Farm Risk Map: A contextual tool for risk identification and sustainable management on farms

A contextual risk management tool, termed the Farm Risk Map, was designed for risk identification and sustainable management on farms. Design criteria for the tool were that it should be relevant for farmers, holistic, systematic and easy to use. The tool should be comprehensive, but it should also include a one-page summary helping in the visualization of the risks. Major risk categories included in the risk map were farm assets and finance, products and production quality and people safety, as well as risks external to the farm. A constructive research approach was used, incorporating extant literature, surveys among farmers and expert workshops. The tool was also tested on a number of case farms. Farmers were able to take a broader perspective on risk management and to prioritize risks systematically. The Farm Risk Map has been used as a basis for developing new risk management software.