Why Farmers Choose Sustainable Practices | Dr. Nick Magliocca

Описание: Welcome back to WaterWorks! In this month's talk, Dr. Nicholas Magliocca from The University of Alabama reveals how the Socio-Agroclimatology project uses convergence science to investigate the social processes that influence farmers' choices about sustainable agriculture practices in Alabama and across the Southeast.

This presentation examines why many past agricultural research initiatives have had limited long-term success in driving systemic change—likely due to the lack of intentional and structured convergence between researchers, community partners and affected communities. Dr. Magliocca explores how farmers' adoption decisions affect land-atmosphere feedbacks that influence regional climate patterns, and why overcoming barriers to farm economic security and resource access matters for water resources sustainability and rural livelihoods.

Socio = Social processes (how farmers make decisions, community dynamics, barriers to adoption)
Agro = Agricultural systems (farming practices, land use)
Climatology = Climate systems (land-atmosphere feedbacks, regional weather patterns)

The project investigates how these three systems interact - specifically, how social factors influence farmers' choices to adopt certain agricultural practices, and how those agricultural choices then affect land-atmosphere interactions that influence regional climate.

It's essentially studying the human-agriculture-climate connection as an integrated system rather than separate pieces.

Key Topics:
Why convergence between researchers, farmers and communities is essential for driving durable impact
How convergence science identifies deep leverage points across social, agricultural and climate systems
Social processes behind farmers' decisions to adopt hazard-smart and resilient agriculture practices in Alabama
Effects of agricultural choices on land-atmosphere feedbacks and regional climate
Transformative pathways to overcome individual and societal barriers facing farmers
Why fostering social, methodological and knowledge integration creates lasting change

⏱️ Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction with Dr. Nick Magliocca
01:44 Agrifood Systems Talk Begins
03:29 The Problem
04:00 Alabama Farmers Share Thoughts
07:06 What This Project Is About
07:25 Research Questions
10:12 Theory of Change
11:56 Transition Pathways
20:32 Research Question 1 - Land Surface Atmosphere Feedbacks
26:10 Research Question 2 - Adoption of HRSA Practices
38:29 Convergence Research Approach

About the Speaker:
Dr. Nicholas Magliocca is an associate professor in the Department of Geography & the Environment at The University of Alabama. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; a master's in environmental management from Duke University; and a bachelor's in ecology, behavior and evolution from the University of California, San Diego. His research focuses on human-environmental interactions and land-use change, specifically how people make land-use decisions, how those decisions modify natural systems and how those modifications feedback on human well-being, livelihoods and subsequent land-use decisions. His current work focuses on how transformative change in the Southeast's agrifood systems can be achieved and the implications for land system and water resources sustainability, rural livelihoods and public health.

More Information:
💧 Visit the Alabama Water Institute: https://awi.ua.edu
🔬 Human-Environment Interactions Modeling and Analysis (HEIMA) - https://sites.ua.edu/heima/

🔌 Connect with Alabama Water Institute:
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📍 Presented By:
The University of Alabama
Alabama Water Institute

Music:
"Silver Seven Step" by Ross Bugden:    / @rossbugden      • Ross Bugden - Silver Seven Step  

#WaterScience #Hydrology #WaterSecurity #Farmers #Agrifood #Socioagroclimatology #FarmingScience