On February 9 2023, Dutch academic partners of the three sister projects contracts2.0, CONSOLE and EFFFECT organized a workshop on the topic of agri-environmental schemes. This workshop was an opportunity to exchange the outcomes of the three projects and future (research) perspectives with a small group of stakeholders. The stakeholders had backgrounds in applied science, policy, and practice.
The workshop was organized as a mix of (1) presentations that showed results and reflections from each of the three research projects and of (2) rich discussions, based on the presentations and the expertise, interests and background of all participants. Discussions covered several themes, such as the types and the effectiveness of existing contracts, and ways to adjust the contracts to future challenges. In the panel discussion led by Lenny van Bussel (PBL), Alex Datema (Boerennatuur), Raymond Schrijver (WEnR), particular attention was given on lessons to learn from good management of the commons, the importance of integrated and long(er)-term measures, and the lack of knowledge on the actual effectiveness of the existing contracta formal, written agreement for a specified duration signed by (at least) two parties. In Contracts2.0, we acknowledge the existence of informal contracts but use formal contracts to focus the research. More terms (i.e. management prescriptions).
We look back on a very inspiring workshop that revealed years of collaborative work within the projects, the complementarity of the three sister projects and gave insights on future questions that need to be addressed!
© Text: Solen Le Clec’h
