What can the EU learn from the CAP4GI exchange with farmers?
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9. December 2024 - CAP4GI today publishes the English version of its first Policy Brief. This publication, which has already garnered attention at the national level, has now been adapted for the EU context and incorporates valuable insights from farmers in Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg.
The Policy Brief highlights the ongoing challenges in implementing biodiversity-promoting measures in agriculture. It identifies key obstacles such as insufficient payments, excessive bureaucracy, and inflexible regulations. The paper emphasises that the lack of implementation of measures to protect and preserve biodiversity is not due to a lack of interest or motivation among farmers, but rather due to practical difficulties in implementation.
The authors present promising solutions: they propose various measures to eliminate the obstacles preventing farmers from implementing these measures. They also call for a more ambitious design of member states' strategic plans, such as introducing additional eco-regulations or a bonus for multi-year implementation of fallows and flower strips. Furthermore, they recommend leveraging the strengths of innovative agri-environmental approaches, such as the "public goods premium", and expanding advisory services. A key point of the brief is the call for greater involvement of the agricultural profession in the design of agri-environmental support.
These recommendations provide a solid foundation for the further development of agriculture that promotes biodiversity while considering the needs of farmers.