1 Innovation in Agriculture Work in progress… AKIS CWG – Budapest – 6 May 2011

2 The CAP and Knowledge and Innovation in the Agri-food and Rural Economy Positive impact of the CAP on innovation acknowledged in the literature: The Farm Advisory System and Rural development policy and the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS): 1.Farm Advisory System: created with the CAP reform of 2003 to help producers to fulfill cross compliance requirements 2.Rural development: several measures are relevant to the AKIS: –Support to vocational training and information actions –Support to the use of advisory services and the setting up of advisory services –Support to the cooperation for the development of new products –European Network for Rural Development –LEADER –Other measures provide indirect support to innovation: investment measures, etc.

3 Limited Impact of CAP on the Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (AKIS) The FAS is still in its infancy: –Became fully operational in MS in 2008 only –In 2008, around 5% of farmers receiving direct payments were given advice through FAS, mainly large farms –In some MS, FAS focuses strictly on cross compliance, in other Member States other issues are covered Rural development measures: –Low uptake of support to set up advisory services and to use of advice (about producers received subsidised advice in ) –Less than 400 projects of cooperation for the development of new products in The above outcome reflects that developing AKIS is a rather recent preoccupation of the CAP which, this far, has not been pursued through a full-fledged, coherent approach

4 What Needs to Be Done? Adapt and streamline CAP measures with an impact on innovation and integrate them into a coherent and visible framework Foster the circulation of information among stakeholders Establish workable links between research and innovation on the ground Ensure a faster exchange of knowledge from research to practical farming and provide feedback on practical needs to science THIS WILL BE PUT IN MOTION BY THE EUROPEAN INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE

5 The European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture The agricultural EIP has to enhance productivity and efficiency, whilst ensuring sustainable resource management: “Produce more with less” It will build bridges between cutting-edge research and technology and farmers, businesses, stakeholders, industry and advisors It will enhance the exchange of knowledge and provide feedback about research needs It will mobilise multiple approaches, including technological and non- technological innovations It will foster investment and business development

6 Scope for Innovation Across the Agricultural Supply Chain Some Examples Solutions for increased resource efficiency (soil, water, energy, fertilisers, pesticides,…) and reduced GHG emissions, e.g. ICT and satellite based precision farming, decision support systems for pest management, etc. Solutions with respect to recycling, bio-refinery (biomass conversion to produce fuels, power, heat, and value-added chemicals), development of specific primary production (e.g. pharmaceutical plants) Solutions for farm management beneficial to eco-system services and soil functionality (e.g. functional green infrastructures, pest suppressive soils, etc)

7 How Will the European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture Work? Training and knowledge transfer to bring technology to the market and give feed-back from practice to science Rural Development Programmes provide for support for cooperation and setting up of the ‘operational groups’ (e.g. farmers, advisers, enterprises, researchers, administration) ‘Operational Groups’ may carry out projects, testing and applying innovative processes, products and technologies A specific Innovation Network will be established under the umbrella of the European Network for Rural Development which aims at fostering the dissemination of experience with innovative approaches and improving communication between agricultural practice and science

Ⓒ Olof S. Farmers. Advisers. Enterprises. Scientists Steering Board Rural Development Committee Rural Development Programmes : Cooperation Pilot projects Knowledge transfer Investment Farm advisory services European Commission Network “Sustainable Agriculture” Standing Committee for Agricultural Research (SCAR) Research Framework Programme Operational Groups