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CHAPTER 4: JUSTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES BASED ON THE COMMUNITY STRATEGIC GUIDELINES AND THE NATIONAL STRATEGY PLAN AS WELL AS THE EXPECTED IMPACT ACCORDING TO THE EX ANTE EVALUATION

4.1 Justification of the priorities chosen having regard to the Community Strategic Guidelines and the National Strategy Plan

4.1.1 Scotland's approach

The driver for the 2007-13 SRDP is the delivery of policy outcomes set out in the Strategic Plan. A number of mechanisms will be used to ensure that outcomes are delivered effectively. First, measures supported in the SRDP are packaged (where appropriate) to illustrate how a combination of measures is often required to achieve policy outcomes. This is intended to highlight (particularly for applicants) the complementarity of different measures in contributing to outcomes. Equally, specific measures may contribute to more than one outcome across the Axes of Regulation 1698/2005.

Second, a strategic approach to business and land management planning is essential in delivering outcomes. To this end, applicants will be required to demonstrate a strategic approach and an appropriate level of planning will be a pre-condition for support under Tier 3 of Rural Development Contracts (see Chapter 5), the successor to Land Management Contracts. Financial support is available for such planning where highly specialist plans are needed. Advisory support will play a critical role in enabling the opportunities of the new Programme to be grasped.

Third, a regional approach will be used to delivering measures under Tier 3 of Rural Development Contracts. As shown in Chapter 3, rural Scotland has diverse landscapes and wildlife, and provides wide-ranging opportunities for enjoyment of the countryside. Some of its communities are located in remote island and mountain settings, and others lie close to major towns and cities. In these differing circumstances, the nature of outcomes that can be delivered through the SRDP will vary too and applicants for support will have very different needs. Therefore, a key feature of the 2007-13 SRDP is to deliver outcomes that reflect regional and local circumstances (while meeting national and international objectives and obligations). To this end, the SRDP will be administered through a network of regional project assessment committees. These are described in Chapter 11.

Fourth, a joined-up approach between the SRDP, key government policies and other relevant programmes of support will be essential to ensure that the SRDP plays an integral, but appropriately focused, role in delivering beneficial outcomes for rural Scotland. This approach will require complementarity with other funding streams (see Chapter 10), co-ordination with the objectives and obligations of the Water Framework Directive and the Scottish Climate Change Programme and, where appropriate, exploitation of opportunities to contribute to wider needs and services in rural areas.

4.1.2 Principles of support

Two key principles underpin the priorities for the 2007-13 SRDP. The first is sustainability whereby measures achieve complementary outcomes - whether social, economic or environmental - and avoid net damage to the cultural and historic environment. The second is the need to correct for market failure and deliver outcomes that are for the benefit of rural communities and the wider population. Based on these principles, the SRDP will deliver wide-ranging benefits across each Axis through the provision of 'public goods', one-off investments to improve business viability and encourage restructuring, and investments in the infrastructure and human capital of rural communities.

The selection of measures for support in the SRDP is guided by the following criteria.

• There should be evidence to justify funding.
• Support should be targeted at areas, sectors or communities where there is a demonstrable and significant need.
• There should be no duplication through other funding streams such as the EU Structural Funds; indeed measures should complement other initiatives and be consistent with local authority plans and local economic strategies.
• Funding should be the most appropriate solution, either in terms of building capacity or supporting projects.
• Funding must deliver outcomes that would not happen otherwise and make a significant and, wherever possible, measurable improvement.

Outcomes

The policy outcomes set out in the Strategic Plan for Scotland are guided by the Community Strategic Guidelines, strategic rural development outcomes identified by the Scottish Executive, and by a range of EU and domestic strategies pertinent to economic development, the natural heritage and the delivery of public services.

The SRDP addresses five key outcomes:

• Improved business viability;
• Enhanced biodiversity and landscape;
• Improved water quality;
• Tackling climate change; and,
• Thriving rural communities.

Community Strategic Guideline 1 states that Europe's agricultural, forestry and food processing sectors have great potential to further develop high-quality and value-added products that meet the diverse and growing demand of Europe's consumers and world markets. Our main objective under Axis 1 is to improve the competitiveness of these sectors in Scotland by focusing on modernisation, innovation and quality (both in production and throughout the supply chain) and knowledge transfer. This will be achieved through investment support in physical and human capital and by encouraging co-operation among producers and in the food chain. These actions support the objectives of the Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture - Next Steps and the Scottish Forestry Strategy 2006.

Axis 1 is the principal means for supporting the outcome on improved business viability. The Strategic Plan for Scotland identifies five priorities under Axis 1. These are to:

• encourage restructuring, and new and innovative activities, generating improvements in product quality and facilitating collaboration among producers, and encouraging new entrants;
• increase market focus, encouraging business planning, helping consumers to understand how their buying decisions can support sustainable products from well managed countryside businesses, and helping the agriculture and forestry sectors to reduce costs, exploit new markets, add value through improved local processing and develop more integrated supply chains;
• invest in training and development and knowledge transfer to help to enhance and broaden the capacity and skills of the agriculture and forestry sectors, and to sustain a skilled and confident workforce open to new opportunities; and,
• promote an efficient and environmentally sustainable industry through pollution control and resource management (including facilities for the improved handling, storage and efficient use of manure and slurry to reduce diffuse pollution) and energy-efficient plant and renewable energies.

The intervention logic for measures to be supported under Axis 1 is shown in Table 4.1.

Community Strategic Guideline 2 identifies the following priority areas: biodiversity, preservation and development of high nature value farming and forestry systems, traditional agricultural landscapes, water and climate change. Our priority under Axis 2 is to support land management practices that deliver environmental outcomes, both for public benefit and enjoyment and as an asset to attract and support economic activity. Realisation of such outcomes will require joined-up and collaborative actions among land managers in order to secure benefits at a landscape scale.

Axis 2 is the principal means for supporting the outcomes on enhanced biodiversity and landscape, improved water quality and tackling climate change. The Strategic Plan for Scotland sets out six priorities under Axis 2. These are to:

• maintain traditional agricultural landscapes and encourage high nature value farming, crofting and forestry systems through support for farming and forestry holdings in upland and remote areas, and to ensure the viability of land management businesses in these areas for the delivery of environmental and social benefits;
• protect and enhance biodiversity, with particular focus on species and habitats under Natura 2000 and SSSI designations, and improve and landscapes and the historic environment, recognising their wider role in underpinning the economic and social activities;
• tackle climate change and protect communities from other environmental hazards through woodland creation and land management practices that mitigate and facilitate adaptation to climate change;
• improve water quality by reducing water pollution, and protecting soil quality, and achieve effective management of water resources through, for example, the reversion of arable land to unfertilised grassland, and the construction of farm wetlands to help treat low-level contaminated water; and,
• support to enhance animal health and welfare, thereby promoting the social and environmental performance of the industry (and bringing economic benefits to producers and the food industry), including its contribution to the Scottish landscape, and enhancing the ability of society, industry and the environment to cope with animal diseases.

The intervention logic for measures to be supported under Axis 2 is shown in Table 4.2.

Community Strategic Guideline 3 has the overarching priority of creating employment opportunities. In particular, it emphasises the importance of capacity building, skills acquisition and organisation for local strategy development, and the need to ensure that rural areas remain attractive for future generations.

Axis 3 will be the principal means for supporting the outcome on thriving rural communities. The Strategic Plan for Scotland identifies four priorities to meet these objectives under Axis 3. These are to:

• add wider value to rural goods and services, encouraging the development of businesses, including tourism, that can capitalise on the high quality of rural Scotland's natural and historic environment;
• build capacity in local communities, through training and skills development, and through support for the creation and development of micro-enterprises and social enterprise service providers;
• promote public enjoyment and understanding of the countryside through raising awareness of countryside activities, assisting land managers to provide facilities for use by local communities and visitors, and promoting community involvement in land management; and,
• support rural services and infrastructure at a local level through support for local facilities in rural communities.

Support under this Axis aims to diversify rural enterprise, to facilitate sustainable growth in the rural economy and generate employment opportunities beyond the land-based industries. These actions will encourage a culture of learning and skills development that stimulates entrepreneurship and that improves the quality of life in rural communities. The high quality of the natural and cultural heritage will be a key asset in underpinning these actions.

The intervention logic for measures to be supported under Axis 3 is shown in Table 4.3.

Our priority under Axis 4 is to increase the capacity of local community and business networks to build human capital, stimulate innovation and co-operation locally. These actions may apply in particular to Axis 3 but we expect that LEADER will also contribute to outcomes under Axes 1 and 2. In this way, LEADER will be used to complement and support priorities across the SRDP. The precise actions to be taken forward through the LEADER approach will be determined by local development strategies to be prepared by Local Action Groups. We expect that there will be a wide range of partnerships engaged in the formulation, funding and implementation of LEADER strategies, and see a particular role for Community Planning Partnerships. These bodies exist across Scotland and bring together community representatives with the major actors shaping public service and investment.

Table 4.1 Intervention logic for measures to be supported under Axis 1.

Table 4.2 Intervention logic for measures to be supported under Axis 2.

Table 4.3 Intervention logic for measures to be supported under Axis 3.

4.2 Expected impacts deriving from the ex ante evaluation with regard to the priorities chosen

4.2.1 Summary of the ex ante evaluation

In order to comply with European Commission guidance, the ex ante evaluation was conducted in three phases so that ongoing changes could be made to the Strategic Plan and the Programme document in the light of the evaluation's findings.

The three main components of the ex-ante evaluation were as follows:

• A Phase 1 report (including a separate report on the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme). This report examined the baseline situation for the 2007-13 SRDP and reviewed the 2000-06 SRDP (and other relevant funding programmes) in order to assess value for money and lessons learned. It also recommended priorities for the 2007-13 Strategic Plan and SRDP.
• A Phase 2 report. This assessed the proposed Strategic Plan for Scotland. The report focused on whether the findings from Phase 1 had been fed into the development of the Plan and recommended further changes where necessary.
• A Phase 3 report. This assessed the final version of the SRDP. It focused on whether the findings from the public consultation on the Programme had been taken into account as well as whether recommendations from Phase 2 were reflected in the Programme. It also made recommendations for further changes to the Programme.

4.2.2 How the results of the ex ante evaluation were taken into account

The Phase 1 findings provided the basis for Chapter 3 of this Programme document which sets out the baseline situation and the strengths and weaknesses in relation to activities supported under the three Axes of the RDR. The recommendations on priorities for the SRDP from Phase 1 were used in developing the priorities for the Strategic Plan and this Programme. The recommendations are presented in Table 3.7.

The Phase 2 findings were used to revise the Strategic Plan. The Phase 3 report records that the recommendations made for restructuring priorities and measures to fit with EU strategic guidance has been undertaken.

The Phase 3 findings were used to revise the Programme document. The main recommendations from Phase 3 were to:

• adopt consistent terminology on outcomes, Axis priorities, measures and schemes;
• align priorities against the Scottish Executive's strategic goals (chapter 4);
• align Axis summaries in chapter 5 with Axis summaries presented in chapter 4;
• include a summary table of how public consultation responses have been addressed;
• wider exploration and clarity of demarcation between, and complementarities with other Executive directorates (chapter 10);
• highlight potential collaborators for each intervention by Axis. (chapter 10);
• provide more information on delivery responsibility (chapter 11); and,
• provide further detail on monitoring and evaluation and align indicators with strategic goals (chapter 12).

The Programme document has been revised in the light of these recommendations.

4.2.3 Expected impacts and synergies between Axes

The Strategic Plan sets out five key priorities for the SRDP:

• improved business viability;
• enhanced biodiversity and landscape;
• improved water quality;
• tackling climate change; and,
• thriving rural communities.

The relationship between these priorities, the Axes and the measures adopted in this programme are shown in diagrammatical form in Figure 4.1. The diagram highlights the interrelationships between Axes, outcomes and measures. Chapter 12 discusses indicators for each measure and each indicator has targets associated with it. These define the expected impacts of the measures.

Figure 4.1: Relationship between Axes, outcomes and measures in the 2007-13 SRDP

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