Exchange and Policy Recommendations - Successful Event Concludes CAP4GI

3 February 2025 - More attractive remuneration, scope for regional adjustments, increased participation, and courage to implement innovative funding models: On 28 January 2025, the partners of the project CAP4GI presented their research findings and policy recommendations. These are based on more than three years of research and dialogue with actors from practice on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). At the closing event 'Paths to a Better CAP - Effective for Biodiversity, Attractive for Agriculture,' around 80 decision-makers from politics and ministries, as well as experts from science, agriculture, and nature conservation, met at the invitation of adelphi research and the umbrella organization Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR) at the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg in Berlin.

The project team presented its analysis of existing challenges in the implementation of environmental measures in agriculture. The presented solutions were to a considerable part developed in exchange with farmers in the six project regions in Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg. The research work also included innovative implementation models for sustainable agri-environmental support, modelling work on improved incentives for the promotion of field hedges, and a model on the impact of agricultural practices on wildlife species. The event also provided numerous opportunities for exchange and networking among all participants.

An important result of the work: There is indeed interest in agriculture in testing new funding models, such as the common good premium or cooperative approaches. The results show that agri-environmental support needs more room for regional adjustments. At the same time, obstructive regulations should be revised and the communication of funding and advisory services improved. The active involvement of farmers and other stakeholders from the planning phase to implementation is considered particularly important. Research can provide options for action - however, the decisions lie with politics.

DNR and adelphi research see good starting points in the results for further development of targeted remuneration for environmental services. This also corresponds to the recommendations of the 'Zukunftskommission Landwirtschaft".

Read the summary of the project results (in German) and further publications of the project.