From project recommendations to
policy implementation and user
uptake
SuMaNu Gap Analysis Report 2020
Henning Lyngsø FOGED, Organe Institute
Background for GAP
analysis
• SuMaNu (Sustainable manure and nutrient management for reduction of nutrient loss in the Baltic Sea Region) is a special project – it is called a thematic Platform by its financier, Interreg Baltic, because of its special aim. • SuMaNu is working for a greater policy implementation
and better end-user uptake of recommendations of
earlier and current Baltic Sea Region projects. We do this by gathering and analysing recommendations of these projects (7 projects in the area of natural resources and clean water) and synthesizing new science-based
recommendations that are updated to the current policy context and disseminated to authorities and other
stakeholders.
• However, we also made a GAP analysis (of the same 7 projects) to clarify more generically the rationale behind
With other words, SuMaNu shall deliver higher policy and end-user impact of app. M€
20 project funding.
Typical pitfalls defined
• So, what we did was to perform an analysis following the principles of
deductive research.
• We defined 6 pitfalls during project planning and implementation,
where the possibility for delivering impact typically goes wrong.
• It should be kept in mind that all 7 analysed projects are funded by
programmes (Interreg Baltic, BONUS, Interreg Central Baltic) that
have the objective to support sustainable manure and nutrient
management, with clear links to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea
Region (EUSBSR), which in turn is connected to EU policies in the area
of clean water and natural resources, including P.
The GAP analysis
• We tested the 6 pitfalls on the 7 project
• Dependent on the type of pitfall, we assessed the
degree of successful avoiding pitfalls by qualitative
assessments, including
• formulations of the project proposals/documents concerning the project planning failure pitfall;
• objective/referenced information from the SuMaNu
project group concerning the outputs, the clarity of the used formulations, and the effectiveness of the
communication activities; and
• supplemented with interviewing external stakeholders in 3 regions with high livestock density (Denmark,
Germany and Poland) and one stakeholder representing the BSR macro-regional level.
Quantification makes clarification
• We found huge differences between project scores. • The most successful part is
the production of results. • The poorest performance
was concerning policy integration and end-user acceptance.
• Projects failed in general if they failed to include policy impacts or end user uptake among objectives.
• Project 3 was excluded because it alone covered 2 countries, and could for several pitfalls not be assessed.
4th Phosphorus in Europe Research Meeting (PERM) - 2 June 2021
Lessons learned
• Objectives: Projects should only be funded if they are aiming at producing policy impact and/or results than are taken up by end-users. We should demand projects to formulate both development and immediate objectives, and evaluate these against the SMART principles.
• Policy integration: Unfortunately, the GAP analysis confirmed the conventional preconception of projects being something that alone produce reports that are not considered – there is too much
“ticking boxes”. Involving public administrations in the project structure, not just as “stakeholders”, would better ensure policy integration. But this is (typically) not prioritised by ministries and agencies, and solutions needs to be found!
Policies vs. politics
• Politics and policy are different aspects of government. Policy makers must reconcile policy (specific actionable rules) with politics (political ideology, party politics, and policy
implementation).
• We should all see policy integration as a sign of project success. However, it is important to understand that
• policy recommendations are apolitical, • that one project alone seldom causes new
policies, and that
• end-user uptake in our project themes (livestock manure and nutrients, etc.) typically is driven by policies.
4th Phosphorus in Europe Research Meeting (PERM) - 2 June 2021
