  From a theoretical point of view, result-based agri-environmental payments
are clearly preferable to action-based payments. However, they suffer from two
major practical disadvantages: costs of measuring the results and payment
uncertainty for the participating farmers. In this paper, we propose an
alternative design to overcome these two disadvantages by means of modelling
(instead of measuring) the results. We describe the concept of model-informed
result-based agri-environmental payments (MIRBAP), including a hypothetical
example of payments for the protection and enhancement of soil functions. We
offer a comprehensive discussion of the relative advantages and disadvantages
of MIRBAP, showing that it not only unites most of the advantages of
result-based and action-based schemes, but also adds two new advantages: the
potential to address trade-offs among multiple policy objectives and management
for long-term environmental effects. We argue that MIRBAP would be a valuable
addition to the agri-environmental policy toolbox and a reflection of recent
advancements in agri-environmental modelling.
