Impact assessment of the Agri-Environment-Climate Measure (M10) of RDP 2014-2020 on environmental and climatic policies implementation according to the perception of Polish farmers

Abstract

. This paper presents the results of a survey conducted electronically in the years 2020-2022 within the framework of the AGRICORE Horizon project. It concerned the Agri-Environment-Climate Measure M10 within the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and aimed to quantify the impact of its effects on environmental and climatic policy implementation at a national level according to the perceptions of Polish farmers. The representativeness of the scrutinized population was checked using general data from the Polish Statistics Office. The results of our study show a positive perception of M10 by the participating farmers. The majority of them observed the income progress of their activities despite the increased workload connected with programme implementation and the increased costs associated with some of the declared activities. The innovation activities of the M10 participants were directed mainly at sustainable agriculture and protecting the environment. The respondents who did not decide to participate in M10 most frequently explained themselves by noting a lack of information about the programme, bureaucratic limitations, or doubts concerning the profitability of participation. The results of the study suggest that during the implementation of future EU agri-environmental measures, more attention should be paid to administrative and legal activities at the national level which may improve the perception of the programme.