Paying farmers to take care of nature has been a fiasco and most of the €1bn paid out over the past 20 years has been wasted, says an influential committee.

According to the environment and infrastructure council in a letter to junior economic affairs minister Sharon Dijksma, farmers have failed to manage endangered plants and wildlife such as meadow birds.

Thousands of farmers have been given subsidies for the care of the natural environment but the continued use of fertilizers and pesticides has damaged the landscape.

The council is advising the minister to stop the subsidies to farmers who are not prepared to take far-reaching measures to improve and preserve the countryside.