Farmers, Land Managers and Economic Actors

Farmers, foresters, landowners, and developers are key actors in soil governance because they directly manage land. Their everyday decisions shape soil conditions more immediately than most policies or scientific studies. 

Practices such as tillage methods, crop rotations, fertilisation, irrigation, drainage, and construction activities all influence soil structure, biodiversity, nutrient cycles, and carbon storage. 

Governance systems therefore attempt to influence these decisions through a combination of policy instruments: 

• Regulatory standards, which define minimum environmental requirements 
• Financial incentives, such as subsidies or agri-environmental schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 
• Advisory and extension services, which provide technical support for sustainable land management 
• Market-based instruments, including certification systems and ecosystem service payments 

These mechanisms reflect an important reality: soil stewardship is not only an environmental responsibility but also an economic activity embedded within agricultural systems, markets, and land-use planning.