Seventeenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Recent research evidence supports the importance of understanding the linkage between the social-ecological system (SES) variables of soil carbon management (SCM) in Australian agriculture for sustainable production in a changing climate. This study attempts an interdisciplinary approach (e.g. Ostrom’s SES framework) to explore the relationships of the social-ecological variables for SCM of the dryland grazing system of New South Wales Australia. The relationships between variables and their associated indicators were explored by farm-level interviews (N=30) in terms of resource systems, the environment, the governance systems, and actors. The causal relationships (e.g. interactions, feedbacks) of SES indicators of SCM was examined by using participatory workshops with scientists and farmers. Initial results suggest that farmers choose management practices to build carbon for a number of reasons but the information on soil properties, climatic conditions, and landscape characteristics have limited influence on their choices. However, these environmental variables have been shown in the literature to predominantly influence the long-term sequestration of soil carbon in grazing lands. Majority (85%) of the interviewed farmers were unaware of the government carbon policy (e.g. climate solution funds). Farmers’ social network informally established information on carbon building processes, focused on increased production and profits. This study developed a fuller SES framework of SCM based on the farm level information of the variables and their relationships. Our SES framework can be useful to policymakers and farmers to ensure holistic farm management to store carbon by understanding the SES dynamics of the grazing systems of Australia.