Collective approach in progress : Interim evaluation of the agri-environment scheme in the Netherlands

Samenvatting

This interim evaluation shows that the feasibility and effectiveness of the Agricultural Nature and Landscape Management scheme (ANML) which was introduced in 2016, have both improved relative to the previous subsidy scheme. The ecological conditions for achieving the objectives of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Water Framework Directive have also improved slightly. Two important factors for this success are 1) the area-based approach that has been implemented, with 40 agricultural collectives coordinating the conservation activities and concluding contracts with farmers, and 2) the greater flexibility of the system, which has made it possible to respond more effectively to the situations in the respective areas. With further specification of roles and responsibilities, additional simplification, prioritisation of target species and optimisation of conservation activities, additional gains can be made within the context of the scheme. However, more effort is needed to reverse the negative population trends of many target species and to actually improve water quality. This evaluation therefore makes recommendations for the use of supporting policy in combination with the ANLM, such as implementation measures, land policies, predation management and eco-regulations, the development of more far-reaching policy instruments and new forms of financing that enable the transition to ‘nature farming’ and the search for synergy with other sustainability challenges in area-based processes.