The ‘how to’ on incentivising farmers to adapt Fusarium mycotoxin management of wheat

Summary:

Infection of wheat with the fungus Fusarium species can lead to crop diseases resulting in reduced wheat yield, loss of quality of the kernels and contamination with mycotoxins which are toxic to animals and humans. Farmers play a key role in reducing this infection and contamination with mycotoxins by their agronomic management. The aim of this thesis was to explore how these farmers could be stimulated (incentivised) to adapt their agronomic management. Via an online questionnaire, information on farm and farmer characteristics, the pre-harvest measures implemented by the farmers, and farmers’ intention to adapt their agronomic management approach under specified incentive mechanisms was collected from wheat farmers in the Netherlands, Italy, Serbia and the United Kingdom. Results of this thesis can support policy makers in developing more tailor-made incentives to stimulate different groups of farmers to adapt their Fusarium species and mycotoxin management.