Update on sub-project IX: Agricultural policy scenarios for biodiversity-friendly land use options in peripheral areas and their socio-economic analysis [19.08.24]
Pictures A and B are images from FFH hay meadows. Picture C is the stable of one of the respondents. All pictures were taken by Sarah Graf (enumerator team member) in Lörrach during data collection
Field surveys were conducted from May to June 2024, with support from a team of four enumerators across four districts in the southwestern Black Forest: Lörrach, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Waldshut, and Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis. To reduce variability in farming practices, the survey focused on cattle farms with FFH Mähwiesen (hay meadows) with a condition of participant compensation. A semi-structured questionnaire, administered face-to-face, included both quantitative and qualitative questions. The survey collected data on farm structure, plot management, subsidy participation, farmer perceptions of the subsidy system, and demographic information. Various sampling methods were used to recruit participants, resulting in a total of 78 cattle farmers and 261 plots sampled across the four districts.
