Main authors: Isobel Wright, Jenny Rowbottom 
FAIRWAYiS Editor: Jane Brandt
Source documents: »Oenema, O. et al. 2018. Review of measures to decrease nitrate pollution of drinking water sources. FAIRWAY Project Deliverable 4.1, 125 pp
»Commelin, M. et al. 2018. Review of measures to decrease pesticide pollution of drinking water sources. FAIRWAY Project Deliverable 4.2, 79 pp
»Velthof, G. et al. 2020. Identification of most promising measures and practices. FAIRWAY Project Deliverable 4.3, 72 pp

 

One of FAIRWAY's major research themes is the identification and assessment of most promising measures and practices to decrease nitrate and pesticide pollution of drinking water supplies by agriculture (see »Farming practices: review and assessment).

Data and information collected from the Anglian Region case study was used in the research tasks as described here. Pesticide, rather than nitrate, pollution is the main issue in this area.


Contents table
1. Measures to decrease pesticide pollution
2. Effectiveness of nitrate and pesticide measures

1. Measures to decrease pesticide pollution

In »Review of measures to decrease pesticide pollution of drinking water sources we describe how FAIRWAY also built on insights and results gathered in EU-wide and global projects and studies. We provide an overview and assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of measures aimed at decreasing pesticide pollution of drinking water sources. Again, as part of the review, the Anglian Region case study provided an overview of the measures that have been implemented in the local area.

Names of measures 1. Network engagement (information events/discussions/ field days)
2. Alternative product substitution (replace metaldehyde with ferric phosphate)
3. Limited intervention (control for comparison) Metaldehyde best practices – innovative approaches to farmer engagement
Target Quality surface water resources 
Description

The Anglian region case study is a social science approach to understanding farmer motivation for uptake of ‘best practice’ for farm management systems to mitigate on farm pesticide use with a specific reference to the use of metaldehyde (slug control), and its impact on drinking water bodies. The UoL study, in conjunction with Anglian Water(AW) is comparing three approaches to encourage behavioural change in farmers to reduce on-farm pesticide usage, across three different areas in the Anglian region:

  1. Knowledge transfer through network engagement with agronomists and farmers by Anglian Water catchment advisors,
  2. Product substitution for metaldehyde and subsidies to offset increase product cost to the farmer; the substitute product is easier to remove from drinking water. In these areas, the AW’s “Slug It Out” campaign in 2015, secured 100% farmer agreements on over 7,600ha, to switch to an alternative method of slug control using ferric phosphate. Water quality has been monitored. Farmers receive a financial incentives for:
    a) Joining the scheme
    b) Price difference in product price ( ferric phosphate is more expensive)
    c) Bonus if the whole catchment is below the WFD individual pesticide level (0.1µg/l)
  3. In a catchment with minimum intervention by Anglian Water, looking at the development of innovative approaches to farmer engagement based on multiple actor platforms (MAPs) - this area is in the Cringle Brook Catchment. This approach will be monitored and compared to the two other modes of farmer engagement.

UoL (LIAT) are using surveys and interviews with farmers in the three study areas, to gather data around farmers’ current pesticide handling behaviour and practices, business characteristics, factors influencing practices and cost-effectiveness as well as wider effects.

Mode of action Reduction of input through behaviour change
Expected effectiveness Unknown 
Expected cost Unknown 
Underpinning Unknown 
Applicability Unknown 
Adoptability

1. Knowledge Transfer – unknown;
2. Product substitution – Yes, more than 75% of the addressees (post SIO will determine the sustainbility and adoption of this method);
3. MAP ( Cringle Brook) - Unknown 

Other benefits Unknown 
Disadvantages Unknown 
References
  • J. Mills et al (2017). Engaging farmers in enviromental management through a better understanding of behaviour. Agric Hum Values(2017) 34:83-299
  • K Prager, Rl Creaney (2017) Achieving on-farm practice change through facilitated group learning:
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of monitor farms and discussion . Journal of Rural Studies 56(2017) 1 -11
  • M Le Gall, J F. Tooker (2017)Developing ecologically based pest management programs for terrestrial molluscs in field and forage crops. J Pest Sci (2017) 90:825–838
  • S.P. Pullan et al.(2016). Development and application of a catchment scale pesticide fate and transport model for use in drinking water risk assessment. Science of Total Environment 563-564 (2016) 434- 447
  • J.W. Bloodworth et al. (2015) Developing a multi-pollutant conceptual framework for the selection and targeting of interventions in water industry catchment management schemes.Journal of Environmental Management 161 (2015) 153e162 M.
  • Reed et al (2017) A theory of participation: what makes stakeholder and public engagement in environmental managementwork? Restoration Ecology
  • J de Vente et al.(2016) How does the context and design of participatory decision making processes affect their outcomes? Evidence from sustainable land management in global drylands.Ecology and Society 21(2): 24
  • Herman Brouwer and Jim Woodhill with Minu Hemmati, Karèn Verhoosel and Simone van Vugt The MSP guide 2016 Herman Brouwer& Jan Brouwers MSP Tool Guide

2. Effectiveness of nitrate and pesticide measures

The information about 34 different nitrate mitigation measures, implemented locally in 10 different FAIRWAY case studies, was collected and analysed. The measures were aggregated by type and the average/overall scores for effectivity, cost, applicability, and adoptability were assessed from the individual records and comments. See »Management practices that reduce nitrate transport - Results and discussion - Case studies.

Similarly, information about 17 different pesticide mitigation measures, implemented locally in 7 different FAIRWAY case studies, was collected and analysed. The measures were evaluated for their cost and effectiveness for reducing pollution of groundwater and surface water. See »Management practices that reduce pesticide transport - Results - Case studies
 


Note: For full references to papers quoted in this article see

» References

 

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