Professional farmer collectives for effective agri-environmental management: an assessment

Figures & data

Figure 1. Framework: three categories and criteria of the professionalization of farmer collectives.

Figure 2. The degree of professionalization of the 38 farmer collectives. The number of collectives rated in mode-1) very poor (red); mode-2) poor (orange); mode-3) fair (yellow); mode-4) good (light green); mode-5) excellent (dark green) based on the assessment framework.

Table 1. The average results of the assessment of the professionalization criteria for all 38 collectives expressed as the mode of scores: (1) very poor (red); (2) poor (orange); (3) fair (yellow); (4) good (light green); (5) excellent (dark green).

Figure 3. Differences in the degree of professionalism of the 38 collectives based on history (presence of Local Environmental Cooperatives (LECs)) expressed in terms of the mode: (1) very poor (red); (2) poor (orange); (3) fair (yellow); (4) good (light green); (5) excellent (dark green).

Figure 4. Differences in professionalism of the 38 collectives based on scale (number of members) expressed in terms of the mode: (1) very poor (red); (2) poor (orange); (3) fair (yellow); (4) good (light green); (5) excellent (dark green).

Figure 5. Differences in professionalism of the 38 collectives based on resources (available budget) expressed in terms of the mode: (1) very poor (red); (2) poor (orange); (3) fair (yellow); (4) good (light green); (5) excellent (dark green).

Figure 6. Differences in professionalism of the 38 collectives based on resources per member expressed in terms of the mode: (1) very poor (red); (2) poor (orange); (3) fair (yellow); (4) good (light green); (5) excellent (dark green).

Table

Category	Characteristics		Indicators
			1	2	3	4	5
The assessment framework for characterizing the degree of organizational professionalization of farmer collectives (Dik et al., 2022).
Organizational	Strategy	A shared strategy (i.e. aspiration, goals and strategy) of which agrobiodiversity to achieve.	No strategy.	One or two parts of the strategy are partly common and shared.	One or two parts of the strategy are common and shared.	A complete strategy is partly common and shared.	A complete strategy is common and shared.
		A shared strategy (i.e. aspiration, goals and strategy) of the type of collective aspired to in order to realize the above.	No strategy.	One or two parts of the strategy are partly common and shared.	One or two parts of the strategy are common and shared.	A complete strategy is partly common and shared.	A complete strategy is common and shared.
	Structure	The organization structure of the primary process of the organization follows the strategy.	No clear structure.	Part of the farmer collective has partly a clear structure that does not follow the strategy.	The farmer collective has a clear structure not following the strategy.	Structure of the organization partly follows the strategy.	Structure of the organization follows the strategy.
		Shared leadership.	No shared leadership.	Shared leadership in 25% of the activities of the farmer collective.	Shared leadership in 50% of the activities of the farmer collective.	Shared leadership in 75% of the activities of the farmer collective.	Shared leadership.
		Segregation of duties between board and executive organization.	No segregation of duties	For 25% of the board members there is a segregation of duties.	For 50% of the board members there is a segregation of duties.	For 75% of the board members there is a segregation of duties.	Complete segregation of duties.
	Enabling systems	Presence and use of systems to monitor and evaluate the agrobiodiversity.	No systems to monitor and evaluate the agrobiodiversity.	Has some systems and doesn't or only partly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the collective’s performance vis-à-vis its strategy.	Has some systems and regularly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the performance vis-à-vis its strategy.	Has all systems and doesn't or only partly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the collective’s performance vis-à-vis its strategy.	Has all systems and regularly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the collective’s performance vis-à-vis its strategy.
		Presence and use of systems to monitor and evaluate the performance of the organization.	No systems to monitor and evaluate the performance of the organization.	Has some systems and doesn't or only partly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the collective’s performance vis-à-vis its strategy.	Has some systems and regularly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the collective’s performance vis-à-vis its strategy.	Has all systems and doesn't or only partly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the collective’s performance vis-à-vis its strategy.	Has all systems and regularly reflects and adjusts in light of the monitoring and evaluation of the collective’s performance vis-à-vis its strategy.
	Learning organization	Knowledge programme.	No programme for the transfer of knowledge within the organization and for learning from others.	Minimal programme for the transfer of knowledge within the organization and for learning from others.	Limited programme for the transfer of knowledge within the organization and for learning from others.	Standard programme for the transfer of knowledge within the organization and for learning from others.	Extensive programme for the transfer of knowledge within the organization and for learning from others.
		Experimentation and innovation.	No experimentation and innovation.	Minimal experimentation and innovation.	Limited experimentation and innovation.	Standard experimentation and innovation.	Extensive experimentation and innovation.

Table

Occupational	Identification of qualifications	Qualifications identified for the various activities within the collective (members, board and employees) and people meet accordingly.	No identified qualifications available.	Identified qualifications are not adequately described and difficult to obtain.	Identified qualifications are not adequately described and obtained.	Identified qualifications are adequately described and difficult to obtain.	Identified qualifications are adequately described and obtained.
	Maintenance and development of qualifications	HR strategy available with follow-up interviews and the opportunity for personal development in order to maintain and develop qualifications. All participants, board members and employees participate.	No HR strategy.	Has a limited HR strategy. Members, board members and employees do not participate or participate only to a limited extent.	Has a limited HR strategy. Members, board members and employees all participate.	Has a clear HR strategy. Members, board members and employees participate only to a limited extent.	Has a clear HR strategy. Members, board members and employees all participate.

Table

Category	Characteristics		Indicators
			1	2	3	4	5
The assessment framework for characterizing the degree of systemic professionalization of farmer collectives (Dik et al., 2022).
Systemic	Network capability	Build, handle and exploit relationships based on trust and reciprocity.	Not able to build, handle and exploit relationships.	Able to build relationships based on trust.	Able to build and handle relationships based on trust.	Able to build, handle and exploit relationships based on trust.	Able to build, handle and exploit relationships based on trust and reciprocity.
	Policy-making capability	Identify opportunities and developments, active in setting the political agenda and awareness-raising, all in line with the strategy.	No policy-making capability.	Limited ability to identify opportunities and developments in line with the strategy.	Able to identify opportunities and developments in line with the strategy.	Able to identify opportunities and developments in accordance with the strategy but has limited activity in setting the political agenda and raising awareness.	Able to identify opportunities and developments in accordance with the strategy and is active in setting the political agenda and raising awareness.
	Entrepreneurial capability	1. Create opportunities for innovation, 2. Build coalitions and collaborate, 3. Exploit financial business opportunities and 4. Execute actions based on mutual understanding between a network of individuals and organizations.	No entrepreneurial capabilities.	Entrepreneurial capabilities in one of the four entrepreneurial capabilities.	Entrepreneurial capabilities in two of the four entrepreneurial capabilities.	Entrepreneurial capabilities in three of the four entrepreneurial capabilities.	Entrepreneurial capabilities in all four entrepreneurial capabilities.

Table

	Board members	Executive organization	Participants
Excursion
Study circles
Workshops
Courses
Sharing knowledge via newsletter and/ or website

Table

Code I	Code II	Code III	Code IV	Code V	Questions
Organization	Strategy	Agrobiodiversity	Aspiration	Not shared	2, 4, 7, 8, 71,72, reports, website
			Goals	Partly shared
			Strategy	Shared
		Kind of collective	Aspiration	Not shared	2, 4, 5, 6, 70, reports, website
			Goals	Partly shared
			Strategy	Shared
	Structure	Organization structure	No clear structure	Doesn't follow strategy	9,10,11, 44,45,46
			Partly clear structure	Partly follows strategy
			Clear structure	Follows strategy
		Shared leadership (SL)	No SL		12, 19
			Partly 25% SL
			Partly 50% SL
			Partly 75% SL
			Complete SL
		Segregation of duties (SD)	No SD		16, 17, 18, 20
			Partly 25% SD
			Partly 50% SD
			Partly 75% SD
			Complete SD
	Enabling systems	Agrobiodiversity	No systems	Don't use to monitor and evaluate the strategy	21, 22, 23, 24, 25
			Some systems	Partly use to monitor and evaluate the strategy
			All systems	Regularly use to monitor and evaluate the strategy
		Performance of the organization	No systems	Don't use to monitor and evaluate the strategy	21, 22, 23, 24, 25
			Some systems	Partly use to monitor and evaluate the strategy
			All systems	Regularly use to monitor and evaluate the strategy
	Learning organization	Knowledge Programme	No		25,26,27,30
			Minimal
			Limited
			Standard
			Extensive
		Innovation	No		28
			Minimal
			Limited
			Standard
			Extensive
Code I	Code II	Code III	Code IV	Code V	Questions
Occupational	Identify qualifications	Board members	No		31, 32, 33, 34,35
			Some
			Complete
		Employees	No		41,42, 43,
			Some
			Complete
		Participants	No		52, 53, 54
			Some
			Complete
	maintenance and development of qualifications	Board members	No		36, 37, 38, 39
			Some
			Complete
		Employees	No		47, 48, 49, 50, 51
			Some
			Complete
		Participants	No		55, 56, 57
			Some
			Complete
Code I	Code II	Code III	Code IV	Code V	Questions
Systemic	Network capability	Build	No		58, 60, 65, 66
			Some
			Yes
		Handle	No		59
			Some
			Yes
		Exploit	No		63, 64
			Some
			Yes
	Policy-making capability	Identify opportunities	No		19, 28, 65
			Some
			Yes
		Agenda setting	No		61
			Some
			Yes
		Raising awareness	No		58, 60
			Some
			Yes
	Entrepreneurship	Create opportunities for innovation	No		19, 28, 64. 65
			Some
			Yes
		Build coalitions	No		58, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66
			Some
			Yes
		Exploit financial business opportunities	Not		66, 68, 69
			Some
			Yes
		Joint execution of actions	No		63, 64, 66
			Some
			Yes

Dik, L., Runhaar, H. A. C., & Termeer, C. J. A. M. (2022). Farmer collectives for more effective agri-environmental schemes? An assessment framework based on the concept of ‘professionalisation’. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 20(4), 543–557. doi:10.1080/14735903.2021.1950389

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