Author: Miranda García (AEIDL)
From 26 to 28 November 2024, the Tools4CAP project held its second Consortium Meeting in Budapest, Hungary. Hosted by the AKI Institute of Agricultural Economics, this gathering brought together project partners to reflect on their progress, address challenges, and plan the way forward for 2025. As the project enters a pivotal phase of replicating the identified methods and tools across 10 countries, the assembly provided a platform for strategic alignment and knowledge exchange.
The Consortium Meeting kicked off with a warm welcome from Mr. Pál Goda, Managing Director at the AKI Institute of Agricultural Economics. Hence, Bérénice Dupeux, the project coordination from Ecorys, reflected on the positive progress Tools4CAP has made during its second year. She also highlighted key areas for improvement and recommendations to address as the project transitions into its next phase, ensuring continued success and impact.
A productive gathering
The three-day meeting featured presentations, discussions, and collaborative workshops aimed at advancing the project’s mission of equipping policy-makers with tools and methods to select the best solutions and lay the groundwork for effective preparation of the next generation of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans.
Wageningen University presented the development of advanced quantitative tools to support CAP Strategic Plans. Discussions highlighted bridging gaps in modelling, particularly in social and environmental indicators, exploring the potential of tools like CAPRI and Eco-scheme simulators tailored to end users’ needs, and providing recommendations to improve integration between tools and data collection.
The Institute for Rural Development Research (IfLS) showcased advancements in participatory and multi-level governance approaches, highlighting the need to overcome design challenges and strengthen stakeholder engagement. They emphasised refining methodologies to support better decision-making and ensuring alignment with policy objectives.
Meanwhile, NEUROPUBLIC showcased progress in advancing data management and digital solutions for CAP Strategic Plans, focusing on integrating farm-level and landscape monitoring data and addressing interoperability challenges to streamline data sharing across Member States. These efforts are designed to support evidence-based decision-making and improve the overall effectiveness of CSP.
These efforts will contribute to the development of methodological guidelines for innovative quantitative tools, decision-making tools, and data integration protocols, supporting the implementation of the case studies.
Ecorys and the University of Ljubljana presented updates on the project’s 10 case studies, detailing the tools selected for each and their relevance to specific policy tasks, discussing the challenges they might encounter. Starting in 2025, the case studies will implement these tools to demonstrate their potential and limitations in real-world contexts.
Furthermore, AEIDL presented an update on the progress of the Tools4CAP Academy, a capacity-building and peer-learning framework consisting of 10 modules. These modules are designed to provide tailored training programmes that meet the end users’ needs. During this session, partners explored potential synergies between the Academy modules and the project’s case studies. Additionally, the project members began conceptualising the 3 modules foreseen in 2025, which will focus on the project’s methodological guidelines and their connection to relevant policy tasks.
During the meeting, partners also seized the opportunity to explore recent developments in Brussels. Discussions focused on whether the New Delivery Model could serve as a blueprint for other funding mechanisms, alongside considerations of the future of the EU budget and the implications of conditionality at the national level.
Building synergies with Hungary
On the final day, our partners from the AKI Institute of Agricultural Economics presented the Hungarian case study and the CAPRI model, emphasising the need for coordinated agricultural and trade policy measures at the multinational level. The Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture also participated, with Csaba Vitárius from the Community Support and MePAR Coordination Office underscoring the importance of qualitative data to avoid misinterpretation of results. He highlighted the necessity for more reliable models to address the challenges of the new CSP, acknowledging that while constant fine-tuning is ongoing, there is still room for improvement.
To officially conclude the meeting, project coordinator Bérénice Dupeux presented an overview of what Tools4CAP can offer to Managing Authorities in designing the new CAP Strategic Plans. She provided insights into the various tools identified across Member States within the Tools4CAP project and explored how these tools can be effectively applied throughout the different stages of the CSP design and monitoring process.
Looking ahead
The Consortium Meeting in Hungary marked a significant milestone for the Tools4CAP project. As the team moves forward with case studies, methodological guidelines, and the Academy, the strategies and insights developed during the meeting will play a vital role in ensuring the project’s success in 2025.
If you’re eager to explore the results of our efforts, explore the resources area (publications) to access detailed outcomes and insights.
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