16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: key tools for Swiss agricultural policy INFASA Symposium, 16 March 2006 Vinzenz Jung, Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture INFASA Symposium

16 March 2006 Change in the structure of support Policy background / in % Structural improvements, extension Direct payments Market support

16 March 2006 General direct payments to remunerate farmers for the provision of public goods to compensate for difficult production conditions in mountains Ecological direct payments for ecological compensation areas which foster biodiversity for the extensive production of cereals and rape-seed for organic farming for special animal welfare commitments Policy background

16 March 2006 Federal Constitution (proposal 1995) a. to the provision of food to the population; b. to the conservation of natural resources and the upkeep of rural landscapes; c. to a decentralized settlement of the country. 1 The Confederation shall ensure that agriculture contributes substantially by way of an ecological and market-oriented production: 2 (...) Policy background d. It complements farmers‘ incomes with direct payments (...)

16 March 2006 Federal Constitution (adopted 1996) 1 The Confederation shall ensure that agriculture contributes substantially by way of a sustainable and market-oriented production: 2 (...) Policy background a. to the provision of food to the population; b. to the conservation of natural resources and the upkeep of rural landscapes; c. to a decentralized settlement of the country. a. It complements farmers‘ incomes with direct payments (...) contingent on ecological cross- compliance conditions.

16 March 2006 a. balanced fertiliser use b. appropriate share of ecological compensation areas c. regular crop rotation d. suitable soil protection e.selected and targeted application of plant treatment products f.animal welfare standards Cross-compliance conditions for all direct payments Policy background Implementation Control Criteria Necessary steps

16 March 2006 Indicator-based monitoring Ecological dimension Broad monitoring / evaluation as of 1995 Indicators

16 March 2006 Indicator-based monitoring Social dimension Ecological dimension Broad monitoring /evaluation as of 1995as of 2000 Indicators

16 March 2006 Indicator-based monitoring Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Broad monitoring / evaluation as of 1995as of 2000 continued/ intensified Indicators

16 March 2006 Indicator-based monitoring Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Research Broad monitoring / evaluation as of 1995 as of 2000 continued/ intensified continued / intensified Indicators

16 March 2006 Indicator-based monitoring Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Research Broad monitoring / evaluation Sustaina- bility monitoring as of 1995as of 2000 continued/ intensified as of 2005 continued / intensified Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators Conceptual work started in 2001 Indicator development and implementation: 2002 – (ongoing) First publication (indicators and results) in 2005 Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: Concept Resources Efficiency Equity Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: Concept Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Resources Efficiency Equity Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: Concept Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Resources Efficiency Equity Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: Concept Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Resources Efficiency Equity Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: Concept Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Resources Efficiency Equity Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: Concept Economic dimension Social dimension Ecological dimension Stocks Efficiency Equity 2 indicators1 indicator4 indicators 1 indicator2 indicators Indicators

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: first results DimensionIndicatorDevelopment since 1990 Economic dimension Capital renewal Soil (quantity) Labour productivity Social dimension Training Income compared with other sectors Quality of life compared with other groups of society Ecological dimension Ecological compensation areas Sales of plant protection products N-efficiency P-efficiency Energy efficiency Indicators

16 March 2006 DimensionIndicatorDevelopment since 1990 Economic dimension Capital renewal Soil (quantity) Labour productivity + Positive Social dimension Training Income compared with other sectors Quality of life compared with other groups of society Ecological dimension Ecological compensation areas Sales of plant protection products N-efficiency P-efficiency Energy efficiency + Positive Indicators Sustainability indicators: first results

16 March 2006 DimensionIndicatorDevelopment since 1990 Economic dimension Capital renewal Soil (quantity) Labour productivity + Positive Social dimension Training Income compared with other sectors Quality of life compared with other groups of society -Negative Ecological dimension Ecological compensation areas Sales of plant protection products N-efficiency P-efficiency Energy efficiency + Positive -Negative Indicators Sustainability indicators: first results

16 March 2006 DimensionIndicatorDevelopment since 1990 Economic dimension Capital renewal Soil (quantity) Labour productivity + Positive -Negative (not a result of AP) + Positive Social dimension Training Income compared with other sectors Quality of life compared with other groups of society -Negative Ecological dimension Ecological compensation areas Sales of plant protection products N-efficiency P-efficiency Energy efficiency + Positive -Negative Indicators Sustainability indicators: first results

16 March 2006 DimensionIndicatorDevelopment since 1990 Economic dimension Capital renewal Soil (quantity) Labour productivity + Positive -Negative (not a result of AP) + Positive Social dimension Training Income compared with other sectors Quality of life compared with other groups of society  No conclusion poss. -Negative  No conclusion poss. Ecological dimension Ecological compensation areas Sales of plant protection products N-efficiency P-efficiency Energy efficiency + Positive -Negative Indicators Sustainability indicators: first results

16 March 2006 DimensionIndicatorDevelopment since 1990 Economic dimension Capital renewal Soil (quantity) Labour productivity + Positive -Negative (not a result of AP) + Positive Social dimension Training Income compared with other sectors Quality of life compared with other groups of society  No conclusion poss. -Negative  No conclusion poss. Ecological dimension Ecological compensation areas Sales of plant protection products N-efficiency P-efficiency Energy efficiency + Positive -Negative Indicators Sustainability indicators: first results

16 March 2006 Challenges and limits Conceptual level: System boundaries Indicators have to make sense from a global perspective Indicator design Indicators Implementation: What conceptually may look like a good indicator is sometimes too difficult to implement or too expensive Sustainability indicators cannot replace broad monitoring

16 March 2006 Sustainability indicators: use Retrospective evaluation (ex-post), every four years Prospective evaluation (ex-ante) (Ex.: Evaluation of policy package „AP 2011“) Indicators

16 March 2006 Do indicators have an impact? Indicators

16 March 2006 Challenge: N-efficiency Indicators

16 March 2006 Answer: Programme to improve sustainable resource use Fertilizer use Pesticides Soil Energy Biodiversity Concept Planning Region or value chain Measures More efficient use of natural resources Indicators

16 March 2006 Conclusions Indicators play an important role in Swiss agricultural policy Policy evaluationBroad monitoring Sustainability indicators Policy developmentExample: Resource programme in new policy package „AP 2011“ Indicator work is work in progress, long-term commitment is crucial. Indicators