23.04.2026
A study indicates that people in Germany are willing to voluntarily invest in soil health and biodiversity improvements in agriculture. The research findings were published in the journal Land Use Policy. The study was led by the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF).
The principle behind nature conservation certificates is simple: anyone who purchases such a certificate supports a specific environmental project – for example, the preservation of species-rich agricultural landscapes or erosion resilient arable land. In return, the buyer receives a certificate or digital confirmation proving that a defined environmental goal is being achieved on a clearly specified area – for instance, 100 m² of agricultural land.
Similar concepts already exist in the nature conservation field. For example, in so-called "flower sponsorships", private individuals fund the sowing of wildflowers on farmland, creating habitats for bees and butterflies. Likewise, the "eco-account" system allows for environmental compensation measures in response to construction projects – another model of targeted, certificate-based conservation.
This study focused on a new type of certificate: one aimed at promoting soil health and biodiversity in agriculture simultaneously. The special aspect: such certificates could be offered via an online marketplace like AgoraNatura, which already enables the funding of nature conservation projects in Germany.
Certificates are met with interest – especially when soil health and biodiversity are bundled and co-financed by the public
The survey of 1,627 respondents showed that private individuals in Germany recognise the value of healthy soils and species-rich landscapes and would be willing to pay between 22 and 80 euros per 100 m² of one year of protected land. Projects that combine multiple environmental services were particularly popular – for example erosion control, pest control, and soil-carbon storage. Public co-funding – through so called "trigger funding" – also increased people’s willingness to contribute.
Bundled improvements appeal to more people
The study found that "bundled certificates", combining various soil health and biodiversity improvements in one certificate, were more attractive than certificates offering single environmental improvements. “Bundling may help to showcase people the links between soil health and biodiversity. For example, soil protection and insect protection often go hand in hand,” says Ferdinand Lang, lead author of the study from ZALF.
Another insight: when projects are co-financed by public funds, the volume of the funding must be carefully considered to not drive out private funding – a phenomenon known as "crowding out". The so-called "blended finance" approach, mixing private and public funding, may become a key element for more resilient farming systems in the future.
Why this matters: protecting soil health and biodiversity secures our future
Fertile soils and biodiversity are fundamental to our survival – but according to the European Commission, about 60 to 70 percent of soils in Europe are in an unhealthy condition. At the same time, vital habitats for plants and animals are being lost. This study offers concrete suggestions for how private individuals can actively support the protection of these essential resources.
What’s next?
The study provides important insights for policymakers, farmers and the development of online marketplaces for nature conservation certificates. Nature conservation certificates could be a way to make society’s engagement in nature and soil protection more visible while creating new sources of income for farmers.
However, challenges remain: certificate schemes must be easy to understand, transparently structured and have clear framework conditions. Further research is required to investigate farmer preferences for supplying certificates, test such models in practice and avoid risks like sunk investments or greenwashing.
Project partners:
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics
- Leibniz University Hannover, Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Sciences
Funding statement:
This work was supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program within the project NOVASOIL (Grant agreement no 101091268).
Note on this text:
This is a summary generated with the help of artificial intelligence based on the original publication:
Lang, F., Chen, C., Alemu, M. H., Lundhede, T., Olsen, S. B., & Matzdorf, B. (2025). Private funding for soil health: Private individuals’ preferences for ecosystem services and biodiversity certificates. Land Use Policy, 160, 107846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107846
Published open access under the CC BY 4.0 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The text has been carefully reviewed and revised in line with ZALF's AI communication guideline.
Further Information:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107846
