A comparative cost-effectiveness analysis of biodiversity indicators in grassland farming systems

Farm Management, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Towards a cost-effectiveness analysis of the measurement of biodiversity indicators

A comprehensive quantification of biodiversity in farming systems would require a very significant amount of work (and funds) even for a small area. Therefore, biodiversity indicators are needed to solve the problem of the measurement feasibility. Even though the issue of cost and effectiveness is central for the evaluation of the indicators, only the latter is discussed in detail in the scientific literature. This work presents a cost analysis based on the direct gathering of records from a farm-scale biodiversity survey (EU-FP7, BioBio - “Indicators for biodiversity in organic and low-input farming systems”) where the analysis of costs is part of the project. It is a simple method for comparing different indicators by their ratio of cost/effectiveness. Here we present the results from the French case study (Gascony Hills, Midi-Pyrenees Region).biodiversity, cost-effectiveness, indicator costs, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q2,

Cost Assessment of the Field Measurement of Biodiversity: a Farm-scale Case Study

Attention to the effects of agriculture on biodiversity is currently increasing. Yet the measurement of biodiversity is both time-consuming and costly. Considering the limited budgets available for biodiversity conservation, it is timely to focus on the cost analysis of biodiversity indicators in order to ensure the optimization of the scarce funds available. We present the cost analysis of operational data from the fieldwork efforts undertaken in the measurement of biodiversity indicators at farm-scale. Methodological issues are discussed

Building long-term vision for rural areas through multiactor platforms: a preliminary study in the Emilia-Romagna region

Developing long-term visions through participatory approaches can be very useful to explore different possible scenarios and pathways to reach desirable futures. This brief report describes a participatory process carried out in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) to develop a long-term vision for rural areas by 2040. This approach consisted of: (i) interviews and a focus group carried out with a multi-actor platform (MAP) composed of experts from science-society-policy sectors, and (ii) an on-line questionnaire addressing a larger number of rural stakeholders of the region. Mixing expert-based consultation through the MAP with a more inclusive consultation approach resulted in an effective method to build long-term visions in the very heterogeneous rural context of the Emilia-Romagna. However, this study only constitutes a preliminary step into a more laborated backcasting approach

CONSOLE Project - Deliverable 2.5 - "EIP-AGRI abstract on current experience and existing initiatives on collective, result-based and value chain solutions for AECPG provision"

To improve the provision of agri-environmental-climate public goods (AECPGs) from agriculture and forestry, new solutions, such as result-based payments or collective implementation, and new strategies along the value chain might help. The analysis of ca. 120 case studies in and outside EU showed that many real-life cases of implementation combine different contract types. Collective implementation can be a precondition for environmental effectiveness, particularly if AECPGs are addressed that can be hardly improved by measures on single plots, (e.g. water quality). Result-based contracts can target specific AECPGs and increase engagement of land-managers due to flexible management choices. Some recommendations for contract design and implementation are distilled: 1.) Targeting contracts to specific regions addresses regional criticalities and enhances the farmers’ and foresters’ interest and understanding of measures. 2.) Involving land-managers in target-setting and measure development leads to higher compatibility with their businesses and can create win-win situations. 3.) Involving control authorities in the design of indicators in result-based schemes can guarantee integrability into RDPs. 4.) Fostering bottom-up approaches and involving regional key actors as coordinating units enhances commitment and motivation in collective approaches. 5.) Guaranteeing good levels of equity and fairness enhances acceptance particularly in value-chain based solutions. It becomes clear that result-based and collective solutions don’t fit in each context situation, as they often demand high levels of knowledge and collaborative skills. Value chain approaches are often only suited if consumers’ awareness is high

Towards a cost-effectiveness analysis of the measurement of biodiversity indicators

A comprehensive quantification of biodiversity in farming systems would require a very significant amount of work (and funds) even for a small area. Therefore, biodiversity indicators are needed to solve the problem of the measurement feasibility. Even though the issue of cost and effectiveness is central for the evaluation of the indicators, only the latter is discussed in detail in the scientific literature. This work presents a cost analysis based on the direct gathering of records from a farm-scale biodiversity survey (EU-FP7, BioBio - “Indicators for biodiversity in organic and low-input farming systems”) where the analysis of costs is part of the project. It is a simple method for comparing different indicators by their ratio of cost/effectiveness. Here we present the results from the French case study (Gascony Hills, Midi-Pyrenees Region)

CONSOLE Project - Deliverable 1.2 - "Identification of potential improved solutions"

This deliverable describes the activies and the results developed in the task 1.2 “Stakeholder co-construction of potential improved solutions”. The objective is to identify the most promising solutions able to improve the design of contracts for agri-environmental-climate public goods (AECPGs) in different case studies and in EU as a whole. The activities carried out involved a surbey among partners, including selectd stakeholders, and a workshop with a broad participation of stakeholders. Several cases were identified that attracted a wide attention by partners from many countries. Three main AECPGs (carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality) were mostly confirmed as of high or very high importance in most cases. The furher discussion allowed to identify implications for the upcoming WPs. A general message is the high interest for result-based mechanisms, but also the importance of considering hybrid solutions

Tissue Penetration of Antimicrobials in Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Systematic Review—Part I

The challenging severity of some infections, especially in critically ill patients, makes the diffusion of antimicrobial drugs within tissues one of the cornerstones of chemotherapy. The knowledge of how antibacterial agents penetrate tissues may come from different sources: preclin- ical studies in animal models, phase I–III clinical trials and post-registration studies. However, the particular physiopathology of critically ill patients may significantly alter drug pharmacokinetics. Indeed, changes in interstitial volumes (the third space) and/or in glomerular filtration ratio may influence the achievement of bactericidal concentrations in peripheral compartments, while inflam- mation can alter the systemic distribution of some drugs. On the contrary, other antibacterial agents may reach high and effective concentrations thanks to the increased tissue accumulation of macro- phages and neutrophils. Therefore, the present review explores the tissue distribution of beta-lac- tams and other antimicrobials acting on the cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria in crit- ically ill patients. A systematic search of articles was performed according to PRISMA guidelines, and tissue/plasma penetration ratios were collected. Results showed a highly variable passage of drugs within tissues, while large interindividual variability may represent a hurdle which must be overcome to achieve therapeutic concentrations in some compartments. To solve that issue, off-label dosing regimens could represent an effective solution in particular conditions

Assessing the costs of measuring biodiversity: methodological and empirical issues

Organic and low-input farming practices are considered keystones for the conservation of biodiversity in semi-natural systems. Accordingly, attention to the assessment of the benefits stemming from these activities is increasing in order to provide a solid base for the adoption of agro-environmental incentives and to support their monitoring and evaluation. The evaluation of the positive effects of organic and low-input farming activities on biodiversity is limited mainly by: the difficulty in proposing simple and widely-applicable indicators of biodiversity, and the substantial lack of data concerning the costs of measuring biodiversity - an essential element for a cost-effectiveness analysis. Moreover, the limited scientific literature available is based on ex-post analysis rather than on systematic data collection. The assessment of the costs of measuring biodiversity at farm-scale throughout Europe is one of the specific tasks of the BioBio project (UE-FP7). In this work, we discuss methodological aspects and preliminary results based on data gathered during fieldwork measurements of biodiversity in BioBio

CONSOLE Project - Deliverable 2.2 - "Draft report on experiences from outside the EU"

The aim of task 2.3 is to collect the most promising and successful experiences outside the EU that could add new and interesting perspectives for application in EU and to feed into WP2 a wider range of opportunities for contract design. The task takes the form of a systematic literature review and this report provides a draft version of the outcomes of this review. The final version of the report will be provided in month 30. The review selected 79 documents, including both peer review papers and reports/grey literature having as a scope all countries outside those already represented by the CONSOLE partners. The main reasons for success identified for the reviewed cases are: a) reducing risks linked to results; b) reduced costs for monitoring results; c) farmers’ interest and social revenue; d) resources availability; e) additionality; f) relying on existing collectives; g) communication; payment setting; h)appropriate intermediaries. To a large extent the success factors listed above confirm insights from cases in the CONSOLE partner countries. However, they allow the consideration of a broader variety of solutions. On the other hand, this also depends on the specific institutional context where they are located, which means that potential for replication should be taken carefully. The fact that a large part of the experiences and certainly of the evidence is rather recent encourages the continuation of this task providing updates during the whole project life