Roel Jongeneel

Land use modelling for sustaining multiple functions in the rural countryside with an application in the Achterhoek Region, the Netherlands

The rural countryside in Europe has many functions. Although its main function is the production of food and other primary goods, the rural countryside also provides the available space for many human activities, such as settlements, recreation and tourism, and it contributes to human well-being by providing opportunities for cultural, intellectual and spiritual inspiration. Moreover, the rural countryside has the capacity to supply essential ecological processes and services that contribute to the maintenance of a healthy environment, for example by biogeochemical cycling and by providing clean air, water and soil. The term multifunctionality encapsulates the various functions of the rural countryside. Note that although the importance of the different functions vary between localities, regions and countries, all European rural landscapes fulfil multiple functions simultaneously.

Brexit: Breaking Away – Would it Pay?

Summary In the event of a Brexit the UK would have to redefine its trade relationship with the EU and develop its own agricultural policy. We analyse the impacts of a UK–EU Free Trade Arrangement (FTA); a WTO MFN tariff rates scenario; and a UK Trade Liberalisation scenario (UK TL). In each scenario the effects of three different levels of direct payments to farmers are estimated: current levels, 50 per cent reduction and no direct payments. In the FTA and WTO scenarios, UK prices for agricultural products would increase due to the higher trade facilitation costs and the UKs loss of access to EU preferential import regimes, with positive impacts on producers but negative on consumers or users. In the UK TL scenario, prices for animal products tend to decline, while crop prices show an increase relative to the status quo. The effects on farm incomes reflect these changes in prices but incomes ultimately are strongly dependent on choice of agricultural policy with regard to direct payments. Full abolition of direct payments generally more than offsets the positive effects of output price increases on farm incomes. Direct payments of 50 per cent of current levels have more diverse impacts on farm incomes.

Agent-Based Modeling of Farming Behavior: A Case Study for Milk Quota Abolishment

Gaining insight on the effect of policies upon the Agricultural domain is essential to effectively regulate such a sector. A variety of models have therefore been developed that enable a prediction of agricultural development under different policies. Most models do however not make predictions on a fine grained level, making it difficult to see the real effect for individual farmers. This paper presents an agent-based model where each farm is modeled by means of an agent and studies the effect of milk quota abolishment. Simulations are performed for the Netherlands and compared with the predictions of more coarse grained models.

Risicobeheerinstrumenten in het GLB : bouwstenen voor de Nederlandse positie

Dit rapport analyseert op hoofdlijnen de belangrijkste bestaande en nieuwe risicobeheerinstrumenten in het GLB op eventuele toepassing in Nederland. Voor het risicobeheer zijn allerlei opties beschikbaar die vallen onder instrumenten in de eerste pijler of tweede pijler van het GLB dan wel als overige instrumenten zijn benoemd. De verordeningen van het GLB zijn slechts voor een paar instrumenten een knelpunt voor wat betreft vergroten draagvlak dan wel ontwikkelen van instrumenten. Overige knelpunten vloeien voort uit een te gering draagvlak in de lidstaat. Met name om gevolgschade via onderlinge fondsen te regelen, uitgevoerd door bijvoorbeeld Producentenorganisaties, is bereidheid van de sector en overheid noodzakelijk. Ervaringen in het verleden hebben aangetoond dat dergelijke onderlinge fondsen alleen toekomst hebben indien ze algemeen verbindend worden verklaard, dan wel wettelijk worden geregeld