The purpose of the seminar was to exchange knowledge in a situation when the national drafting process on the new agri-environment scheme was about to start.
Kaja Peterson from SEI Tallinn
Marjatta Kemppainen-Mäkelä (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) told in her presentation about the drafting process of the new Rural Development Programme. The first draft of the Rural Development Programme will be available in the beginning of 2012.
Kati Berninger (SEI Tallinn) presented results of a survey of agri-environment schemes and their water protection measures in 10 countries in comparison to the Finnish system. The survey revealed that higher per hectare payment levels are possible for special target areas if the reasons are described in the Rural Development Programme.
Kati Berninger from SEI Tallin
Kaj Granholm (SLU) reviewed the preliminary results of the Baltic Compass WP6 about the challenges faced in in agricultural water protection in different countries. The challenge present in all countries is the local adaptation and focusing of measures.
Sirkka Tattari (Finnish Environment Institute) discussed assessment of impacts of agricultural water protection programmes with a focus on Aurajoki catchment area which is the Finnish case study area in the Baltic Compass project. Aurajoki has been identified as a risk area at a national level, but a more detailed risk area identification is needed. It has been done using a GIS system by combining spatial information on altitude, land use, soil type, slope and manure quantities.
Kaja Peterson (SEI Tallinn) told about the situation in Estonia. The River Basin Management Plans are regarded as the main instruments in water protection. Significant challenges have been identified in agricultural water protection, but no sufficient funds have been allocated for this purpose.
Peter Wallenberg (Jordbruksverket) provided participants with examples of the Swedish agri-environment scheme. The advisory service “Greppa näringen” focuses on priority areas and provides supported advisory services on agricultural water protection issues. Farmers have been satisfied with the service.
In the end of the seminar some issues related to water protection and agri-environment payment systems were discussed. Monitoring is different in each country; different parameters are measured with different measures, which make international comparison difficult.
