Fostering an effective and integrated AKIS in Member States

• Opening address – Wolfgang Burtscher, Director-General, DG AGRI, European Commission: video
• Welcome by Rimtautas Petraitis, Lithuanian AKIS cluster: video

Setting the scene

• AKIS coordination in practice – Inge Van Oost, DG AGRI, European Commission: video
• AKIS in Horizon work programmes – Natalia Brzezina, Research and Innovation Unit, DG AGRI, European Commission: video

Concrete examples of AKIS coordination models in Member States

• Elena Teodora Miron, Horizon Europe project 'modernAKIS': video
• Helena Pärenson, Ministry of Rural Affairs, Estonia: video
• Petra Hanulikova | Monika Csonkova, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Slovak Republic: video
• Ewa Grodzka, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Poland: video
• Maite Ambros Mendioroz, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Spain: video
• Introduction to the interactive session – 'AKIS coordination in practice' – Mark Gibson, Support Facility for Innovation and Knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI: video
• Introduction to the interactive sessions – 'Involvement, roles and interactions of key actors to ensure a well-functioning AKIS' & 'Interlinkages between AKIS interventions to increase knowledge flows' – Mark Gibson, Support Facility for Innovation and Knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI: video
• Day 1 Q&A – facilitated by Sarah Watson, Support Facility for Innovation and Knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI: video

Day 2: Thursday 15 June 2023

Setting the scene

• Integrating advisors in the AKIS – Inge Van Oost, DG AGRI, European Commission: video
• Advisors interacting with AKIS Horizon projects – Natalia Brzezina, Research and Innovation Unit, DG AGRI, European Commission: video

Inspiring examples on the roles and tools supporting advisors in the AKIS in Member States

• Jan Van Esch, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the Netherlands: video
• Els Lapage, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Flemish Government: video
• Florian Herzog, Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, Advisory services coordination: video
• Carola Ketelhodt, Chamber of Agriculture in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, EIP-Agrar Innovation Office: video
• Patrizia Proietti, Horizon Europe project 'AttractISS': video
• Introduction to the interactive session – 'Good examples on roles and tools supporting advisors in the AKIS in Member States' – Mark Gibson, Support Facility for Innovation and Knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI: video
• Closing remarks – Hugo Almeida, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission: video

Playlist: AKIS Seminar presentations

• Discussed AKIS models in Member States, and the various approaches of AKIS Coordination Bodies in supporting a well-functioning AKIS;
• Discussed the different roles of advisors, including their role as innovation support providers, and discuss what is needed for upskilling their competence and for their integration in AKIS, learning from already existing experiences with the implementation of related CAP interventions.

Target group

The seminar welcomed key actors who influence the AKIS Strategic Approach in Member States, including:

• AKIS Coordination Bodies, organising AKIS implementation in their Member States
  • Managing Authorities, involved in advice, training, EIP Operational Groups, and designing relevant CAP interventions
  • Advisors, who should become integrated in the AKIS
  • NSUs from National CAP Networks (NRNs), to promote the AKIS Strategic Approach to all AKIS actors.

Background

In the last decade, a greater emphasis has been placed on cooperation between researchers, advisors, farmers and other actors in Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), highlighting the importance of exchanging agricultural knowledge and innovative solutions, namely through the EIP-AGRI.

Further support is needed to bridge the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Horizon Europe, to bring together all knowledge that is generated in these two policies, and to enhance synergies between the two.

As emphasised in the EU Communication on the Future of Food and Farming, access to reliable, relevant, and new knowledge varies widely across the EU. This reduces the overall competitiveness and development potential of the agricultural and forestry sectors and rural areas. Therefore, the exchange of knowledge and focus on innovation is a cross-cutting objective for the new CAP. A well-functioning AKIS will contribute to all objectives of the CAP, and ensure a more efficient flow of knowledge among its actors, creating significant added value for the sector.

Language of the event: English.
Interpretation from / to English, French, German, Italian and Spanish was available in the plenary sessions.