Evaluation

In order to systematically analyse the benefits of policy instruments, we conduct evaluations at the European, national and federal state level in various areas of rural development.
Our main focus is on prospective ex-ante evaluation, accompanying and retrospective ex-post evaluation of rural development programmes and their diverse measures and policy interventions. These include measures and interventions to promote knowledge transfer, innovation and cooperation, as well as measures to strengthen competitiveness, promote organisations in the food chain, and agri-environmental and climate protection. In addition, we evaluate LEADER programmes or Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS).
At the regional level, we offer support services in the area of LEADER self-evaluation to help regions reflect on the achievement of their goals and further develop their regional development strategies. We also evaluate projects in the Federal Programme for Biological Diversity with a focus on socio-economic criteria.
We are also active in the evaluation of large-scale conservation areas. This involves recording the performance and management effectiveness measured against defined indicators. The focus here is on biosphere reserves, nature parks and national parks.

Projects in the thematic field

Sustainability and resilience

Evaluation of the “Support for the Restructuring of Animal Husbandry 2024–2030” Directive

The IfLS, in collaboration with DLG e.V. and INFO GmbH, is investigating the impact of the “Livestock Farming Restructuring” subsidy program. The program initially focuses on pig farms. The aim of the evaluation is to assess the direct and indirect…

Addressing biodiversity and habitat preservation through Measures applied under the Common Agricultural Policy – CAP-Biodiv

With regard to the biodiversity goals 2020 this study analyzes the biodiversity protection potentials of various agricultural policies. The study is carried out by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP). As subcontractor the IfLS will…

Agricultural policy and rural development

Study on the impact of specific Horizon tools that support innovation in agriculture, forestry and rural areas

This evaluative study examines selected instruments of the EU research programs Horizon 2020, Hori-zon Europe, and Mission Soil that aim to promote interactive innovation. The study focuses on five instruments implemented under these programs:…

An overview of the agricultural knowledge and innovation system (AKIS) in Brandenburg

The agricultural sector is facing far-reaching changes – from climate change and resource conservation to digitalisation and a shortage of skilled workers. To address these developments effectively, a sustainable knowledge and innovation system is…

Evaluation of the CAP Strategic Plan (CAP SP) for the 2023–2027 programming period: Lot 3: Rural Development and LEADER

The IfLS is carrying out the evaluation of the German CAP Strategic Plan in collaboration with the Thünen Institute of Rural Development, the Triesdorf Research Group for Agricultural and Regional Development (ART) and Gerald Wagner Regional Research…

Evaluation of the CAP Strategic Plan (CAP SP) for the 2023–2027 programming period – Lot 1: Agricultural incomes, competitiveness and young farmers

The Institute for Rural Structural Research (IfLS), in collaboration with two partner organisations (USV-Agrar and WIFO – Austrian Institute of Economic Research), is carrying out the evaluation of the German CAP Strategic Plan.

The client is the…

Large-scale protected areas and cultural landscapes

Final evaluation of the PLENUM area in the district of Tübingen – Socio-economic effects section

The ‘Baden-Württemberg State Project for the Conservation of Nature and the Environment’, or PLENUM for short, is a concept developed in the 1990s for the nature-friendly and large-scale development of representative cultural landscapes in…

Mid-term evaluation of the implementation of the management plan for the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park

IfLS Beratung und Projekte GmbH is assisting the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park with the interim evaluation of its management plan.

In 2020, the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park adopted a Geo-Nature Park Plan in the form of a management…

Interim evaluation PLENUM Tübingen

[Translate to English:]

PLENUM stands for the state of Baden-Württemberg's project for the conservation and development of nature and the environment. The aim of the funding is a nature conservation-oriented regional development that ensures a sustainable and nature…

Assessment for the evaluation of the performance of the landscape management associations in Saxony

In Saxony, 13 landscape maintenance associations (LPV) have been the point of contact and mediator for rural development and nature conservation projects for many years. By a cooperative approach, goals for nature conservation can be integrated in…

Regional development

External evaluation of the implementation of Local Development Strategies on behalf of four LEADER regions in Hesse

IfLS Beratung und Projekte GmbH supported several LEADER regions in Hesse with interim evaluations during the current funding period. The focus is on the extent to which the objectives and areas of action set out in the Local Development Strategies…

Short evaluation of the regional initiative „Faszination Mosel"

IfLS Consulting and Projects evaluates on behalf of the regional initiative "Faszination Mosel" its previous work and elaborates basic development possibilities based on the results.

Faszination Mosel markets the entire wine-growing region of the…

Ex-post evaluation of the LEADER+ programme 2000-2006 in the Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate

In 2002 the European Commission authorised the 2000-2006 period of the LEADER+ programme supported by the Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate. Seven Local Action Groups (LAGs) were given access to support within the framework of a statewide…

Regional Action: Rural areas shaping the future

The ‘Regionen Aktiv’ programme is a policy initiative of the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture (BMVEL) that addresses the key principles of contemporary RD policy. The role of the IfLS is to carry out accompanying research…

Socio-economics of farm businesses

Ad-hoc study to the funding of the processing and marketing of regional quality products in Rhineland-Palatinate

In Rhineland-Palatinate, investments in the processing and marketing of regional products have been supported since 2015. The measure is specifically intended for companies that process and market certified organic products and / or products with…

Sustainable land use

Effectiveness and efficiency of the CAP’s environmental support instruments – BiodivGAP

The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy entered a new funding period in 2023, bringing with it significant changes to agri-environmental support. The nationwide eco-schemes were introduced alongside the federal state-specific agri-environmental and…

Target fulfilment monitoring and evaluation in accordance with the Baden-Württemberg Act for the Strengthening of Biodiversity- "BW Biodiv"

On 22 July 2020, the so-called "Biodiversitätsstärkungsgesetz" (Act for the Strengthening of Biodiversity) was passed by the state parliament of Baden-Wuerttemberg. In this law, the existing Nature Conservation Act ("NatSchG") and the existing…

Socio-economic evaluation of the "Main.Kinzig.Blüht.Netz" project

The Main-Kinzig district is implementing the "Main.Kinzig.Blüht.Netz" project as part of the federal biodiversity program. Areas that are in public ownership are to be optimized from a nature conservation perspective. These include, for example,…

Second ad-hoc study on the faunistic evaluation of flowering mixtures in Baden-Wuerttemberg

To protect insects, farmers in Baden-Württemberg create flowering areas by sowing special flowering mixtures. These flower-rich stands are intended to provide food for insects and serve as reproduction and refuge areas. In the course of the current…

back-to-top