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Identifying innovation discourses for nitrogen management in the sugarcane sector in Great Barrier Reef catchments using Q-methodology

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Buckwell, A., Ribbeck, M., Dyke, J., Smart, J. and Edeson, G. (2023) Identifying innovation discourses for nitrogen management in the sugarcane sector in Great Barrier Reef catchments using Q-methodology. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 191 . p. 114851. ISSN 0025-326X

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Article Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114851

Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X23002825

Abstract

Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) run-off from sugarcane farms along Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) coast is implicated in poor catchment water quality and putting pressure on reef health. Reducing DIN is the focus of innovative policies to cut pollution and to maximize social benefit across economic sectors. We use Q-methodology to gain insight into discourses present amongst sugarcane sector stakeholders in GBR catchments. Issue statements, which we aligned with concepts from the Theory of Planned Behaviour, were ranked and correlations identified to generate factors that informed our descriptions of discourses. We found four discourse groups we called sector stalwarts, scientific rationalists, economic maximisers, and sector defenders. We also collected respondent demographic data from which we could judge the propensities of respondent groups to identify with different discourses. This information can help industry innovators and policymakers identify the attributes, mindsets, and appropriate language metaphors for engaging stakeholders in reducing catchment pollution.

Item Type:Article
Corporate Creators:Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland
Business groups:Agriculture
Keywords:Payment for ecosystem services Water quality trading Pollution abatement
Subjects:Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Agriculture and the environment
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Fertilisers
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Conservation of natural resources
Plant culture > Field crops > Sugar plants
Aquaculture and Fisheries > Fisheries > By region or country > Australia > Great Barrier Reef
Agriculture > By region or country > Australia > Queensland
Live Archive:17 Apr 2023 06:28
Last Modified:17 Apr 2023 06:28

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