Work

Are farmers willing to adopt climate-smart Water-Energy-Food-Environment Nexus designs? A case of olive producers in Crete using a participatory choice experiment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Given a closing window of opportunity to address threats posed by climate change, its mitigation and adaptation are high on the agenda of researchers, policymakers, and the public. The Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) Nexus approach can prove useful in the planning and implementation of adaptation actions due to its multi-sectoral nature. In this study, we conduct a discrete choice experiment in Greece to elicit olive producers' preferences for groups of WEFE Nexus climate-smart strategies. Our findings suggest that farmers prefer to adopt less technology-intensive practices, and more common and conventional ones, such as pruning, are the most likely to be adopted. Results obtained highlight the importance for policymakers to increase awareness among agricultural producers, with a targeted approach to different groups of them (traditional, transitioning, environmentally conscious), about climate-smart practices with a special focus on the expected benefits from the adoption of more technology-intensive ones, and to provide technical advice.

Source: Environmental Impact Assessment Review

DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108048

Authors: Olha Halytsia, Maria Vrachioli, Nektarios N. Kourgialas, Johannes Sauer

Institutions: Kyiv School of Economics, Technical University of Munich, Hellenic Agricultural Organization - DIMITRA

Language: English

Topic: Water-Energy-Food Nexus Studies

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Zero hunger, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900