Understanding adoption of agricultural practices to improve ecosystem health

Adoption of agricultural practices to reduce the impacts of agricultural systems on the environment is necessary to ensure that ecosystems that deliver substantial economic and social benefits, such as the Great Barrier Reef, are preserved. A shift to more sustainable agricultural systems ultimately depends on landholders’ decisions to adopt new practices. However, the factors influencing land management decisions in globally dependent systems are complex, and therefore not well integrated into environmental programs and policy.

This project seeks to understand factors influencing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in key ecosystems – including the Great Barrier Reef, the Brazilian Cerrado and the Colombia Amazon. The project team, including CFE researchers Dr. Angela Guerrero Gonzalez and Bridget McGlynn are investigating how international trade, peer networks and collaborative governance influence decisions to adopt sustainable practices.

This project is supported by a Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) Fellowship awarded to Dr Angela Guerrero by the Australian Research Council, with support from QUT.

For PhD opportunities associated to this project please contact Dr. Angela Guerrero Gonzalez.