TY - JOUR

T1 - Controlled traffic farming and field traffic management

T2 - Perceptions of farmers groups from Northern and Western European countries

AU - Tamirat, Tseganesh Wubale

AU - Pedersen, Søren Marcus

AU - Farquharson, Robert John

AU - de Bruin, Sytze

AU - Forristal, Patrick Dermot

AU - Sørensen, Claus Grøn

AU - Nuyttens, David

AU - Pedersen, Hans Henrik

AU - Thomsen, Maria Nygård

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - As farming machinery size and weight increases, soil compaction continues to threaten mechanized agriculture. Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) minimizes soil compaction in the crop zone by restricting traffic to permanent tracks. The adoption of CTF in Europe is low. This study enhances the understanding of farmers' needs and perceptions concerning the application of CTF by analyzing survey data from 103 farmers sampled from 8 European countries. The study adopted a descriptive approach to data analysis. Awareness about traffic-induced soil compaction is high among surveyed farmers and there are positive perceptions about the potential of CTF. The major factors limiting adoption of CTF appear to be: lack of compatibility in machinery and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) by different manufacturers; expense (equipment purchase, Real-time Kinematic (RTK) signal, machinery modification); lack of demonstrated benefits under local conditions; incomplete knowledge of research findings and decision support tools; and a perception that CTF is not for small farms. The following interventions are suggested for future development and use of CTF: a shift towards lighter, simpler, adaptable, and energy effective machinery; adapted market models for cost-effective provision of basic services; demonstration of costs and benefits under local conditions in tandem with demand-driven decision support tools as well as standardization of equipment and positioning systems.

AB - As farming machinery size and weight increases, soil compaction continues to threaten mechanized agriculture. Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) minimizes soil compaction in the crop zone by restricting traffic to permanent tracks. The adoption of CTF in Europe is low. This study enhances the understanding of farmers' needs and perceptions concerning the application of CTF by analyzing survey data from 103 farmers sampled from 8 European countries. The study adopted a descriptive approach to data analysis. Awareness about traffic-induced soil compaction is high among surveyed farmers and there are positive perceptions about the potential of CTF. The major factors limiting adoption of CTF appear to be: lack of compatibility in machinery and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) by different manufacturers; expense (equipment purchase, Real-time Kinematic (RTK) signal, machinery modification); lack of demonstrated benefits under local conditions; incomplete knowledge of research findings and decision support tools; and a perception that CTF is not for small farms. The following interventions are suggested for future development and use of CTF: a shift towards lighter, simpler, adaptable, and energy effective machinery; adapted market models for cost-effective provision of basic services; demonstration of costs and benefits under local conditions in tandem with demand-driven decision support tools as well as standardization of equipment and positioning systems.

KW - Controlled traffic farming

KW - Europe

KW - Farmer perception

KW - Soil compaction

U2 - 10.1016/j.still.2021.105288

DO - 10.1016/j.still.2021.105288

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85120905586

VL - 217

JO - Soil & Tillage Research

JF - Soil & Tillage Research

SN - 0167-1987

M1 - 105288

ER -