Improving funding scheme for landscape-scale agri-environmental management

Improving funding scheme for landscape-scale agri-environmental management

by | May 7, 2021 | Work progress

Katrin Prager (University of Aberdeen) from the Contracts2.0 team carrying out UK case study work provided input for a feedback call on the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund. This funding scheme supports farmer collaboration and landscape-scale agri-environmental management. The feedback call was commissioned by England’s Rural Payments Authority (RPA) and run by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). The GWCT has now passed on a 33-page document of feedback. The feedback provides input to the responsible agencies and government department DEFRA, Natural England and RPA to help improve the funding scheme and collective efforts to strengthen the farmed environment.

For other ways that GWCT supports farmer collaboration, see the farmer cluster website: actions are intended to help form projects, gain inspiration and momentum and raise awareness for landscape-scale conservation.

Co-designing experiments – EFFECT and Contracts2.0 discuss experiences

Co-designing experiments – EFFECT and Contracts2.0 discuss experiences

by | Apr 23, 2021 | Workshops & Events

Contracts2.0 and EFFECT projects discussed in a jointly organized 3-hour workshop their experiences with co-designing behavioral experiments and discrete choice experiments on 23 April 2021. Following an introduction round, two short presentations from each project reflected on the experience of involving stakeholders in experimental research design. In the second part of the workshop, the participants deepened the exchange on experimental methods in four breakout groups. Finally, the breakout groups reported back to the plenum and discussed the next steps.

Some of the discussed advantages of co-designing experiments were:

  • access to unique knowledge and new ideas,
  • co-learning opportunities,
  • increased relevance and impact,
  • acknowledgement of diverse perspectives,
  • greater accessibility and acceptance.

Some of the discussed challenges of co-designing experiments were:

  • simplified abstract experimental design are difficult to communicate,
  • reluctance to engage in something perceived as a threat (e.g., increased monitoring or sanctions),
  • “speaking the same language”,
    clarifying mutual expectations and motivations,
  • different time horizons and resource availability.
Biodiversity in Tuscany: Strengthening the custodian farmer’s role

Biodiversity in Tuscany: Strengthening the custodian farmer’s role

by | Apr 23, 2021 | Workshops & Events

On April 23, 2021, the University of Pisa organized a discussion about the “Strategy for an evolution of Custodian farmers’ role” in the Tuscany Region to protect regional genetic resources from extinction – an important pillar for protecting crop and species biodiversity. Our researchers Francesco Riccioli and Roberta Moruzzo, with the help of their action partner representative Cinzia Lenzarini, presented the current situation of custodian farmers in Tuscany and discussed strategies to improve the role of these farmers in the Rural Development Plan.

The in situ conservation of genetic resources at risk of extinction is a critical pillar for preserving the biodiversity of regional crops and species. As previous successful experiences (e.g., Aglione (garlic) della Chiana, Farro (emmer) della Garfagnana) lead the way, the next step for Garfagnana will be to start the valorization of the farmers’ efforts through the activation of a value chain specializing on regional crops and species. Remuneration of the extra effort will help to keep the local knowledge, traditions and methods alive. Protection by utilizing!

Collective grazing contracts in the Pyrénées’ highlands

Collective grazing contracts in the Pyrénées’ highlands

by | Apr 16, 2021 | Results, Work progress

On April 16, 2021, our Contract Innovation Lab (CIL) and Policy Innovation Lab (PIL) in the French Pyrenees concluded the first round of workshops to find a shared vision for feasible contracts (“dream contract”) for collective grazing in the Occitane region. Researchers from CIRAD discussed viable contract models with land managers, local farmers, shepherds, pastoral and environmental experts, and policy experts.

The workshop results suggest a strong preference for developing the subsidiarity principle in collective contract definition and implementation and for promoting local knowledge by creating working groups that bring together various from pastoral territories.

The participants agree that identifying relevant environmental public goods should not result from a top-down approach but instead from a shared understanding of local ecological and pastoral challenges. These are to be defined and prioritized locally for each summer pasture by the working group following a shared ecological and pastoral diagnosis. Management plans will then be co-edited to specify appropriate sustainable pastoral practices and suitable indicators to base contractual engagements. The working group monitors the evolution of each situation and adapts collective grazing rules accordingly. Annual follow-up meetings will be held to report each pasture’s condition and potential management adaptations.