Thematic Group expertise informs CSP implementation

CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) eco-schemes, Monitoring Committees, and green architecture together with rural skills and mental health in farming communities, are the networking topics of five Thematic Groups that the EU CAP Network has been centred on recently.

Knowledge development work from the Thematic Group on Design and Implementation of Eco-schemes in the new CSPs continues to progress. This work is informing opportunities to help optimise advance implementation of CSP eco-schemes in Member States. The EU CAP Network is currently gathering key findings and topics highlighted as areas for future potential improvement, along with recommendations, from the Thematic Group members’ expert assessments. A factsheet containing the findings will be published shortly. The Thematic Group’s final meeting took place in Brussels on 20 February and the Highlights Report will be available on the EU CAP Network website’s event page.

Such new knowhow being shared about eco-scheme implementation is also feeding into follow-up work that is launching soon with a new Thematic Group on Green Architecture: Designing Green Strategies. The first meeting is scheduled for 11 April and its members will continue networking dialogue until June about how green architecture interventions best form green strategies to address Member States’ climate and environmental needs.

Monitoring Committess are set by each Member State to monitor implementation of the CSPs including the green architecture. Videos and PDFs presenting initial findings from the Thematic Group on CSPs: Monitoring Committees are now available illustrating different Member State approaches and lessons learned on the establishment and effective functioning of Monitoring Committees. More outputs from the Thematic Group and its second meeting are in the pipeline and will be available shortly.

Also recently completed, the Thematic Group on Nurturing Skills for a Thriving and Sustainable Agricultural Sector is drawing together its round up of expert inputs on this topic from the members’ concluding meeting. Keep an eye on the Thematic Group website page for new information designed to help reinforce possibilities for bettering agricultural skill bases in Europe.

The EU CAP Network’s most recent Thematic Group is dedicated to supporting thriving agricultural livelihoods and started its networking activity last month. This Thematic Group on Mental Health of Farmers and Farming Communities met for the first time online in February. It shared experiences and reflected on key elements required to address challenges and barriers (physical, social, economic, and personal) to accessing mental health support in EU farming communities. Examples of good practices were highlighted, and the latest LEADER newsletter features a case study demonstrating how CSPs can help bring mental health services and farmers close together when needed.

Follow the Thematic Group webpages to stay updated with all this ongoing support for the implementation of CSPs.