Case Study
Agro-environmental agreement of the “Sibillini Mountains” area
Contact name
Maria Laura Talamé; Paolo Salvi
Institution name
Monti Sibillini National Park Administration
Region & country
Marche, Umbria - Italy
Summary
An agro-environmental agreement of an area consists of a set of commitments (i.e. compliance with conservation measures of Natura 2000) signed by the farmers of a defined territory based on the measures that can be taken/activated (e.g. compensation received by farmers) within the implementation of the Rural Development Plan. The agreement involves and aggregates a set of public and private stakeholders as part of a shared project, able to activate a series of coordinated interventions, aimed at overcoming or mitigating the same issue.
Background of the project
The Natura 2000 network within the perimeter of the Sibillini National Park had just a few generic (and small) conservation measures mostly unknown to farmers. There was also no guarantee on their effective observance. In the absence of a social and economic multi-year plan, there was not a strategy in the Park for the promotion of agricultural activities compatible with environmental values to be protected. There was not any discussion meeting (working group) between Park Authority and farmers.
The Marche Region, as project supervisor of the Regional Development Plan and as creator of the instrument “agro-environmental agreement of area”, posed the following priorities:
1) provide practical implementation of the Regional Development Plan measures, through a more rational use of EU financial resources;
2) ensuring compliance with the conservation measures Natura 2000 and contribute to the achievement of conservation objectives of the SCI in which the Regional Development Plan measures are implemented.
Solution and actions taken
Create a local system with a bottom-up approach for the involvement of farmers who could make feasible the Regional Development Plan and at the same time could make farmers part of a project, empowering as well as making them more aware of the natural values to be protected.
The process was divided into initials stages of animation, coordination, and aggregation, then the formalization of the agreement and subsequently training and awareness raising activities. This was followed by the implementation phase of the Agreement in accordance with the actual Regional Development Plan measures.
Other institutions or parties involved
The stakeholders that have acted within the agro-environmental area of “Sibillini Mountains ” are:
- Sibillini National Park;
- Mountain Community of Camerino (now Union of mountain municipalities “Marca di Camerino”);
- Mountain Community of the Monti Azzurri (now Union of mountain municipalities ” Monti Azzurri “);
- Municipality of San Ginesio;
- Municipality of Cessapalombo;
- Municipality of Fiastra;
- Municipality of Pievebovigliana.
Results
1) Farmers are more aware of naturalistic values to protect the rural environment;
2) The conservation measures for Natura 2000 sites are known by farmers;
3) a formal working group (Tavolo di confronto) between Park and Farmers to which are brought and discussed issues also on other topics (e.g. damages from wildlife, promoting agri-food chains, etc.).
Challenges
The most problematic phases were:
1) convince farmers of “convenience” resulting from the accession to the Agreement.
2) convince farmers to change their farming and ranching techniques.
3) slowing down of the implementation phase for administrative-bureaucratic problems.
Lessons learned
The action of potentially opposing parties and with different objectives can come together in a unified project based on “mutual benefits”. The process requires highly specialized professionals in animation/facilitation techniques. The stages of the process and the timetable must be very well scanned and somehow continuously, without long interruptions. In the process,
The most problematic phases were:
1) convince farmers of “convenience” resulting from the accession to the Agreement.
2) convince farmers to change their farming and ranching techniques.
3) slowing down of the implementation phase for administrative-bureaucratic problems.
we must always be very clear about the roles that each person can and should play.
Contact name
Maria Laura Talamé; Paolo Salvi
Institution name
Monti Sibillini National Park Administration
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