- University: Technische Universität Dresden
- Place of defence: Dresden
- Hosting institution(s): Irish Agroforestry Forum
- Keywords: Agroforestry, Ecolabelling, Willingness to pay, Technological innovation adoption, Diversification strategy, Sequential mixed methodology, Choice experiment
Abstract
In response to the low afforestation rates in the Republic of Ireland, this study has assessed whether the development of a national AF label has the capacity to incentivise agrarian tree planting. The study employed an explanatory, sequential mixed methodology involving two distinct stages: Stage I and II. Stage I determined the WTP of consumers in Co. Cork through survey-based, quantitative methods. Additionally, the effects of consumer knowledge and socio-demographic characteristics on consumers’ WTP were examined. Stage II investigated which factors are influencing the agrarian adoption of AF and which of these factors might impede AF labelling’s potential to incentivise the agrarian adoption of AF, through an inductive qualitative approach. Through the discussion of the results from Stages I and II, it was determined that if certain factors are addressed, then AF labelling does have the capacity to incentivise agrarian tree planting in the Republic of Ireland. Furthermore, the study has suggested several avenues for future research and recommendations for actors or organisations seeking to pursue AF labelling in the Republic of Ireland.
