Introduction
Materials and methods
Case study regions and data collection (semi-structured interviews)
Cultivated crops | Landscape lab 1 (%) | Landscape lab 2 (%) |
---|---|---|
Wheat [Triticum aestivum] | 44 | 15 |
Barley [Hordeum vulgare] | 14 | 14 |
Maize [Zea mays] | 11 | 32 |
Rapeseed [Brassia napus] | 15 | 12 |
Sugar beets [Beta vulgaris] | 6 | 0 |
Alfalfa [Medicago sativa] | 0 | 16 |
Other crops | 10 | 11 |
Total | 100 | 100 |
Analytical framework (as a base map for semantic web analysis)
Data analysis procedure (semantic web analysis)
Results
Individual- interior dimension
Importance of insect biodiversity
Regarding EDS, the vast majority of farmers (19) mentioned that their agricultural activities are affected by agricultural pests through harmful insects (mostly aphids, corn borer [Ostrinia nubilalis], rape pollen beetle [Brassicogethes aeneus]). Other supporting ES, such as the decomposition services and seed dispersal by insects, were not mentioned by any farmer. About half of the farmers (12) stated other values of insects beyond agricultural ES and EDS, which included insects’ ecological importance as nutrition for other species (mainly birds were mentioned) and as crucial part of the whole ecological system. Farmers who associated the importance of insects directly to specific beneficial species (or groups of insects) almost always referred to the honeybee [Apis mellifera] (5 farmers) and seldom to ladybirds.Well, without insects there is no pollination and without pollination I obviously will not be able to harvest rape. Wheat and barley are self-pollinating, I think. But it is not just that—–The whole orcharding sector [does not work] without insects (Farmer 8).
Perception of insect biodiversity loss
There has been a decrease [in insects], just considering that we have much less flies here, which is also a result of the general restructuring of farms. There is rarely any animal husbandry anymore, all the dung heaps have disappeared. As a result, there is a lack of food sources for other insects and birds that we have as well (Farmer 4).
I have not noticed yet that there are too few insects. […] My sugar beets and my wheat is also full of aphids and wheat midges and all that. Maybe that is climate-dependent if it is dry all the time, insects struggle as well, just like last year. And if this year is warm and humid, it might be a bit better for the insects. And the year before we had enough insects as well, back then, my car was plastered with insects. But maybe it is also a political topic. Everyone is attracted to it (Farmer 14 from same region as farmer 4).
Openness to new insect-friendly measures
Well, it is always beneficial, if you could grow grass or do something positive [for insects]. It is not just me but other farmers are certainly also willing to do something [and] if it is subsidised accordingly. There always has to be a conformity, the agricultural sector has to live and survive as well (Farmer 21).
Societal-interior dimension
Farmers’ self-identifications
We ourselves or the farmers in particular are actually also very close to nature and we also want that there are more insects (Farmer 15).
Perceived view of the society on farmers
Of course the farmers are missing a bit of recognition. That used to be different. […] Back in the days, the farmer was responsible for the production of food and for the preservation of mankind […]. In my opinion, there is no real appreciation for what we provide to the world (Farmer 18).
We are the farmers without a face. There are only discussions on glyphosate, dying bees and such things. People observe farmers driving by with a crop protection sprayer and say: “Look, he is spraying poison again”. They have no idea what we are doing there. We might as well spray fertilizer (Farmer 23).
Individual-exterior dimension
Conventional farming and the use of pesticides
It is a tool [glyphosat] and we need that tool. We cannot send a plumber out without a pipe wrench. It does not work (Farmer 16).
You do not spray just like that, you also check if there actually are [harmful] insects and if they are there, you simply have to do something about it (Farmer 13).
Applied insect-friendly measures by farmers
Societal-exterior dimension
Prohibition of neonicotinoids—short “neonics” (and other pesticides)
I’m bringing out pyrethroids now. Every beneficial insect that is there then, actually working in my favour, I have to kill as well, unfortunately. Before, that had never been the case. Before, small doses [of neonicotinoids] were applied to the seeds, professionally. But you just have to see it that way that from my point of view, the situation for insects has worsened in this respect. Because around the neonicotinoids there really is hysteria (Farmer 10).
Unbalanced agricultural policies
It is [politically] preferred that the rain forest is cleared. Every year a few thousand hectares. But we still have to sign a self-declaration that we are not going to plant our renewable resources on ploughed grassland by no means. It makes me sick to my stomach, every time. But the rain forest may just disappear (Farmer 12).
Economic pressure
It is critically that profitability still plays a decisive role. Leasing prices are high, fertilizer prices are high and no farmer can afford to harvest less from their plots under these conditions. If growing crops for biogas plants becomes more interesting and the profit is appropriate, then, many farmers will rethink their position, in my opinion (Farmer 18).
You have to cultivate diversely; it does not work any other way today. But there has to be a market and there has to be a profit in the end. Farmers are totally constricted. The global market puts a lot of pressure on us (Farmer 19).