Learning from Research

The FLINT Farm Return data recording system

This tool is an integrated system for data collection and management of sustainability indicators that consists of a ‘Farm Return’ that includes definitions and instructions for each data item to be collected and a set of rules for recording that data.

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Output Description

The FLINT project has developed and proposed an integrated system for data collection and management that consists of:

The ‘Farm Return’ which provides clear definitions and instructions for each data item to be collected. Design is in line with the FADN farm return and, according to the EU FADN standards,
a set of rules for recording data,
definitions of all variables to be recorded.

An exact specification is made for each of the 33 FLINT farm-level sustainability indicators regarding which data items to collect. For practical reasons, the collected data are rearranged into ten thematic tables and are structured and described according to the EU’s FADN standards. The thematic tables are:

‘Information and Knowledge’
‘Working Conditions and Quality of Life’
‘Innovation’, ‘Economic’
‘Land Management’
‘Risk Reduction’
‘Pesticide Usage’
‘Nutrient Balance’
‘Energy’ and ‘Water’

The data collection was piloted in 9 Member States (France, Ireland, Spain, Poland, Greece, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Finland).

FLINT has linked itself to the FADN because of the FADN’s harmonisation, credibility, annual implementation and high-quality standards.

Relevance for monitoring and evaluation of the CAP

The FLINT ‘Farm Return’ is a good source of inspiration for evaluators or agencies who may want to collect additional data and complement the national/regional FADN sample. The FLINT ‘Farm Return’ addresses issues related to the kind of variables to collect for a specific sustainability indicator or how to measure these variables in terms of definitions and units. For example, if an evaluator wants to conduct a survey concerning on-farm energy efficiency or renewable energy production, a specific section of the FLINT ‘Farm Return’ contains two tables that help the interviewer to record variables related to ‘Direct use of energy’ and to ‘On-farm renewable energy production’. These tables can be modified to reflect the aims of the survey or local particularities and offer an excellent starting point.

The FLINT ‘Farm Return’ can be used or modified by the surveyor to reflect particular needs or local conditions.

Relevance of the output per CAP Objectives

Specific Objective 1 - Ensure a fair income for farmers
Specific Objective 2 - Increase competitiveness
Specific Objective 3 - Improve farmers' position in the food chain
Specific Objective 4 - Climate change action
Specific Objective 5 - Environmental care
Specific Objective 6 - Preserve landscape and biodiversity
Specific Objective 7 - Support generational renewal
Specific Objective 8 - Vibrant rural areas
Specific Objective 9 - Protect food and health quality
Cross-cutting Objective - Fostering knowledge and innovation

Additional output information

Data collection systems used:

FADN (FSDN)

Type of output:

New / improved data for M&E
Database / data registry
Methodology

Associated evaluation approaches:

Data analysis
Impact evaluation ex ante
Impact evaluation ex post

Spatial scale:

Farm holding

Project information

Farm Level Indicators for New Topics in policy evaluation

To establish a tested data infrastructure with up-to-date farm level indicators for monitoring and evaluating the CAP and better targeting CAP and other related policy measures.

FLINT aims to demonstrate:

the feasibility of collecting policy-relevant data in different administrative environments – with newly developed farm-level indicators of economic, environmental, social issues;
how the new farm level indicators can be used to evaluate policies and improve the targeting of policy initiatives.

FLINT’s specific objectives are to:

Assess current and future policy evaluation needs;
Review the data available to facilitate policy evaluation and identify any data gaps;
Pilot the collection of additional farm-level data through the FADN under different data collection administrative environments;
Test the value of the newly collected farm level indicators for policy evaluations;
Make recommendations about the future data collection in the EU.

Project’s timeframe: 2014 – 2016

Contacts of project holder: Hans Vrolijk, Wageningen Economic Research, part of Wageningen Research (hans.vrolijk@wur.nl)

Territorial coverage: Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Spain, The Netherlands