Thematic Working Group 9 - Research Projects to Support Better Data for Evaluating the CAP
The quality of evaluations depends substantially on the availability of data that can be analysed through various evaluation methods. Data availability and quality can be improved through planning appropriately the data needs, reviewing relevant data sources and by setting up and managing the systems to collect and process the required data for evaluation.
There are a number of EU-level initiatives and projects (e.g. FLINT, NIVA, Sen4CAP, SIMRA) which are working on the improvement of data-infrastructure and data use (e.g. digital solutions, e-tools, algorithms, good practices) needed to provide up to date data for monitoring and evaluation of the CAP both at the EU and national levels.
In view of these new developments the Evaluation Helpdesk has launched its 9th Thematic Working Group (TWG) ‘Research Projects to Support Better Data for Evaluating the CAP’, which has the overall objective to support the preparation and transition of data-collection for monitoring and evaluation systems of the CAP post-2020. Furthermore, this TWG aims to:
- take stock of the knowledge accumulated in initiatives and projects at the EU/MS levels who are working on data-infrastructure and data use which have the potential to contribute to the data management and information systems for evaluating the CAP;
- provide insights on innovative data collection and processing methods and their use for evaluation;
- develop knowledge transfer tools for the application of new data and better use of data for evaluating the CAP.
To support the transfer of these new developments to the evaluation community the thematic working group will follow the knowledge transfer cycle of identifying, capturing, codifying and finally sharing.
Working Packages of the TWG:
1. Taking stock of the knowledge accumulated in initiatives and projects at the EU and Member State levels to contribute to the data management and information systems for evaluating the CAP.
Interactive knowledge repository, which will provide insights on EU level initiatives and projects (e.g. methodologies used, indicators developed), see Figure 1.
Explore the Evaluation Knowledge Bank!
View Evaluation Knowledge Bank outputs per CAP Objective

2. Transferring knowledge for better use of data for evaluating the CAP
Practical examples of using selected Evaluation Knowledge Bank (EKB) outputs in evaluations and presentations of the selected EKB content:
Example ‘Using IMAJINE outputs for evaluating local development in Spain’
Example ‘Using Sen4CAP Earth Observation markers for evaluating soil erosion’
Example ‘Using FLINT indicators for evaluating Focus Area 2A’
Graphic presentations of thematic clusters of EKB outputs:
Task Force Biodiversity EN
(1.19 MB)
Task Force Climate Change EN
(1.63 MB)
Task Force Digitalisation EN
(1.03 MB)
Task Force Farm Performance EN
(1.17 MB)
Task Force Food Health EN
(1.14 MB)
Task Force Interoperability EN
(1.15 MB)
Task Force Local Development EN
(1.18 MB)
Task Force Migration EN
(1 MB)
Task Force Small Farms EN
(1.02 MB)
Task Force Social Innovation EN
(1.06 MB)
Task Force Soil Erosion EN
(1.6 MB)
Task Force Water EN
(1.73 MB)
Simra Tool Database Indicators EN
(373.66 KB)
Other materials:
- DEMETER: Data Driven Innovation in the Agrifood sector - (Ioanna Roussaki, Institute of Communications & Computer Systems (ICCS))
- DESIRA: an overview - (Gianluca Brunori, UNIPI)
- DIONE: an integrated EO-based toolbox for modernizing CAP area-based compliance checks and assessing respective environmental impact - (Valantis Tsiakos, I-SENSE Group, Institute of Communication & Computer Systems)
- DiverIMPACTS: Diversification through Rotation, Intercropping, Multiple cropping, Promoted with Actors and value Chains Towards Sustainability (2017 2022) - (Antoine Messéan, INRAE)
- FLINT: Farm Level Indicators for New Topics in Policy Evaluation - (Hans Vrolijk, Wageningen Economic Research)
- FLINT: Evolution of farm data collection in Ireland The lessons that have been learned - (Trevor Donnellan, Teagasc)
- FLINT data collection experience in Hungarian FADN - (Szilárd Keszthelyi, Agrárközgazdasági Intézet)
- Evaluation and Territorial Inequalities: Outputs from IMAJINE - (Michael Woods, Aberystwyth University)
- MATILDE: Concepts and Indicators to Assess the Impact of Immigration of TCNs on Local Development in European Rural and Mountain Regions - (Andrea Membretti and Tobias Weidinger, MATILDE Project)
- MIND STEP Project Data requirements for indicators on European policies related to agriculture and data management - (Marc Müller, Wageningen University)
- MonViA: Monitoring of biological diversity in agricultural landscapes in Germany - (Petra Dieker, Thünen Institute of Biodiversity)
- NIVA: Digital Innovations in IACS systems and their relevance for monitoring and evaluation - (Sander Janssen, Wageningen University & Research)
- NIVA in France: Agri-environmental indicators (UC1b) - (Emmanuel de Laroche, Ludovic Arnaud, Christian Bockstaller, ASP and INRAE)
- RurAction: Social innovation and (social) impacts: an exploratory study for assessing the impacts of social innovation - (Marina Novikova, ISCTE-IUL, Portugal)
- SALSA: Small farms, small food businesses and sustainable food and nutrition security - (Teresa Pinto, SALSA Project)
- Sen4CAP Open Source System to Support the CAP Reform Using Sentinel-1 and -2 for Continuous Near Real Time Agriculture Practices Monitoring - (Sophie Bontemps, SEN4CAP)
- Checks by Monitoring and the use of Sen4CAP products: Castile and León (Spain) - (Alberto Gutiérrez, ITACYL)
- Sen4CAP: Application and evaluation in Denmark - (Naya Sophie Rye Jørgensen, Ministry of the Environment and Food Danish Agency for Agriculture)
- SIMRA: Evaluation of social innovation in rural areas: a novel method developed by SIMRA H2020 project - Overview - (Laura Secco, SIMRA)
- VERIFY: Observation-based system for monitoring and verification of greenhouse gases - (Philippe Peylin, CEA-LSCE)