EIP-AGRI Brochure on Innovation support services

The EIP-AGRI aims at supporting innovation following
the interactive bottom-up approach which relies
mainly on co-operation, sharing of knowledge and
intermediating advisory methods.
This approach will be implemented under the EIPAGRI
via the creation of Operational Groups: groups
of people (such as farmers, researchers, advisers etc.)
who work together on a practical innovation project
with concrete objectives (for more information see the
EIP-AGRI brochure on Operational Groups).
One of the lessons learned in connection with the
former Rural Development programmes is that
sometimes it is not enough to offer stand-alone
funding for groups cooperating on innovation projects.
Innovation support services and innovation brokering
which work using models that are adapted to local
conditions could play a crucial role in bringing the
right people into the projects, connecting farmers
and advisers with researchers and helping to identify
funding.
In short, innovation support services and brokering
could play a crucial role in getting many worthwhile
projects off the ground and capturing grassroots ideas
from practitioners.

German translation courtesy of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft – BMEL); Greek translation courtesy of Dr. Takavakoglou Vasileios, Pana Eleanna, and Touloumi Korina (www.ecotopia.gr); Hungarian translation courtesy of the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture; Romanian translation courtesy of the National Rural Development Network – Romania; Spanish translation courtesy of RRN (Red Rural Nacional); Swedish translation courtesy of the Swedish Rural Network (Landsbygdsnätverket).