AN AGRICULTURE KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM FOR EUROPE? Fons Werrij EURAGRI Secretary General XIX EURAGRI Members Conference, 22/23 September 2005 Central Science Laboratory, York, UK

THE KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM SHOULD BE AT THE SERVICE OF: POLICY AND INDUSTRY AND CIVIL SOCIETY

AGRICULTURE IS THE pars pro toto EXPRESSION FOR THE ENSEMBLE OF: The exploitation of the natural and biological resources Human nutrition Rural society

WE KNOW THE RESEARCH AGENDA: SUSTAINABILITY SAFETY AND HEALTH (COST-)EFFICIENCY AND PROFITABILITY VITALITY of RURAL AREA ETHICAL ACCEPTABILITY

THE TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE THAT IS NEEDED: NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNICAL SCIENCES SOCIAL SCIENCES HUMANITIES

FIRST OBSERVATION: ALL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DISCIPLINES OF THE NEEDED KNOWLEDGE BASE ARE PRESENT FIRST QUESTION: HOW TO TURN THE KNOWLEDGE BASE IN A KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM? THE INITIAL APPROACH THE PAST APPROACH THE PRESENT/FUTURE APPROACH

THE INITIAL APPROACH ORGANISATION AND GOVERNANCE OF THE SCIENCE (AND DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, EXTENSION, TRAINING ETC): UNANYMOUS MISSION ONE SINGLE SPONSOR NARROW KNOWLEDGE BASE NO SOCIETAL DISPUTE NATIONAL DIMENSIONS RESULT: NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

THE PAST APPROACH: COORDINATION OF THE SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN DIMENSIONS DIVERGENCE OF INTERESTS AND MISSIONS WIDENING KNOWLEDGE BASE SPONSORSHIP PROBLEMS SOCIETAL CHANGES AND DISPUTES RESULT: THE NATIONAL SYSTEMS HAVE LOST THEIR MONOPOLISTIC STATUS

THE PRESENT/FUTURE APPROACH COORDINATION OF THE NEEDS AND DEMANDS VARIABLE DIMENSIONS (REGIONAL, NATIONAL, GLOBAL) SEPARATED INTERESTS GENERAL KNOWLEDGE BASE CUSTOMISED SPONSORSHIP RESULT: AN OPEN MARKET FOR SCIENCE AND EXPERTISE

SECOND OBSERVATION:AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM WILL HENCEFORTH BE DEFINED BY THE USERS. RESPONSES AND CHALLENGES FOR: POLICY INDUSTRY CIVIL SOCIETY SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY

RESPONSES AND CHALLENGES OF POLICY CUSTOMISED SPONSORING IS ALREADY THERE MULTILATERAL COOPERATION AND COORDINATION (NEW SCAR; PREFARN GROUP) APPRAISEL OF SPECIFIC AND COMMON INTERESTS PROTECTION AND COMPETITION INITIATIVE TAKEN BY POLICY MAKERS

RESPONSES AND CHALLENGES OF INDUSTRY SOME PRODUCT CHAINS ARE TAKING INITIATIVES (EUROCROP) SOME SECTORS ARE TAKING INITIATIVES (ISHS- EUROPE; PLANT BREEDERS) BIG COMPANIES GO IN HOUSE, LEAVE EUROPE OR APPLY CUSTOMISED SPONSORING SMOS IN AGRI-FOOD-ENVIRONMENT ARE TOO DIVERSE AND TOO POOR FARMING INDUSTRY IS WELL ORGANISED BUT HAS NO SCIENCE POLICY FARMERS AND SMOS ARE LOOSING ACCES

RESPONSES AND CHALLENGES OF CIVIL SOCIETY TOO POOR TO BUY ACCES TO THE KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM TOO SHATTERED TO TURN PUBLIC AWARENESS IN SUBSTANTIAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE POLITICAL POWER APPRAISAL OF CONSUMERS ATTITUDE AND CIVILIANS CONCERNS

RESPONSES AND CHALLENGES OF SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY SOME INSTITUTES APPLY SURVIVAL STRATEGIES INSTITUTES ARE BEING REINTEGRATED IN THE UNIVERSITIES ATTUNE TO AND ANTICIPATE TO DEMAND HELP THE CLIENTELE TO GET ORGANISED ESCAPE THE PRISON OF CUSTOMISED SPONSORSHIP

UNANSWERED CONCERN WHAT ABOUT COHERENCE?

PROPOSAL: THE EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM IS THE ENSEMBLE OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS, COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT CHOOSE TO MANIFEST THEMSELVES AT A: EUROPEAN PLATFORM OF POLICY, INDUSTRY, CIVIL SOCIETY AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY IN THE FIELDS OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, FOOD PRODUCTION, NUTRITION AND RURAL SOCIETY ENABLING THE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS, THE CONCERTATION OF STRATEGIES AND THE PROMOTION OF COMMON INTERESTS.