New approaches to sustainable agriculture: The potential of farm level sustainability assessments to contribute to an effective, sustainable and widely accepted agricultural policy [AFFILIATED]
The project aims at reviewing a range of sustainability assessment tools and determine their relevance for agricultural policy-making in Switzerland. On that basis, different options to integrate such tools with the system of direct farm payments are explored. This involves evaluating the potential of instruments, such as SMART, which allows for sustainability comparisons among farms, and RISE, which focuses on advising farmers on how to improve sustainability.
The project raises awareness on the need for better sustainability metrics and of how these can be put into practice in an effective and efficient manner. By reviewing the potential of existing
sustainability assessment tools, the project is taking stock of and categorising a large number of methodologies. On that basis it will be possible to develop an approach that suits the needs of government and producers alike. Ultimately this should improve the uptake of sustainable
agricultural practices. Systematic overview and evaluation of options offered by sustainability assessments in the context of Swiss agricultural policy-making.
Piloting of selected options to streamline the Swiss direct payments system
Evaluation of pilot
Preparation of an implementation plan together with Swiss policy-makers - Dr. Christian Schader, Head Sustainability Assessment I Leiter Nachhaltigkeitsanalyse
Department of Socioeconomics I Departement für Soziookonomie Research Institute of Organic
Agriculture (FiBL) Forschungsjnstitut für biologischen Landbau (FiBL)
christian.schader@fibl.org;
Dr. Dr. habil. Stefan Mann, Forschungsgruppenleiter Soziookonomie Eidgenossisches
Departement für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung WBF Agroscope Institut für
Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften INH
stefan.mann@agroscope.admin.ch
Dr. Jan Grenz, Dozent für Nachhaltigkeit Hochschule für Agrar-, Forst- und
Lebensmittelwissenschaften
Jan.grenz@bfh.ch
