Hungary

Country Infos

Overview

Scheme

In Hungary, currently there are no results-based payments schemes working in practice. Agri-environmental payment schemes are based on pre-defined requirements. Although it is well perceived that results-based payments can effectively motivate farmers to maintain agri-environmental-climate public goods on their farm, key questions on planning and management of such schemes needs to be answered before any further steps in implementation (e.g. defining Favourable Reference Values, or designing suitable indicators that are robust and understandable for farmers).

Location of the scheme

one region

As part of the Contracts2.0 project (EU H2020, 2019-2023), the Hungarian action partner (Őrség National Park Directorate) initiates a participatory process in its protected areas to design novel contractual solutions for farmers. Results-based schemes will be combined with other incentives to support small scale sustainable grassland management.

Are there any evaluation results?

• Yes

The applicability of results-based schemes in Hungary has already been studied, and recommendations have been published (Králl 2018 - for more details in Hungarian please check the Methodological guideance book to create Natura 2000 management plans). These included, among others, to:

• implement RBP schemes first as pilots in High Nature Value areas,
• use nature conservation goals set up for Natura 2000 and protected areas to define the targets,
• plan the program with stakeholder participation to increase legitimacy and provide opportunities for testing and learning,
• use results-based schemes in combination with regular payments or other types of incentives (e.g. use RBP in addition to horizontal AES, or replace zonal programs in High Nature Value areas with RBP),
• incentivize farmers within RBP schemes to cooperate.

---

Showroom