Agri-environmental Measures in North Rhine-Westfalia – situation and perspective

Ministry of theEnvironment,Conservation,Agriculture andConsumer Protectionof the State ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia

Agri-environmental Measures in North Rhine-Westfalia – situation and

perspective

Christof Weins

Ministry of the Environment and Conservation, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany


NRW – a region at the centre of Europe

Cologne

Dortmund

Duesseldorf

BonnRomeMadrid

Berlin

Paris

London


NRW - facts and figures

Population 18 million, approx. 6 million in rural areas 520 inhabitants per square kilometre

Land Total 3.4 million hectares 1.5 million ha used for farming

Agriculture sector Number of farms: 54.000 Average size 28 ha 50pc of farms are owner‘s main source of income Arable land/grassland ratio: 70:30


Selected problems Economical and structural problems

Relatively small farms in average

Few alternatives for income

Undeveloped vertical and horizontal integration of the food-chain

Environmental impact of farming

Regional problems with nutrients and pollutants entering waters and air

Soil compaction and erosion in endangered areas

Decrease in grassland in regions with high numbers of livestock

Loss of biological diversity (e.g. habitats, species, genetic resources)

Conflicting land uses

15 hectares of land cleared every day

15 per cent of NRW territory zoned as water protection areas‘

5 per cent zoned as nature protection areas


I Improving production and marketing structures Support for investment in agricultural holdings and setting-up aid for young farmers Training Improving processing and marketing of agricultural products

II Measures to improve development Reparcelling Setting up of farm relief and farm management services Renovation and development of villages Diversification of income sources Allocation of agricultural water resources

III Agri-environmental and compensation measures and forestry Compensatory allowances for less-favoured areas and areas with environmental restrictions Agri-environmental measures and conservation contracts Forestry

RDP in NRW – main elements


RDP in NRW - financing

.

Funding Focus 2000 – 2006 In Million Euros

Funding Volume In Million Euros p.a.

I Better production and marketing structures 170 24

II Measures to improve rural development 134 19

III Agri-environmental and compensation measures, forestry

including:

Agri-environmental and compensation measures

484

271

69

39

Total 788 112


Articles 16 and 33

Compensation for areas with environmental restrictions (Art. 16)

Grassland

1,700 farms totalling some 14,000 hectares

approx. 1,5 mil € (EU und NRW) in 2004

Protection of the environment, landscape conservation (Art. 33)

Support for land purchases e.g.

Habitats improvement and care, nature observation

Model project (Art. 33)

currently 8 model projects

approx. 1mil € in 2004


Agri-environmental measures (Art. 22) – targets

Reduction of the use of fertilisers and pesticides

Protection of abiotic resources, especially soil and waters

Ensuring a high proportion of permanent grassland

Promoting livestock operations that are in line with environmental and

animal welfare concerns

Improving conditions for endangered animal and plant species

Conservation and development of the cultural landscape

Production of high-quality, sustainable or organically produced foods


Current state of funding (September 2005)

290,000 ha funding volume

(Agri-environmental measures and conservation contracts)

20pc of farm land in NRW

120,000 stock units

(livestock-related agri-environmental measures )

13,000 participating farms

10,000 fresh applications totalling 75,000 hectares and 130,000 stock

units in 2005

53 million euros paid in 2004 (EU, Federal, State)


Funding modules and volume (September 2005)

Grassland extensification 86,000 ha

Measures against erosion 63,000 ha

Organic farming 45,000 ha

Crop rotation diversity 42,000 ha

Grassland extensification (inidividual plots) 6,500 ha

Long term set-aside 2,000 ha

Extensification of riverbanks (appr. 2,300 km) 3,500 ha

Extensification of arable land and perm. crops 1,000 ha

Wildflower strips (approx. 800 km) 700 ha

Solid-manure farming (77,000 SU)

Dairy cattle on grazing land (45,000 SU)

Contractual conservation 28,000 ha


Breakdown of 2004 funding

Long term set-aside0,8 mil € (1%)

Extensification of riverbanks 2,2 mil € (4%)

Wildflower strips0,3 mil € (1%)

Compensation payments 1,5 mil € (3%)

Contractual conservation 10,6 mil € (19%)

Dairy cattle on grazing land 1,9 mil € (3%)

Solid-manure farming4,3 mil € (8%)

Measures against erosion6,8 mil € (12%)

Extensification of arable land and permanent crops0,1 mil € (0,2%)

Organic farming10,3 mil € (19%)

Crop rotation diversity 1,2 mil € (2%)

Grassland extensification14,8 mil € (28%)


Agri- environmental measures, contractual conservation and compensation payments

1994 – 2004

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

Hecta

res

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

compensation payments

contractual conservation

agri-environmentalmeasures


Outlook for the period 2007 – 2013

1. Support of agri-environmental measures will play an

important role in the next funding period.

2. Adaption of commitments and premiums, due to the new

context of GAP (e.g. decoupling and cross compliance).

3. Shifting the efficieny of meaures to solve environmental

problems.

But: Uncertainty of the funding for the period 2007 to 2013

makes it difficult to plan in detail.

Agri-environmental Measures in North Rhine-Westfalia – situation and perspective

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