CAP networking achievements in Member States

The EU CAP Network is collecting and sharing good examples from National Networks (NNs) on their roles in supporting CAP implementation. This includes an interesting new collection of NN success stories showing the unique and special value that CAP networking can create across national, regional and local levels.

Denmark’s CAP-funded farm eco-schemes have been the focus of recent stakeholder research by their NN. Interviews with Danish CAP beneficiaries were designed to understand the factors motivating farmer uptake of this new and relatively unstudied CAP intervention. The Danish has been NN investigating why farmers chose to apply for the eco-schemes and how they have changed their practice to apply for support. Lessons on the identified factors are being applied by the NN and its partners to help inspire and motivate the uptake of these voluntary eco-schemes by Danish farmers. Find out more about what other Member States are doing in relation to eco-schemes from the work of the EU CAP Network’s Thematic Group. 

Food and farming have also been a priority for Portugal’s NN through a networking initiative boosting the nation’s fruit and vegetable sector. Food producers are similarly benefitting from the Luxembourg NN’s strategic actions in a popular NN project that helps younger generations appreciate the role farmers play in supplying food. A national roadshow by the Italian NN has made NN expertise available to local stakeholders throughout the country and promoted excellence in local sustainable food systems while raising awareness about CAP funding options.

NNs can make contributions across the full spectrum of the CAP. This is demonstrated by French NN facilitation of stakeholder contributions to visioning exercises, which help participants forecast existing and future needs for agri-food systems and how the related support could be programmed. Agroecology, generational renewal, climate, nature and rural society all feature prominently in this useful example of how the NN has supported France’s CAP stakeholders.

Romanian rural stakeholders now enjoy more knowledge about funding choices for projects and development thanks to the work of their NN. It has successfully promoted prospects for cooperation via Horizon grants and Operational Group funds, while also being active in the country’s selection of good practice projects for the ARIA 2023 competition.

Cooperation between Croatian rural communities is now better than before due to the NN’s decision to launch communication campaigns encouraging rural communities to embrace their diversity as a strength within their LEADER Local Development Strategies. Providing LEADER advisory guidance was one of the Spanish NN’s most well-received pieces of work from the previous programming period. This guidance, organised by the NN and its partners, has helped to inform a harmonised approach for Spanish LAGs in the current 2023-2027 CAP cycle. 

Estonian NN resources allocated to LEADER have been effective in driving the development of smart village initiatives that are aligned with the priorities of LAG Local Development Strategies. These now cover much of the countryside and build capacity for local communities to help themselves strengthen the resilience of their own rural regions.

You can keep an eye on the monthly EU CAP Network newsletter for more coverage of these NN achievements showing the unique value that CAP networking can create at national, regional and local levels.