Greening agriculture in the agricultural policy process

This contribution reveals how the agricultural provision of ecosystem services in Switzerland is supported by the agricultural policy making process. Based on the analysis of the agricultural policy reform processes AP 2011 and AP 14–17, the policy network and the policy positions of the individual network actors with respect to a further greening of the agricultural policy are identified. The results reveal the willingness of the actors to strengthen and to support the provision of ecosystem services with targeted direct payments. To secure such payments in the long run, two aspects have to be taken into account: i) the linkage of a further greening of the agricultural policy with concomitant policy changes such as market liberalization or deregulation and ii) the development of the overall economy as well as the budget of the public authorities.