Resource description:
Biodiversa+ regularly organises dialogue events to bridge the gap between research and implementation. These events bring together policymakers, R&I programmers, experts, and stakeholders to identify emerging needs and priorities that could benefit from coordinated action in Europe. The most recent of these dialogues was held on 5-6 October 2026 in Paris to examine how agricultural policies could better support biodiversity, particularly under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
While agriculture depends on biodiversity and ecosystem services such as pollination, pest regulation and soil fertility, it is also one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. Farming systems need to reconcile these dependencies and pressures to support their long-term resilience. Ecosystem services offer a way to discuss benefits that matter directly to farmers, but indicators of these services do not capture every conservation objective, such as protecting threatened species or habitats. The dialogue explored the evidence and incentives needed to support biodiversity-enhancing agricultural measures, repeatedly highlighting a key challenge: ecological results often depend on more than the actions of individual farmers.
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and CAP evaluators introduced existing monitoring systems and the challenges of assessing policy impacts. Biodiversa-funded projects connected these issues to research on farmland habitats and farmer participation, providing examples of how hedgerows and flower strips can support biodiversity and pest regulation, as well as highlighting the importance of cooperation among farmers and incentives adapted to their needs and motivations. Group discussions followed to explore indicators, landscape approaches and payments for environmental services.
More information: https://www.biodiversa.eu/2026/10/16/supporting-biodiversity-through-better-agricultural-policies/
Author/Contact:
https://www.biodiversa.eu/2026/10/16/supporting-biodiversity-through-better-agricultural-policies/