Assessing the success of agri-environmental policy in the UK

This paper considers alternative means for assessing the success of “agri-environmental” policy (AEP), which has become an increasingly-important aspect of agricultural and environmental policy throughout Europe, and which has probably developed more extensively in the UK than elsewhere. After a brief description of the main elements of AEP in the UK, we consider two broad classes of assessment method, those based on efficiency and those based on effectiveness. The latter class of methods has dominated appraisal so far in the UK, primarily through participation measures. We outline the limitations of these, and then consider evidence of policy efficiency gained through cost–benefit analysis techniques. Finally, we suggest how a combined approach could be used to appraise three possible changes to UK agri-environmental policy.