In November 2024, the ForestAgriGreenNudge project officially kicked off — an innovative initiative that uses behavioural science to encourage more sustainable decision-making in agriculture and forestry. By applying subtle interventions called "green nudges", the project aims to help land users and policymakers overcome cognitive biases and adopt more environmentally friendly practices.
As part of the ForestAgriGreenNudge project, of which CIHEAM Zaragoza is a partner, a Europe-wide survey has been launched aimed at better understanding the factors that influence sustainable choices in agriculture and forestry. This research focuses on the non-monetary drivers that impact decisions made by farmers, foresters, their advisers, and consumers of food and forestry products. The results will help shape more effective, targeted, and science-based environmental policies to support the green transition across Europe.
What are green nudges? Green nudges are defined as actions aimed at “gentle steering to promote environmentally friendly behaviour”. They involve subtle behavioural interventions that encourage farmers, foresters, and other land users to adopt practices that are less harmful to the environment — without restricting choices or offering financial incentives.
Your Voice Matters
All stakeholders, including producers, advisers, and consumers, are invited to participate. Their insights and experiences will contribute valuable data that directly supports the development of effective EU policies driving the green transition.
Broad participation across Europe is key to making this effort impactful, so all stakeholders are encouraged to complete any surveys that reflect their experience and share this initiative through their networks, newsletters, and communication channels. Here you have the survey links for farmers, farmers' advisers, food consumers, foresters, foresters' advisers and forestry products consumers.
About the ForestAgriGreenNudge Project
Behavioural and cognitive biases can prevent decision-makers from choosing the best solutions available to them. Drawing on established psychological research, "nudges" are gentle interventions in how choices are presented — through defaults, information framing, or presentation style — that make sustainable options more appealing without restricting freedom of choice.
The ForestAgriGreenNudge project begins by reviewing existing initiatives that use Green Nudges to promote sustainable practices in farming and forestry. Each nudge is then assessed against two key criteria: its effectiveness in encouraging long-term adoption of sustainable practices, and its adherence to ethical principles such as transparency, awareness, participation, and context-specificity.
Promising nudges will be tested in real-world settings and evaluated for both their impact and quality of implementation. The project will also develop innovative new nudges based on insights gathered from actors throughout the entire agri-forestry value chain — from producers to consumers.
All successful nudges, along with implementation guidelines and the market conditions that support their use, will be compiled in the iNUDGE Academy — an online resource managed by CIHEAM Zaragoza and designed for policymakers, retailers, wholesalers, farmers, and foresters. This tool will provide practical guidance on how to apply each nudge effectively whilst highlighting potential risks and trade-offs.
By sharing these findings widely with experts, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, the project aims to maximise its impact and accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices across European agriculture and forestry.