Woman and man in a field with a child during a sunny day

ARIA 2025: the Popular Vote is open!

What are the greenest, smartest, most socially inclusive, innovative and resilient Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) projects? Which initiatives sustain rural economies and actively involve young people in shaping the future of rural communities?

Discover the 24 projects shortlisted for the Agricultural and Rural Inspiration Awards (ARIA) 2025 and vote for your favourite by 1 December!

Vote for the best

Latest News

13 Nov 2025

What are LAGs working on? Episode 2

We continue our series with a look at Local Development Strategies by two LAGs in Poland and Denmark, where LEADER is enabling Smart Villages, social capital and economic innovation.

  • CAP Implementation
Group picture from the Bobrza River Basin LEADER LAG, Poland (c) Bobrza River Basin LAG
Irish National Network capacity building for LEADER (c) Irish National Network
12 Nov 2025

How do National Networks support LEADER?

Networking, capacity-building workshops and even speed dating: National Networks are not short of ideas when it comes to supporting LEADER!

  • CAP Implementation
Pier at the Harbor in Grundsund on the Swedish west coast
12 Nov 2025

Making LEADER braver – Bolder action in Austrian rural development

In 2025, Austrian Local Action Groups have chosen ‘Making LEADER braver’ as an overarching ambition for their work. Discover what this means and how it is happening in practice.

  • CAP Implementation
Live lobster v-notching in a coastal community in Ireland (c) Monica Veronesi - FAMENET
12 Nov 2025

CLLD puts coastal communities in the driving seat!

Is the EU ‘worth the money’? A recent FAMENET report on Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) in coastal communities demonstrates the success of a participative approach to delivering EU funding.

  • CAP Implementation

Upcoming Events

Conference

NUTRI-CHECK NET Final Conference | Steps to Optimise Crop Nutrition

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
Calendar
Governance meeting

Subgroup on Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (SoIKE) - 10th meeting

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
Calendar

Latest publications

Factsheet - Circular bioeconomy - valorisation of forest by-products
Factsheets |

Factsheet Circular bioeconomy: valorisation of forest by-products

This factsheet presents the main outcomes of the EU CAP Network workshop 'Circular bioeconomy - valorisation of forest by-products' at a glance.

  • Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
Studies on the Evaluation of the Contriburion of the RDP to management and efficiency of the use of water
Member State Evaluation |

Greek RDP contribution to sustainable water use

The study estimates the contribution of the Greek Rural Development Programme's (RDP) measures to changes in the impacts related to water abstraction in agriculture and water quality.

  • Evaluation
Plant nutrients in drainage water
Member State Evaluation |

Plant nutrients in drainage water

To evaluate the impact on the water environment of the Estonian Rural Development Programme (RDP) and CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), a hydrological study was carried out that integrated surface water flow and fertiliser use.

  • Evaluation

Support to

CAP Implementation contact point

CAP Implementation

As an integral part of the EU CAP Network, the CAP Implementation Contact Point supports and coordinates networking activities relating to the design and implementation of the CAP’s strategic plans.

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Enhancing food security under changing weather patterns: farm adaptation

Innovation & knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI

'Innovation & knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI’'s role is to facilitate communication and cooperation between those with a keen interest in sharing knowledge and innovative ideas for sustainable agriculture, forestry and rural areas.

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Participants of the workshop

Evaluation

The European Evaluation Helpdesk for the CAP provides tailored support to EU Member States and the European Commission in their evaluations of agriculture and rural development policy.

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Networking

LEADER

LEADER is a local development method which has been used for 30 years to engage local actors in the design and delivery of strategies, decision-making and resource allocation for the development of their rural areas.

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National networks

National CAP networks have a key role in steering and driving forward policy as well as promoting stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing and capacity building for EU Member States and other actors.

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LAG Directory

The EU CAP Network LAG Directory brings together in one place the contact details for the new LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) created in the 2023-2027 programming period.

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Country data

Discover rural development in the European Union.

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