Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
The study is part of the Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) programme. UK crop production is vulnerable to plant diseases that directly affect crop yields, disrupt the food chain and impact on land use and social infrastructure. Diseases of non-food plants perturb our natural environment. Modern farming is heavily influenced by science and technology and includes measures taken to prevent, diagnose, control and deal with the consequences of disease. Recent sociological conceptions of ‘risk society’ argue that we are now faced with ‘manufactured risks’ created by our use of technology and knowledge on the natural world. Until now, a detailed study of current and future risks posed by crop and non-crop diseases to land use and the rural economy has not been conducted. The aim of this Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) funded project is to develop an interdisciplinary appraisal of the potential impacts of plant diseases and to consider aspects of an holistic approach to policy formulation. Such an initiative is very timely given the recent wave of ‘future studies’ by Think Tanks and various rural government departments to better understand potential impacts and thus avoid creating a scenario where farming and food production are regarded as an industry of growing uncertainty and risk. A balanced programme of work has been devised to include case study examples of contemporary diseases, including diseases transmitted either primarily by trade dissemination (Ramorum dieback and mushroom virus X) or by natural transmission (potato blight and Septoria/tan spot of cereals), and will include both food and non-food crops. Further information for this study may be found through the ESRC Research Catalogue webpage: Growing risk? The potential impact of plant disease on land use and the UK rural economy.
Main Topics:
In-depth interviews with farmers and supply chain actors covering perception of plant disease risk and their mode of plant disease management, economics and impacts of disease on their business, for supply chains for two farming sectors: potatoes and wheat. Lincolnshire and Herefordshire/Gloucestershire were selected as comparative regions for study, based on disease incidence mapping of septoria and potato blight, and location quotients of wheat and potato production. Postal survey of key stakeholders, studying their views on possible links between plant diseases and different supply chains.
Purposive selection/case studies
Face-to-face interview
