IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i24p13556-d697294.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What Skills Do Agricultural Professionals Need in the Transition towards a Sustainable Agriculture? A Qualitative Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Brandt Sørensen

    (Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

  • Lisa Blix Germundsson

    (Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23422 Lomma, Sweden)

  • Stine Rosenlund Hansen

    (Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

  • Claudia Rojas

    (Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile)

  • Niels Heine Kristensen

    (Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark)

Abstract

Agriculture is facing mounting challenges across the globe and must move towards more sustainable practices to combat climate change and meet changed production requirements. Education has been acknowledged as highly important in a sustainable transition, but there is no clear agreement about what skills are needed for professionals in the agricultural system. The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse skills needed for professionals in the agricultural system to engage in the transition towards sustainable agriculture and elaborate on the implications of this for a transition towards sustainable agriculture. The review is based on a qualitative semi-systematic literature review of 20 peer-reviewed articles concerned with sustainability, skills, and agriculture. Five categories of skills were identified and analysed, including systems perspective, lifelong learning, knowledge integration, building and maintaining networks and learning communities, and technical and subject-specific knowledge and technology. As the identified categories of skills have emerged from different contextual settings and a diverse group of actors, these five categories encourage a broad and inclusive understanding of skills that can be translated into different contextual settings, scales, and professions within the agricultural system. The article concludes that professionals engaged in the transition towards sustainable agriculture need skills that encourage a perspective that moves beyond generic discipline-based skills and instead builds on heterogeneity, inclusion, and use of different actors’ knowledge, practices, and experiences, and the ability to respond and be proactive in a constantly changing world.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Brandt Sørensen & Lisa Blix Germundsson & Stine Rosenlund Hansen & Claudia Rojas & Niels Heine Kristensen, 2021. "What Skills Do Agricultural Professionals Need in the Transition towards a Sustainable Agriculture? A Qualitative Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-17, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:13556-:d:697294
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/24/13556/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/24/13556/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    2. Snyder, Hannah, 2019. "Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 333-339.
    3. Rositsa T. Ilieva & Andreas Hernandez, 2018. "Scaling-Up Sustainable Development Initiatives: A Comparative Case Study of Agri-Food System Innovations in Brazil, New York, and Senegal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Jonathan A. Foley & Navin Ramankutty & Kate A. Brauman & Emily S. Cassidy & James S. Gerber & Matt Johnston & Nathaniel D. Mueller & Christine O’Connell & Deepak K. Ray & Paul C. West & Christian Balz, 2011. "Solutions for a cultivated planet," Nature, Nature, vol. 478(7369), pages 337-342, October.
    5. Marco Springmann & Michael Clark & Daniel Mason-D’Croz & Keith Wiebe & Benjamin Leon Bodirsky & Luis Lassaletta & Wim Vries & Sonja J. Vermeulen & Mario Herrero & Kimberly M. Carlson & Malin Jonell & , 2018. "Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits," Nature, Nature, vol. 562(7728), pages 519-525, October.
    6. Janet Dwyer & Marielle Berriet‐Solliec & François Gaël Lataste & Chris Short & Anne Maréchal & Kaley Hart, 2018. "A Social‐Ecological Systems Approach to Enhance Sustainable Farming and Forestry in the EU," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 17(3), pages 4-10, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ane Kirstine Aare & Stine Rosenlund Hansen & Niels Heine Kristensen & Henrik Hauggaard-Nielsen, 2023. "Valuing in the Agrifood System: The Case of Fresh Grain Legumes in Denmark," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Ana Ramalho Ribeiro & Billy Goodburn & Luis Mayor & Line F. Lindner & Christoph F. Knöbl & Jacques Trienekens & Daniel Rossi & Francesca Sanna & Remigio Berruto & Patrizia Busato, 2023. "Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (II): Insights of a European Survey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Luis Mayor & Line F. Lindner & Christoph F. Knöbl & Ana Ramalho & Remigio Berruto & Francesca Sanna & Daniele Rossi & Camilla Tomao & Billy Goodburn & Concha Avila & Marg Leijdens & Katharina Stollewe, 2022. "Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (I): Assessment through European and National Focus Groups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-24, August.
    4. Passarelli, Mariacarmela & Bongiorno, Giuseppe & Cucino, Valentina & Cariola, Alfio, 2023. "Adopting new technologies during the crisis: An empirical analysis of agricultural sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ethan Gordon & Federico Davila & Chris Riedy, 2022. "Transforming landscapes and mindscapes through regenerative agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 809-826, June.
    2. Frits K. Van Evert & Daniel Gaitán-Cremaschi & Spyros Fountas & Corné Kempenaar, 2017. "Can Precision Agriculture Increase the Profitability and Sustainability of the Production of Potatoes and Olives?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica & Stangherlin, Isadora Do Carmo, 2021. "Upcycled by-product use in agri-food systems from a consumer perspective: A review of what we know, and what is missing," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    4. Rikke Marie Moalem & Mette Alberg Mosgaard, 2021. "A Critical Review of the Role of Repair Cafés in a Sustainable Circular Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-25, November.
    5. Béné, Christophe & Oosterveer, Peter & Lamotte, Lea & Brouwer, Inge D. & de Haan, Stef & Prager, Steve D. & Talsma, Elise F. & Khoury, Colin K., 2019. "When food systems meet sustainability – Current narratives and implications for actions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 116-130.
    6. Nawab Khan & Ram L. Ray & Hazem S. Kassem & Sajjad Hussain & Shemei Zhang & Muhammad Khayyam & Muhammad Ihtisham & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Potential Role of Technology Innovation in Transformation of Sustainable Food Systems: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, October.
    7. Katharina Biely & Dries Maes & Steven Passel, 2018. "The idea of weak sustainability is illegitimate," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 223-232, February.
    8. Favourate Y. Mpofu, 2022. "Green Taxes in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges for Environmental Protection, Sustainability, and the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-26, August.
    9. Bowles, Nicholas & Alexander, Samuel & Hadjikakou, Michalis, 2019. "The livestock sector and planetary boundaries: A ‘limits to growth’ perspective with dietary implications," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 128-136.
    10. Marianne Hubeau & Fleur Marchand & Guido Van Huylenbroeck, 2017. "Sustainability Experiments in the Agri-Food System: Uncovering the Factors of New Governance and Collaboration Success," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-23, June.
    11. Achtelik, Timo & Herstatt, Cornelius & Tiwari, Rajnish, 2022. "Frugal sustainability: A new perspective to foster corporate sustainability," Working Papers 112, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, revised 2022.
    12. Anas S. Alamoush & Fabio Ballini & Aykut I. Ölçer, 2021. "Revisiting port sustainability as a foundation for the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)," Journal of Shipping and Trade, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-40, December.
    13. Barjak, F. & Lindeque, J. & Koch, J. & Soland, M., 2022. "Segmenting household electricity customers with quantitative and qualitative approaches," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    14. María-José Ibarrola-Rivas & Sanderine Nonhebel, 2022. "Regional food preferences influence environmental impacts of diets," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(4), pages 1063-1083, August.
    15. Malefors, Christopher & Secondi, Luca & Marchetti, Stefano & Eriksson, Mattias, 2022. "Food waste reduction and economic savings in times of crisis: The potential of machine learning methods to plan guest attendance in Swedish public catering during the Covid-19 pandemic," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    16. Irene Blanco-Gutiérrez & Consuelo Varela-Ortega & Rhys Manners, 2020. "Evaluating Animal-Based Foods and Plant-Based Alternatives Using Multi-Criteria and SWOT Analyses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-26, October.
    17. Vermunt, D.A. & Wojtynia, N. & Hekkert, M.P. & Van Dijk, J. & Verburg, R. & Verweij, P.A. & Wassen, M. & Runhaar, H., 2022. "Five mechanisms blocking the transition towards ‘nature-inclusive’ agriculture: A systemic analysis of Dutch dairy farming," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    18. Mechthild Donner & Anne Verniquet & Jan Broeze & Katrin Kayser & Hugo de Vries, 2021. "Critical success and risk factors for circular business models valorising agricultural waste and by-products," Post-Print hal-03004851, HAL.
    19. Cornelis Leeuwen & Jos Frijns & Annemarie Wezel & Frans Ven, 2012. "City Blueprints: 24 Indicators to Assess the Sustainability of the Urban Water Cycle," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(8), pages 2177-2197, June.
    20. CHEN, Helen S.Y., 2020. "Designing Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains," OSF Preprints m82ar, Center for Open Science.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:13556-:d:697294. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.