Harnessing the Potential of the CAP for more Biodiversity: Policy Recommendations from a Dialogue with Farmers in Germany

Agricultural landscapes in Germany are affected by a sharp decline in biodiversity. The biodiversity crisis manifests itself in the loss of habitats and significant population declines of numerous plant and animal species groups. Important ecosystem services of agricultural ecosystems such as pollination, soil fertility and natural pest control are also severely affected by the loss of biodiversity. This trend not only threatens biodiversity, but also the functionality and sustainability of our agricultural and food systems. The question therefore arises: How can politics and society help farmers to do more for biodiversity and how can they benefit better from their efforts?

To contribute to answering this question, this policy brief provides initial findings from an exchange process with farmers and other stakeholders in Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg as well as EU-level policy recommendations.