricultural and environmental policies to sustain food production systems while safeguarding water quality is one of today’s most pressing challenges. Previous studies have shown that generally, farmers lack a strong understanding of the link between their practices and DWPA whilst others are unaware of existing best management practices (BMPs). Therefore, in their search for measures to tackle DWPA, policymakers are increasingly focussing on how to improve farmers’ awareness, under the expectation that this will lead to increased adoption of BMPs and improvements in water quality. This suggests an awareness-behaviour-water quality pathway. To date, however, the study of the awareness-behaviour-water quality pathway has been fragmented and insufficient. In this PhD research I applied state-of-the-art interdisciplinary approaches, combining behavioural and catchment science to further our understanding of the complexities of the relationship between farmers’ awareness, behaviour and water quality. This PhD research adopted a collaborative approach, with a focus on the UK. This collaborative approach helped to uncover two key findings. First, awareness influences farmers’ adoption of BMPs, however, this relationship is moderated by experiential learning. It is therefore important that farmers are offered the opportunity to engage in action-oriented learning. The second finding is that awareness influences farmers’ adoption of BMPs and this, in turn, does influence water quality. However, this pathway is moderated by several psychosocial and biophysical factors. This finding suggests that awareness-focussed approaches are promising, but policymakers and catchment managers need to consider these complex factors critically influencing policy outcomes

Applying conditional process modelling to investigate factors influencing the adoption of water pollution mitigation behaviours

AbstractGiven that much of water resource pollution is behavioural in nature, understanding pro-environmental behaviour as well as the complex determinants of such behaviours is key to designing effective policies aimed at addressing the problem. The limited studies that attempt to explore the topic rely typically on first-generation statistical procedures, often failing to address the complexities of pro-environmental behaviour. We apply conditional process modelling to investigate potential determinants of behaviours aimed at mitigating  water pollution—using an extended attitude-behaviour-context model. Results show that knowledge of the sources of water pollution has an effect on attitude towards water resources management. Additionally, situational factors—such as the availability of waste collection bins—influence behaviour in relation to water pollution. These findings suggest the need to deepen awareness on water pollution and to consider situational factors in policy design and implementation.</jats:p

Do socio-demographic groups report different attitudes towards water resource management? Evidence from a Ghanaian case study

Abstract: Understanding the influence of socio-demographic factors on attitudes towards water pollution mitigation measures could help provide good pointers in the design of effective water resources management policies. Yet, very few studies have examined this in the developing country context. Using quantitative methods to analyse survey data from Ghana, the main goal of the current study was to determine whether socio-demographic groups report different attitudes towards water resource management. Results show that females reported higher pro-environmental attitudes than men (and these differences were statistically significant). Additionally, the employed were found to have reported higher pro-environmental attitudes than students and the unemployed, however, we do not find evidence to support the influence of age and educational attainment. Notwithstanding the relatively limited sample, this work offers valuable insights into the different factors that could influence environmental attitudes. Further research is needed on how sociodemographic variables interact with other psychosocial factors to determine environmental attitudes. This could advance our understanding on how different social groups may respond to policies designed to promote pro-environmental behaviour and reduce water pollution

Are stakeholders ready to transform phosphorus use in food systems A transdisciplinary study in a livestock intensive system.

Publication history: Accepted - 18 January 2022; Published online - 12 February 2022.Food systems worldwide are vulnerable to Phosphorus (P) supply disruptions and price fluctuations. Current P use is also highly inefficient, generating large surpluses and pollution. Global food security and aquatic ecosystems are in jeopardy if transformative action is not taken. This paper pivots from earlier (predominantly conceptual) work to develop and analyse a P transdisciplinary scenario process, assessing stakeholders potential for transformative thinking in P use in the food system. Northern Ireland, a highly livestock-intensive system, was used as case study for illustrating such process. The stakeholder engagement takes a normative stance in that it sets the explicit premise that the food system needs to be transformed and asks stakeholders to engage in a dialogue on how that transformation can be achieved. A Substance Flow Analysis of P flows and stocks was employed to construct visions for alternative futures and stimulate stakeholder discussions on system responses. These were analysed for their transformative potential using a triple-loop social learning framework. For the most part, stakeholder responses remained transitional or incremental, rather than being fundamentally transformative. The process did unveil some deeper levers that could be acted upon to move the system further along the spectrum of transformational change (e.g. changes in food markets, creation of new P markets, destocking, new types of land production and radical land use changes), providing clues of what an aspirational system could look like. Replicated and adapted elsewhere, this process can serve as diagnostics of current stakeholders thinking and potential, as well as for the identification of those deeper levers, opening up avenues to work upon for global scale transformation.This research forms part of the RephoKUs project (The role of Phosphorus in the Resilience and Sustainability of the UK food system), funded by the Global Food Security’s ‘Resilience of the UK Food System' Programme with funding from the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Scottish Government (Grant No. BB/R005842/1

What matters most? Stakeholders’ perceptions of river water quality

The need to integrate stakeholders’ views into environmental policy is increasingly gaining attention because this offers the opportunity to design sustainable and synergistic environmental strategies. Understanding and integrating the views of resource users into policy design and implementation could help address the most important challenges, gain community support, enhance project ownership, and avoid policies being rejected by local people. As a result, research in environmental management has focussed on stakeholders’ perceptions of river water quality and how to integrate such views into policy. While existing studies offer insights into the different ways in which stakeholders evaluate river water quality and potential factors influencing judgements, they appear to be limited in a number of ways. First, most of these studies focus on developed countries and may have limited contextual relevance to the developing world. Moreover, past studies focus on segments of society such as farmers and mainly on wastewater for agriculture. These shortcomings may limit our understanding of the topic and our ability to design effective policies to address water quality problems. Drawing on survey data from the Wenchi municipality in Ghana, we examine public perceptions of what constitute important measures of river water quality as well as factors influencing such judgements. Results suggest that while variables such as taste, colour, smell and litter are important, the presence of faecal matter in and/or around the river was rated the most important measure of river water quality while depth of river was the least important. Results further suggest that education, age, number of years a person had lived in a community, depth of river and the presence of aquatic vegetation influence water quality judgements. The findings of this research provide insights into what policymakers and regulators need to consider when attempting to influence behaviours in relation to water resources. We note, however, that while public perceptions of river water quality could guide water management policies, scientific measurements of water quality must not be replaced with stakeholder perceptions. This is because aspects such as ecological integrity may not be important to segments of the public but are an important aspect of water management. This is reinforced in the present study as there seems to be a lack of concern among the participants regarding river depth – an important factor for habitat provision and pollution dilution

UK phosphorus transformation strategy: towards a circular UK food system

This report sets out the UK’s first comprehensive national phosphorus transformation strategy, based on extensive stakeholder consultation across the UK food system, in addition to economic modelling and biophysical analyses. It forms part of a larger, 3-year, UKRI-funded research effort, the RePhoKUs project

Unpacking the moderating role of age and gender in the belief–behaviour link: a study within the context of water resources pollution

In Ghana, water resources represent a symbol of cultural authority, spiritual strength and a major source of wealth and power. To preserve these resources, taboos and customary practices were instituted as precepts in precolonial Ghanaian societies to regulate access. However, recent studies claim that the proliferation of Western religions has significantly diminished the potency of these centuries-long belief systems, with a potential impact on the role of beliefs on behaviours. Applying conditional process modelling to survey data from four rural communities in Ghana, we explore whether some beliefs influence pro-environmental behaviours in relation to water resources pollution; and examine the potential factors that moderate this link. Results show that some belief factors predict pro-environmental behaviour. However, this link depends on gender and age. The present study thus advances our understanding of the complex ways in which beliefs interact with sociodemographic variables to influence the adoption of pro-environmental behaviours

Applying conditional process modelling to investigate factors influencing the adoption of water pollution mitigation behaviours

Abstract: Given that much of water resource pollution is behavioural in nature, understanding pro-environmental behaviour as well as the complex determinants of such behaviours is key to designing effective policies aimed at addressing the problem. The limited studies that attempt to explore the topic rely typically on first-generation statistical procedures, often failing to address the complexities of pro-environmental behaviour. We apply conditional process modelling to investigate potential determinants of behaviours aimed at mitigating water pollution—using an extended attitude-behaviour-context model. Results show that knowledge of the sources of water pollution has an effect on attitude towards water resources management. Additionally, situational factors—such as the availability of waste collection bins—influence behaviour in relation to water pollution. These findings suggest the need to deepen awareness on water pollution and to consider situational factors in policy design and implementation

Applying conditional process modelling to investigate factors influencing the adoption of water pollution mitigation behaviours

AbstractGiven that much of water resource pollution is behavioural in nature, understanding pro-environmental behaviour as well as the complex determinants of such behaviours is key to designing effective policies aimed at addressing the problem. The limited studies that attempt to explore the topic rely typically on first-generation statistical procedures, often failing to address the complexities of pro-environmental behaviour. We apply conditional process modelling to investigate potential determinants of behaviours aimed at mitigating  water pollution—using an extended attitude-behaviour-context model. Results show that knowledge of the sources of water pollution has an effect on attitude towards water resources management. Additionally, situational factors—such as the availability of waste collection bins—influence behaviour in relation to water pollution. These findings suggest the need to deepen awareness on water pollution and to consider situational factors in policy design and implementation.</jats:p