AU projectlead:	Anders Branth Pedersen
AU Staff:	Helle Ørsted Nielsen, Louise Martinsen
Financed by:	Danish Environmental Protection Agency
Duration :	2010 - 2013
External partners:	University of Copenhagen
Links:	Summary Report

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The goal of this research project was to examine the opportunities and barriers for improving the effect of Danish agricultural advisors’ consulting efforts with regards to achieving a reduction in farmers’ application of plant protection products. The study focused on agricultural advisors who to some extent advise farmers in Denmark about pesticides in relation to crop production.

It is expected that the project can contribute with new knowledge as to how the regulating authorities can improve the use of agricultural advisors as an important component in the Danish pesticide policy. Specifically, the project expects to achieve this purpose by systematically examining the following questions:

•  How are environmental concerns specifically included in consultancy on crop protection?
• What is the motivation of agricultural advisors for consulting on reduction of the environmen-tal impacts of pesticide use, and what are their perceptions of the risks regarding pesticide use for nature, environment and the economy?
• What is the nature of the advisor-farmer relationship among Danish advisors and farmers?

The research project was based on several different types of data. The end goal of the project was to systematically uncover opportunities and barriers in the consulting efforts. In preparation of a quantitative analysis (distributed to all agricultural advisors in Denmark) of the consulting efforts we conducted explorative studies in the form of qualitative interviews as well as direct observation of farmer-advisor interactions. This serves two main purposes: Firstly, to identify valid variables which subsequently can be studied quantitatively. Secondly, it provides a better basis for the interpretation of the results of the quantitative analysis.