Pille Koorberg Head of Agri-Environmental Monitoring Bureau AGRICULTURAL MONITORING IN ESTONIA Evaluation of Agri-environmental Measure (AE) of Rural Development Plan (RDP) ANKARA,

Population: 1,34 milj. Total area: km² Forest area: ~50% of total area, 2,2 milj ha Agricultural land: ~20% of total area, ha Average cereal (rye, wheat, barley) yield: 2,7t/ha

The role of agricultural policy is going through changes – move from policy that has driven environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, to one that supports a sustainable and prosperous farming and land management sector across the Europe. Production oriented agriculture is going to be combined with culture based traditional farming practices through diversified and innovative development of rural areas. COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY (CAP) IS CHANGING According to (EC) RDP Regulation 1257/1999 ( ) and 1698/2005 ( ) Member States must include in their RDP´s “provisions to ensure the effective and correct implementation of the plans, including monitoring and evaluation (M&E)”

USE OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION RESULTS  Results will able EC to observe the progress of implementation of RDP regulation in EU, also how well agri-environment scheme or measure is functioning practically and whether it is achieving the objectives  Collected data will be used to review and revise existing schemes and measures and to improve the design and development of future schemes and measures

EVALUATION OF ESTONIAN RDP AE “PILOTING THE PROCEDURES” - Start of baseline data collection - Testing proposed indicators and methodologies - Providing MoA with relevant data/ information to improve existing measures and to elaborate new measures - Getting experience for period learning by doing!

EVALUATION OF AE MEASURE Additional information about the AE evaluation in Estonia – Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) is the institution under the MoA and is coordinating data collection work related to AE evaluation, ARC will also perform the function of “independent evaluator” for AE in (for Axis II measures in programme), an additional external “independent evaluator” will be selected for the evaluation of all other RDP measures.

RDP AE SCHEME ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTION SCHEME (EPS) ORGANIC FARMING LOCAL ENDANGERED BREEDS ESTABLISHMENT, RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE OF STONEWALLS (2005) APPLICANT EPS (Whole-farm scheme) Main requirements: - crop sequence plan (15% leguminous) - fertilization plan (170 kg N total) - soil analyses - training (2 days) - keeping farm animals outdoors

AE EVALUATION EVALUATION TOPICS:  LANDSCAPE – 2 impact indicators  SOIL – 3 impact indicators  WATER – 3 impact indicators  BIODIVERSITY – 4 impact indicators  SOCIO-ECONOMIC – 3 impact indicators + COMPLEX STUDY (organic farming field trial) Data collection is financed by the EU RDP measure called Technical Assistance which is meant for facilitating the implementation, controlling, monitoring and evaluation activities of RDP itself.

DATA COLLECTION (INDICATORS) SOCIO-ECONOMIC:  Farm income  Share of organic products sold as organic  Environmental awareness SOIL:  Soil organic matter  Soil fertility (pH, K, P)  Soil nutrients dynamics (pilot study) BIODIVERSITY:  Earthworms, soil microbs  Birds  Vascular plants  Bumblebees LANDSCAPE:  Change in landscape structure in terms of point, linear and area elements  General upkeep (visual appearance) of the farm WATER:  Nutrient balances  Pesticide use  Water quality pilot study

Methodology: mixed soil samples (~2000 samples, one sample per 3-5 ha) Start: 2004  Soil organic matter (%)  Soil fertility (pH, K, P) SOIL MONITORING (1) The objective of those indicators is to indicate if levels of soil fertility/soil organic matter for agricultural fields have been maintained or enhanced as a result of the implementation of AE schemes. History of soil sampling goes back to 1960-ties. State funded soil fertility programme , from 2004 onwards taking soil samples is one of the obligations of AE measure. Farmers will get fertilization and liming requirement maps. Digitalised soil map (1: ), linked with GIS database (soil type, texture), which will able to compare changes in soil properties in time and space scale. Coordination and execution of soil monitoring studies in Estonia is responsibility of Agricultural Research Centre

SOIL MONITORING (2) K-content in different soil sampling cycles Very low Low Average High Deficiency Very low Low Average High Very high Deficiency Mobile P in different soil sampling cycles

SOIL MONITORING (3) soil samples taken ha of arable land covered (78%), 2006.

Satellites are used to determine the geographic coordinates of the location that are saved in pocket PC using Farm Site software Laboratory analyses: - pH - P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, B, Mn, S - C% RESULTS TO SERVER BY Mapinfo and Vertical Mapper Software are used to synthesize data and prepare a fertilisation requirement map for each producer TRANSPORT OF SAMPLES TO THE LAB MAP IS SENT TO FARMER BY TO SERVER BY Average soil sample (20-25 stroces; ca 300 g) is taken per each 3-5 ha GEOGR. COORDINATES POINTS ON MAP SOIL MONITORING (4)

Objective of the study is to investigate the soil nutrients dynamics dependence on land use (arable, grassland), soil moisture and soil t˚. Results will help to improve the methodology for identification of fertilization need (e.g soil sampling time) Methodology: soil samples (pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, B, Cu, C) Start: 2005  Soil nutrients dynamics (pilot study) SOIL MONITORING (5)  Soil erosion (water, wind) studies Objective of the studies is to give an estimation of areas in erosion risk Methodology: comparing land use information with soil map data

ESTONIAN NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAMME Started in 1994, funded nationally, coordinated by Ministry of Environment (responsible for reporting to EU) Data collection coordinated by MoE Information and Technology Centre More than 40 subprogrammes to collect the data about the Estonian environmental status (separate sub-programmes for groundwater, surface and coastal water). One of the objectives is also to observe the compliance of EU and national legislation requirements. Shortage of the programme is the lack of agricultural monitoring data! Main challenge is to adapt existing monitoring system to be able to fullfil all EU requirements! Monetary limits! Better use of other existing systems and co-operation between MoE and MoA! WATER MONITORING (1)

Estonian National Environmental Monitoring Programme – water monitoring stations, 2005 WATER MONITORING (2)

 Gross Nutrient Balance The objective of the indicator is to find out how efficiently nutrients have been applied on farm-level and estimate the loss of nutrients and potential risk to the environment One of the objective of AE measure is to reduce the risk of groundwater and surface water pollution caused by nutrient leaching from soils and to prevent soils and water from chemical contamination.  Pesticide treatment load Methodology: field-book records (calculation period ), “farm gate balance” Start: 2005, 112 farms (different production type, size) WATER MONITORING (3) INPUT (purchased) - feed and straw, fertilizers, seed, livestock, ammonia for straw, nitrogen fixation etc OUTPUT (sold) – livestock, milk, eggs, crops, manure etc Results express/able to assess the risk upon environment (not direct pollution itself)! Showing changes in trend!

Single area payment Environmentally friendly management scheme (AE) Organic farming (AE) NUTRIENT TOTAL BALANCE IN 2005  Low values of nutrient balance are in accordance with low use of fertilizers. Low risk for water quality but high risk for soil fertility. Rising trend in fertilizer use indicates also increased balance.  N-balance is positive in case of all types of production, which is very much caused by legumes growing.  P- and K-balance is negative both in EPS and organic farms, indicating the shortage of bought-in fertilizer in EPS farms and the low usage of organic fertilizers in organic farms – with legumes growing, N-balance can be made stable but not P- and K- balance! WATER MONITORING (4)

N, P and K quantities taken to the soil with mineral fertilizers in Estonia 1986–2005 WATER MONITORING (5)

Objective of the indicator – NO 3 — and NH 4 + concentration in water reflect real impact from agricultural activities to water quality  Water quality pilot study Methodology: water/soil sampling, 5 (+2 fields in nitrate vulnerable area were added in 2007) Start: 2005 WATER MONITORING (6) Concentration of NO3- in drainage water in Läänemaa monitoring fields, 2005 Concentration of nitrates in drainage was 68 mg/l maximum. Organic farms and EPS farms with clover-grass had lower results.

Water monitoring areas of AE , nutrient balance + pesticide use (36 EPS farms)

Methodology: Line transects Start: 2005 (66 farms in total)  Birds – indicative species (number of species and density) Main objective of the indicator is to find out: Does organic farming strengthen the biological diversity?  Earthworms (abundance and species diversity) and soil microbial communities (biomass activity) Objective of the indicator is to find out - What is the extent and direction of change in species composition and the total abundance of the earthworm communities Methodology: Soil blocks method for earthworms and soil auger method for microbes Start: 2004 (in total 66 farms) BIODIVERSITY MONITORING (1)

 Vascular plants – structure coverage and species richness Objective of the indicator is to find out - How has the structure, coverage and species richness changed when compared to the baseline, what (weed)species are spreading on fields and what is the natural extent of variability of the strip vegetation in traditional agricultural areas? Methodology: Monitoring plots (1x1m2) Start: 2005 (66 farms in total)  Bumblebees – diversity and abundance BIODIVERSITY MONITORING (2) Objective of the indicator is to find out - how has the general state of the environment in a farm changed in the viewpoint of habitat function due to the implementation of AE measures? Methodology: Line transects Start: 2006 (66 farms in total) There are 15 bumblebee species widespread in Estonia, from which 9 can be met everywhere.

BD MONITORING AREAS ESTONIAN AE (2004/ *10 farms) (2006 – 3*22 farms)

 Family farm income (profitability) – EEK/farm/y) The objective of organic farming measure is to satisfy the growing demand for organic products through increased domestic production and support and enhance the competitiveness of organic farming. Objective of the indicator is to find out to what extent has the programme been conductive to maintain or improve the income level of the rural community?  Share of organic products sold as organic (%) The objective of the indicator is to find out to what extent has programme supported the market situation of local organic products? Methodology: Farm interviews, questionnaires Start: 2004 (in total 100 producers) SOCIO-ECONOMIC

 Preparation of M&E activities (planning) should ideally start before implementation of programme (or at least in the first phase) – institutional structure, procedures, choosing the indicators, etc  Use of experts (establishment of expert groups) is essential to develop suitable indicator system and methodologies, co-operation between different institutions needed!  Collecting the baseline data very important! Data collectors need training and instructions! Keep an eye on quality of methodologies and selection of monitoring areas!  Estonia has shortage of good experts and scarce experience in agricultural monitoring.Therefore, the promotion of international cooperation in monitoring and evaluation of programmes is highly reccommended!  The awareness of producers of support (environmental!) objectives is relatively low – more training both for producers and advisers + information materials needed. Feedback to producer very necessary! LESSONS LEARNT

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