How the Netherlands and Germany plan to integrate results-based approaches in their eco-schemes

Performance-based compensation in the Netherlands

The Netherlands initiated seven pilot projects to gain experience with performance-based compensation for farmers in the run-up to the next CAP grant period (2021-2027). Seven agricultural collectives for managing nature and the countryside will carry out the pilot projects. These represent most regions in the Netherlands.

The pilot projects are intended to provide more insight into the administrative costs, in keeping with the European Commission’s wish to simplify the CAP and reduce the administrative burden. The experience gained in the pilot projects will be used to design a system of performance-based compensation that will encourage farmers to make their businesses more sustainable.

The pilot projects will be carried out between March 2019 and mid-2021. Representatives of the involved agricultural collectives will meet regularly during the implementation period. An important goal of these national meetings will be to translate the results of the pilot projects into a National Strategic Plan.

Read more about the seven pilots:

• Agriculture with support
• Sustainable arable farming
• Green Limburg
• Lapwing as a symbol
• Small-scap rural landscape
• Wetland biodiversity
• Sectoral building blocks

Public goods bonus in Germany

The concept of the public goods bonus of Landcare Germany (Deutscher Verband für Landschaftspflege (DVL) e.V.) is based on the principle: farmers are entrepreneurs, so environmental services are primarily provided by them if they act as entrepreneurs and can "offer" their services in a manner that is relevant to their income.
The basic principles of the public goods bonus were initially developed regionally by the DVL and then tested and further developed for nationwide application as part of a research and development project.
The public good bonus contains a catalogue of 19 measures from the areas of biodiversity, climate and water protection. The catalogue of measures comprises the use categories arable land, grassland, special crops and yard gate balances, from which farms can select the appropriate combination of measures for their needs.
The individual measures of the public goods bonus are scored according to their value for biodiversity, climate and water protection. The overall performance of the company is rewarded by adding up and remunerating the points achieved. In addition, a new bonus system for a variety of measures has been developed to promote the diversity of use in the agricultural landscape.
The DVL recommends that the public goods bonus be used to shape the eco-schemes within the framework of the EU Common Agricultural Policy after 2020 in Germany. The concept of the public goods bonus is based on the substantive and administrative requirements set by the EU Commission and can help to effectively implement the objectives in environmental and climate protection.

Download "Policy Paper" (pdf)

Download "Public goods bonus in eco-schemes" (pdf)