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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Francisco ArealORCiD, Dr Beth ClarkORCiD, RAO Fu, Professor Yit Arn TehORCiD, Professor Lynn FrewerORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2026 The AuthorsAgroforestry (AF) is widely recognised as an effective approach for addressing the climate, biodiversity, and food security impacts of modern agriculture, yet its adoption remains limited. This paper examines the economic, structural, social and policy factors influencing farmer adoption of eight AF practices in Great Britain. Survey data from 315 farmers, including a Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) experiment, are analysed using a spatial multivariate ordered probit model. Farmers show a higher intention to adopt low-intensity practices (e.g., small woods, windbreaks) compared to more transformative integrated systems (silvoarable, silvopasture and agrosilvopasture). The BWS results suggest that the level of financial support is an important consideration when evaluating AF schemes, Farmers prefer schemes that include upfront payments and do not require public access to their land. We further find that the factors affecting the likelihood of adoption differ across the eight practices considered. We argue that strategies aiming to increase AF uptake must be practice-specific and designed to address the distinct technical and perceptual barriers associated with different AF systems (e.g. targeted financial support, and building market infrastructure for silvoarable, coupled with demographically-tailored outreach that aligns scheme communication with farmer identity, age, and location). Scaling up AF requires differentiated, evidence-based interventions that reflect farmer priorities and preferences for specific AF practices.
Author(s): Areal FJ, Remoundou K, Clark B, Jin S, Fu R, Eigenbrod F, Lukac M, Teh YA, Frewer LJ
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Land Use Policy
Year: 2026
Volume: 165
Print publication date: 01/06/2026
Online publication date: 28/02/2026
Acceptance date: 26/02/2026
Date deposited: 09/03/2026
ISSN (print): 0264-8377
ISSN (electronic): 1873-5754
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.108008
DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.108008
Data Access Statement: Data will be made available on request.
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