Green payment and agroforestry landscape: cost-benefit analysis in the territory of Teverina

Abstract

Green payment (or greening) is one of the main aspect of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2014-2020. With this instrument continues the process started especially with the Fischler reform in order to justify public spending, ensuring the first pillar payments to farmers producing public goods. Regarding the agroforestry landscape, the greening in several territories, especially those in inner and hilly areas, will maintain the current characteristics such as the simultaneous presence of different crops, including pasture, forest and landscape features. The effectiveness of greening in terms of benefits and costs is one of the most interesting aspects to be analyzed, considering the application rules and the financial budget of this environmental instrument. In this study has been carried out a cost-benefit analysis in an territory called Teverina. The benefits of agroforestry landscape were evaluated using the Contingent Valuation Method. The main results show a ratio of benefits-costs that seems to justify public spending to maintain the current landscape. In conclusion, the analysis shows that the greening is in accordance to the new objectives of the CAP and in general to those of Europe 2020 strategy, with several negative aspects that are discussed.