Policy Briefs

Policy Brief: Mixing practice and outcome-based targets in policy incentives for soil-health

How should policy incentives be designed to truly support soil health? Our latest policy brief — “Mixing practice and outcome-based targets in policy incentives for soil-health” — argues that the answer lies in striking the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 remain crucial in the early stages of transition, giving farmers the upfront support they need to adopt new approaches. But on their own, they don’t always guarantee measurable improvements. On the other hand, 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 reward tangible results, yet they can expose farmers to unpredictable risks and high implementation costs. The interviews we conducted with policy experts show that a 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 is considered both more effective and fairer: practice-based incentives ensure 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, while outcome-based ones encourage 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and reward 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭. Together, they create a pathway where farmers are supported in the short term while building long-term resilience for Europe’s soils.