Context

Past reviews of policy impact assessment studies using bio-economic farm models (BEFM) called for the development of a generic and modular implementation that can be maintained by a network of modellers. A main reason for these calls is the project-oriented way in which model developers receive funding. It favours the development of new models with case-study specific features over the maintenance and extension of well-tested, more generic ones which allow comparing results in a consistent way across many case-studies. The demand for more generic tools also reflects the dynamic landscape of policy measures within larger policy frameworks like the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). These policy frameworks move increasingly away from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach of policy design towards more flexible systems, giving greater freedom to shape, implement, and target policy measures to specific regions, farm management systems and farm types. This creates new challenges for model-based impact assessment as applied models have to reflect the variety of policy measures and characteristics of targeted farmers and rural communities.

Objective

The aim of this paper is to first address key questions regarding the functionality and implementation of such a modular BEFM that can be maintained and expanded by a user group, and second to develop concrete proposals of necessary model features, model design and shared development.

Methods

This paper builds on literature research, including a detailed review of four models that are used extensively for impact assessment within the EU and were developed by multiple teams over a longer period of time. From there, necessary and desirable features of a generic and modular BEFM are identified and requirements for model design regarding modularity, software engineering, and shared development are discussed.

Results and conclusions

This feeds into the development of concrete proposals of how modularity and flexibility can be addressed in the development, application and maintenance of a BEFM. At the end, a list of design decisions and implementation steps is proposed to build a modular BEFM that can be maintained by a network of researchers.

Significance

The concept for a network-based generic and modular bio-economic farm model responds to the demand for analytical tools in agricultural policy impact analysis. The paper develops a research agenda to overcome observed limitations in the current landscape of such models.

中文翻译：

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通用和模块化生物经济农场模型的设计

语境

过去使用生物经济农场模型（BEFM）进行的政策影响评估研究的回顾要求开发一种通用的模块化实施方案，该方案可以由建模者网络维护。这些呼吁的主要原因是模型开发人员获得资助的面向项目的方式。它倾向于开发具有案例研究特定功能的新模型，而不是维护和扩展经过良好测试的更通用的模型，从而可以在许多案例研究中以一致的方式比较结果。对更通用工具的需求还反映了诸如共同农业政策（CAP）之类的较大政策框架内政策措施的动态格局。这些政策框架越来越多地从“一刀切”的政策设计方法转向更加灵活的系统，赋予了更大的塑造自由，实施政策措施并将其针对特定地区，农场管理系统和农场类型。这给基于模型的影响评估带来了新的挑战，因为应用模型必须反映各种政策措施和目标农民和农村社区的特征。

客观的

本文的目的是首先解决与可由用户组维护和扩展的模块化BEFM的功能和实现有关的关键问题，其次是针对必要的模型特征，模型设计和共享开发提出具体建议。

方法

本文建立在文献研究的基础之上，包括对四种模型的详细审查，这些模型在欧盟内部广泛用于影响评估，并且由多个团队在较长的时间内开发而成。从那里，确定了通用和模块化BEFM的必要和合意特征，并讨论了有关模块化，软件工程和共享开发的模型设计要求。

结果与结论

这有助于制定具体建议，以解决如何在BEFM的开发，应用和维护中解决模块化和灵活性问题。最后，提出了设计决策和实施步骤的清单，以构建可由研究人员网络维护的模块化BEFM。

意义

基于网络的通用和模块化生物经济农场模型的概念响应了对农业政策影响分析中分析工具的需求。本文提出了一项研究议程，以克服在此类模型的当前环境中观察到的局限性。