To bean or not to bean : a study about farmers’ resources and their decision to grow broad beans

Abstract: Climate change and sustainability is discussed all over the world. In Sweden, as well as in many other countries worldwide, the food and agricultural system is one of the most important industries. It is both affected by and affecting climate change. Modern agricultural production relies on an increasingly higher use of resources and inputs to maintain a high production level of animal feed and human food. Expansion of legumes could improve resource efficiency and promote diversification of cropping systems which leads to a more sustainable agriculture. Despite all of the potential and benefits of growing more legumes, less than 2 % of the acreage in Sweden was used for legume production in 2018. Broad bean is one of the legumes that can be grown in large parts of Sweden and would be relatively easy to start growing. This study aims to find differences and similarities among farmers who do and do not grow broad beans, to understand what the most determining resources are and how farmers use those resources to make decisions regarding crop planning. A mixed method approach is used in order to gain a deeper understanding through use of qualitative data, and quantitative data to conduct measurements. The data is collected through telephone-interviews with farmers in four counties in Sweden (Uppsala, Västmanland, Östergötland and Västra Götaland). The collected data is analyzed by both a qualitative thematic analysis and a quantitative statistical analysis to test several developed hypotheses. The study concludes that the decision of crop is intimately linked to the business and the farmers’ allocation of recourses. Mainly, the physical resources determine whether the farmer grow broad beans or not. Human resources also influence the decision making of farmers but do not heavily affect the specific decision to grow broad bean or not. In our study farmers’ perception of the broad bean differ. Farmers who grow broad bean view them as an opportunity, while farmers who do not grow broad bean see it as a risk. Broad bean farmers are also more strategic and think in long-term perspective when planning their crop sequence. While the farmers who do not grow broad beans are more flexible and adaptable to changing prerequisites and circumstances. Uncertainty regarding an innovation is an obstacle for adoption. To reach a goal of growing more broad beans in the future, development of new varieties and delivery options could be a way to overcome this uncertainty and make it more suitable and attractive to adopt in to cropping systems.