Evaluating the CAP Greening crop diversification measure with counterfactual methods

The JRC has developed analyses on the environmental performance of the 2014-22 CAP cycle, applying counterfactual methods to rich data sources. Around 1 in 5 EU holdings above 10 hectares of arable land were required to change their cropping choices due to the crop diversification (CD) measure, according to estimates based on the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). The CD measure increased crop diversity and reduced the share of arable land dedicated to the main crop in affected farms. No tangible negative impacts on other drivers of environmental outcomes or on farm profitability were detected. GeoSpatial Aid Applications (GSAA) data is a powerful policy evaluation tool, which enables high-precision spatial analyses on the universe of CAP beneficiaries, to complement studies based on farm surveys such as FADN.