2020 annual evaluation report of the Lombardia region's RDP

The evaluation analysed and assessed the impact of the RDP on improving the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector through support for generational renewal (M6.1.01) and investment in agricultural holdings (M4.1.01) in Lombardia, Italy. The evaluator, in agreement with the Managing Authority, also elaborated on the effect of COVID-19 on the competitiveness of the regional farms benefiting from the RDP.

The identified issues provided an overview of the results achieved by the RDP regarding the CAP objective of ‘Fostering competitiveness in agriculture’. To support the evaluation analyses, in addition to the primary data collected through the direct surveys of the above beneficiaries, the evaluator made extensive use of both secondary data from the 'SISCO' regional monitoring system and all relevant information from official statistical sources (e.g. Eurostat, Istat, Movimprese and FADN database) and literature (e.g. agri-food reports etc.).

The evaluation employed both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The qualitative analysis of the selection criteria and the related scores defined in the implementing provisions verified, in particular, their correlation with the cross-cutting objectives ‘Innovation’ and ‘Environment-Climate’. The quantitative analysis assessed the effectiveness of the same selection criteria by comparing the score assigned to the applications financed with the maximum potentially obtainable on the criteria linked to the cross-cutting objectives ‘Innovation’ and ‘Environment’ and the salient characteristics of the applications financed relevant to the two aforementioned objectives.

During the second half of 2020, the methodology for carrying out face-to-face direct surveys using the CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) methodology was also defined, in agreement with the Managing Authority, with representative samples of beneficiaries of Measures 4.1.01 (FA 2A) and 6.1.01 (FA 2B).

The monitoring data used for the analyses carried out in 2020 were provided to the evaluator thanks to the discharges made by the SISCO regional information system, which collects all the information supporting the monitoring and evaluation of the RDP.

The evaluation’s conclusions on generational renewal include some of the following: (1) the RDP has promoted generational renewal in agriculture thanks to Measure 6.1.01, reaching at the end of 2020 a degree of effectiveness compared to the target of setting up 1 155 young farmers of 58.2%; (2) there was a good propensity of young people to activate other RDP measures; (3) as a result of setting up, the on-farm commitment of young farmers is increased by 2.3% and overall farm employment by 16.3%; and (4) the business plans implemented by young people have made it possible to achieve competitiveness objectives thanks to an improvement in all items of the income statement, including labour productivity.

In light of all the elements and to improve the implementation of the RDP in the coming years, the evaluation also proposes several recommendations for the 2023-2027 programming period.