The state of Schleswig-Holstein relies on the principle of supportive agricultural advice and the voluntary participation of farmers in advisory services to reduce the negative impact of agriculture on the environment. Building on various structures and funding programmes, the Ministry of Energy Transition, Agriculture, Environment, Nature and Digitalization of the State of Schleswig-Holstein (MELUND) has established a supportive agricultural advisory service for the following areas

• Implementation of the European Union's Water Framework Directive (EC WFD) with the aim of achieving or maintaining good groundwater and surface water status by reducing nutrient inputs
• "Sustainable agriculture" program with the aim of implementing measures in the areas of climate, energy, grassland, animal welfare, organic farming and integrated pest management
• Groundwater-friendly land management in water protection areas with the aim of reducing nutrient inputs into groundwater and drinking water

Objectives and processing concept

Against this background, the state of Schleswig-Holstein invited tenders for the evaluation and optimization of MELUND advisory measures for water, soil and climate-friendly agriculture that promotes biodiversity. The contract was carried out by the consortium Ingenieurbüro Schnittstelle Boden & Ecologic Institut gGmbH.

The aim of the study was to describe, analyze and evaluate the advisory measures in terms of their impact on the above-mentioned protected goods. Based on the results of the analysis and evaluation, optimization and synergy potentials were to be identified and new advisory measures, incentive and control instruments were to be developed to expand and extend the success of previous measures.

The working concept was based on an in-depth analysis of existing guidance practice in Schleswig-Holstein and comprises three levels:

1. Conceptual level (guidance objectives, content, design - guidance modules),
2. spatial and structural level (objectives, framework conditions, linking rules/requirements, design of the guidance modules),
3. Level of target achievement (farms reached, area reached, modules advised, degree of utilization of resources, acceptance).

The 10-page "Summary" chapter of the project report presents the main results as well as recommendations for MELUND's agricultural advisory services. The rest of the report contains more detailed information on data collection, methodology, description of the advisory services and analysis. The final report "Evaluierung und Optimierung von Beratungsmaßnahmen des MELUND für eine gewässer-, boden- und klimaschonende und die Biodiversität fördernde Landwirtschaft in Schleswig-Holstein" is available for download.