Author: Ilona Rac (UL)
Editor: Miranda García (AEIDL)
A new set of methodological guidelines has been published under the EU-funded Tools4CAP project to support more inclusive and transparent policymaking in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Developed for Managing Authorities and other stakeholders, the document offers guidelines for implementing a range of participatory and multi-level governance tools for designing, implementing, and monitoring CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs) in line with the CAP’s New Delivery Model.
The guidelines aim to strengthen participatory and multi-level governance, helping Member States align CSPs with both EU objectives and national or regional agricultural priorities. The tools support data-based decision-making and help involve a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, rural communities, environmental organisations, and consumers.
The document includes a Policy Task–Tool Matrix to help authorities match specific CSP planning task—such as SWOT analysis or intervention prioritisation—with the most appropriate participatory methods. For each tool, a step-by-step implementation protocol is included, designed to be applied across all phases of CSP development, from early design to implementation and monitoring.
One of the participatory tools featured is Participatory Vision Building, which supports engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders in co-designing a long-term vision that reflects the needs, aspirations and expectations of all involved. This tool is most aptly used in early stages of the policy cycle to co-create a shared vision, setting common objectives and visions among different stakeholders, and providing initial inputs for needs assessment and prioritisation. It includes regular feedback and data collection to make sure the plan matches local needs.
Another method, Process Communication and Stakeholder Engagement, is designed to support informed and consensus-driven CAP decision-making by providing stakeholders with a platform to contribute their knowledge, expertise and provide feedback over the entire CAP policy cycle. This tool follows transparency, inclusiveness, mutual respect and responsiveness, among other principles.
The guidelines also include the Intervention-Objective-Impact (IOI) Matrix, which helps policymakers with the process of policy design and the selection of a set of policy interventions related to specific CAP objectives in an effective and coherent way. This tool also helps policymakers to assess potential synergies and conflicts, and optimise resource allocation. It is particularly useful for ensuring policy coherence and addressing trade-offs between competing priorities.
Intervention logic is also included in these guidelines as a key element of CAP Strategic Plans. This tool can support establishing a framework for monitoring and evaluation, using predefined output, result and impact indicators. Closely linked to Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (PMEF), it enables Member States to track progress, assess effectiveness, and refine the CSPs in response to changing conditions.
Scenario Building for Policy Impact Assessment employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to develop different scenarios and alternatives. This tool is presented to examine potential outcomes of different policy choices, considering social, environmental, and economic dimensions.
Lastly, the document covers Prioritisation and Decision-Making Tools to assess interventions based on their cost-effectiveness and contribution to CAP goals. The guidelines provide a structured and participatory framework designed to rank and allocate resources effectively, enabling policymakers to optimise resource use and balance stakeholder preferences.
To illustrate how these tools have worked in practice, the guidelines include real-world best practices from EU Member States. These examples demonstrate how stakeholder engagement can enhance CSP preparation processes.
Overall, the Tools4CAP guidelines aim to support a more inclusive, transparent, and flexible approach to planning agricultural policy. The document also points out some challenges in putting these tools into practice effectively.
An updated version of the guidelines is planned for April 2026, which will include lessons learned from the case studies where these tools are currently being tested and further developed.