Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HNV-Link (High Nature Value Farming: Learning, Innovation and Knowledge.) Reporting period: 2017-10-01 to 2019-03-31 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project High Nature Value (HNV) farming refers mainly to low-intensity livestock farming relying on permanent and wooded pastures and hay meadows, and to low-intensity crop systems, traditional orchards and olive groves. It occurs mostly in areas where natural constraints hinder intensive production, but covers c. 30% of the EU agricultural land. HNV farms sustain a high diversity of species, habitats and landscape features, produce quality food, maintain open cultural landscapes appreciated by tourists and deliver services to the society (e.g. water/soil protection, fire/climate change mitigation). HNV farming indicators have been used in the CAP since 2005.Clearly, HNV farmers face multiple pressures, their interests are poorly represented in the academic, farm advisory and policy sectors, and they are not suitably rewarded by policies. They must cope with EU regulations (e.g. food hygiene, animal health) not tailored to their situations and their income is often insufficient, leading to HNV farmland reconversion/abandonment and biodiversity loss. So, HNV farms need to adopt innovations of all types (e.g. social/institutional, regulation/policy, technique/management, markets/products) to ensure their viability. This calls for a more innovative and HNV farming friendly policy framework and the commitment of all stakeholders.HNV-Link (High Nature Value Farming: Learning, Innovation and Knowledge, H2020, 2016-2019) engaged 10 HNV Learning Areas in a multi-actor and multi-scalar innovation brokering process. It acted at the grassroots, national and transnational levels, connecting rural development and innovation actors to support HNV farming systems by inspiring and sharing innovations/practices that improve their socio-economic viability while preserving their ecological value. The objectives were to: a) Assess innovation challenges and trends in HNV farming systems; b) Commit local actors for developing shared HNV farming visions and sustainable development pathways; c) Catalyse networking to transfer innovations that enhance HNV farms’ viability; d) Strengthen HNV farming advisory and education; e) Raise awareness of HNV farming benefits and advocate policy support.HNV-Link developed such recommendations as: HNV farms are multi-functional and must be rewarded for their ecological, social and economic benefits; Plenty of innovations exist and regional/national frameworks must promote them; Supporting HNV farmers’ empowerment, organisation, and cooperation with other stakeholders is key; Agriculture, environment, food and rural development policies/regulations should suit better low-intensity farming; In the CAP, eco-schemes and Agri-environment-climate measures should incentivise HNV farming, and all semi-natural pastures/grasslands should be entitled to direct payments; the continuity of projects and institutional support must be ensured, as it takes time for innovation to develop across themes.There is scope to improve the CAP to favour sustainable agricultural practices over intensive/damaging ones, but it is up to Member States to adequately support HNV farming through their CAP Strategic Plans. Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far HNV-Link supported networking/peer-learning among 10 HNV farming territories, to boost the application of solutions that can improve HNV farms’ viability while safeguarding their ecological values. HNV-Link activities were organised in five complementary Work Packages (WPs).WP1. Describing & assessing baseline situations. We built with local actors a shared “baseline assessment” of the situations in the Learning Areas to appreciate the innovation needs and opportunities of HNV farms. We collated socio-economic (development indicators), environmental (biodiversity state) and institutional (governance) data and established a typology of the Learning Areas. We identified the challenges in terms of socioeconomic and environmental sustainability and the drivers of successful innovations, and proposed indicators to monitor the socio-economic viability of HNV farms. This led to the production of guidelines for conducting baseline assessments, and the HNV-Link Atlas (crossed perspectives on 10 Learning Areas).WP2. Learning innovation from the grassroots. We assessed the innovation needs and opportunities in the ten Learning Areas, and analysed those innovations/practices that are favourable to HNV farming systems, by supporting their economic viability while maintaining their ecological values. This work allowed a literature review, and led to the publication of guidelines for assessing innovation, and of a Compendium of HNV innovations and online innovation map and fiches.WP3. Dissemination & Communication. We made major efforts to communicate and disseminate the project outputs and recommendations to a wide range of stakeholders, from the local to European level, to maximise their appropriation by end-users. We used a diversity of channels and tools, including a richly populated project website with its Innovation Map, reports, educational materials, newsletter, talks at international conferences, press releases, news and videos in social media, HNV-Link Booklet, reports on peer-learning activities and joint publications, Practice Abstracts for the EIP-Agri, etc.WP4. Network Coordination & Stimulation. We organised networking activities to foster co-innovation, including 3 Network meetings (Methodological seminar in Montpellier, Innovation Fair in Évora, and Final HNV-Link Conference in Montpellier), cross-visits between Learning Areas, local/regional meetings, etc. It resulted in the co-production of scientific and policy papers, in English and national languages.WP5. Coordination & Management. This WP supported the network’s activities through strategic planning. Partners have developed trust and efficient collaboration mechanisms that will help them build up new projects. Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far) HNV-Link developed an HNV farming community of practice and innovation brokering platform, mobilising researchers, practitioners and policymakers around shared objectives. As such, it has driven innovation and sustainable change across institutions and scales, supporting EIP-Agri objectives. Now, it expands beyond its initial boundaries, as Partners are involved in local, regional and transnational partnerships and initiatives. HNV-Link has also generated new knowledge and practical tools on HNV agroecosystems and innovation processes and drivers. As key operational outcomes, it has produced an Atlas of HNV farming systems and a unique innovation Compendium, which can help HNV farmers, advisers and nature area managers reach in an integrated way agricultural production, environmental and socio-economic objectives. It also produced an educational package for use in vocational and higher education, a first of its kind. It is freely available as open education resources and is put to use by educators within and outside the HNV-Link network. HNV-Link has raised society’s awareness of the importance of HNV farming in sustaining biodiversity and other public services, has proposed ways for the EU and national policy makers to promote it, and has given practical solutions for farmers to make their farms both biodiversity-friendly and economically viable. At the territory level, the project favoured the connections between HNV farmers and agri-food stakeholders, by fostering initiatives that add value or improve the marketability of HNV products, thus strengthening rural dynamism. HNV-Link Network Map Overview of HNV-Link Project HNV-Link Methodology
