1. ICT and innovation in agriculture and rural areas
Mario Milouchev, Director for Rural Development I, DG Agriculture and Rural Development
Informal Meeting of Directors for Rural Development Tartu, July 2017

2. This is evidence that rural areas are converging.
Rural regions make important contributions to national objectives, including economic development and prosperity. The contributions are different, yet complementary, to those made by metropolitan areas with positive outcomes for both…. The widespread perception that "rural" is somehow synonymous with "decline" is simply wrong.
Average annual rate of growth of GDP per capita ( ):
rural regions: 1.7%
urban regions: 1.5%
intermediate regions: 1.4%,
This is evidence that rural areas are converging.
[New Rural Policy: Linking up for Growth – OECD 2014]

3. Digital Single Market
Key for the convergence are ICT and innovation. The Digital Single Market (DSM) Strategy opens up digital opportunities for people and business and enhance Europe's position as a world leader in the digital economy. Completing a DSM could contribute EUR 415 billion per year to Europe's economy, create jobs and transform our public services. Digital innovations and their translation into practice are a key way forward both for competitiveness and sustainability of agriculture and rural areas

4. Digital Single Market
To boost innovation in agriculture and rural areas and make sure technologies are adopted, a comprehensive approach is needed.
Our current efforts cover a broad spectrum:
Substantial investments in research and innovation under H2020 and EIP
Stakeholder engagement and - consultation
Investing in connectivity for rural areas
Stimulating farmer cooperation.
Mobilising in full the economic and social potential of agricultural enterprises and other rural businesses, depends largely on the availability of IT connectivity.

5. Overview
1. Broadband
2. Smart villages
3. Research and innovation

6. Overview
1. Broadband
2. Smart villages
3. Research and innovation

7. Support for Broadband
Possibilities under Rural Development
Priority 6 – Focus Area 6C "enhancing the accessibility, use and quality of ICT in rural areas"
 Measure 7: Broadband infrastructure
 Measure 1 : Training and knowledge transfer and information actions
 Measure 2: Advisory services
 Measure 16: Co-operation
15 Member States have included EAFRD support under Focus Area 6C.
A number of MS have programmed actions under LEADER
Other MS address these needs through other ESIF

8. Some numbers Support for Broadband
About 20 billion EUR are devoted by the five ESIF to ICT broadband and e-governance during
Around 6 billion EUR will be invested in high speed broadband roll-out both in rural and urban areas.
The Rural Development Fund EAFRD will invest almost 1 billion in rolling out broadband to approximately 18 million rural citizens during

10. Broadband Competence Offices - BCOs
BCOs are a "one stop shop" able to provide information on broadband.
BCOs are managing authorities or any public entity able to give advice to mayors, citizens, broadband project promoters, investors, and enterprises on technical, legal and investments aspects.
The Network of BCOs facilitates the effective implementation of these funds by sharing knowledge and best practices and guidance on funding and regulatory issues.
This network is animated by the Brussels based BCOs Support Facility set up by the Commission by providing training, sharing of best practices.

11. New Category on Territorial cohesion in rural and remote areas

12. Overview
1. Broadband
2. Smart villages
3. Research and innovation

13. Smart village - concept
New concept
Referenced in the Cork 2 Declaration and Cork 2 Action Plan
Aims at achieving synergies between different operations to addressed in future rural development strategies
Integrates different approaches and stimulates interactions between policy areas in order to increase complementarity and coherence
Builds on existing tools applicable under EU funds
Joint project between several departments of the Commission, regional policy, transport and connectivity and agriculture.
Improve the synergies between different policies and embed this into future development strategies for rural areas. As part of this work we will also launch a pilot project on smart eco-social villages in the coming months.

14. Smart village - aims Reverse outmigration from rural areas
Attract young people
Improve job opportunities
Ensure basic services and infrastructure
Develop the potential offered by improved connectivity and digitisation of rural areas
Ensure a balanced territorial development
Improve the quality of life in rural areas

15. Smart Village Action Plan
Compiles actions to develop villages and countryside
Focuses on policy tools supported by EU funds and helping villages to become "smart"
Introduces digital technologies for rural businesses, in view of supporting entrepreneurship and enhancing quality of life
Combines operations and actions of several Commission departments dealing with rural and agricultural policy, regional policy, transport, and connectivity

16. Broadband Fibre in Östra Bräcke easy-to-access mobile medical service
Smart Village of the Future - Project Ruhtinansalmi
easy-to-access mobile medical service
Local Computer Courses for young and old
An on-demand rural bus service in rural Wales
On-line Support for Promotion of Local Businesses
Innovative rural learning facilitiestackle youth depopulation
Geoparks bringing together local business through “quality pacts”
Socially Responsible Wine Tourism
Quality of Life through Proximity

17. Events
European Rural Development Network "Thematic working group on Smart Rural Businesses" (new focus Smart Villages)
ENRD Seminar on Rural Business (30 March 2017)
Launch of a pilot project on smart eco-social villages (currently in tender)
EIP-AGRI workshop in Bratislava in (early April 2017)
Event in Ireland for Digital Innovation Hubs in the agriculture sector (June 2017)
Innovation Summit in Lisbon (October 2017)
ENRD Thematic working group on Smart Rural Businesses had so far 3 meetings where it was discussed how to support rural enterprises, good examples were mentioned (Cocotte in France, Ludgate hub in Ireland)
The ENRD Seminar will explore how rural businesses – both farm and non-farm – can innovate in ways that “create the conditions for future prosperity and vitality” as articulated in the Cork 2.0 Declaration.
The call for proposal of the Pilot Project will be launched in the coming days. This Pilot project will explore the definition for smart villages and will find good examples – best practices for establishing smart villages in the EU.
We are organising a workshop in Bratislava in early April. This workshop will directly address the biggest stumbling block for digitisation; who owns the data, who uses the data and who gets the benefit of the new technical possibilities.
In June, we are planning a big event in Ireland that will bring together enterprises, start-ups, (regional) governments and other stakeholders to prepare for Digital Innovation Hubs in the agriculture sector. These hubs will ultimately be a major driver for innovation and job creation in the rural economy.
We are organising jointly with the Portuguese authorities a major conference in Lisbon in October to discuss what current Rural Development Policy can do already to stimulate innovation and in particular the digitisation of agriculture.

18. Overview
1. Broadband
2. Smart villages
3. Research and innovation

19. OG projects: first indications
In terms of scope:
Top 5
Plant protection
Precision farming
Agro-environment
New supply chains
Organic farming 6 7 8 9 10
N.B. Initial clustering analysis covering 231 OGs

20. Policy Framework

21. EIP-AGRI
June
Seminar "Data driven business models"
Precision Farming
Focus Group
Uptake
New technologies
Impacts
2014
2015
2016
October
WP : IoT FA:
Smart Farming and Food Security
September
Workshop: "Digitising the agri-food sector"
H2020

22. EIP-AGRI
June
Seminar "Digital Innovation Hubs: mainstreaming digital agriculture"
April
Workshop "Data Sharing"
October
Lisbon innovation Summit
Uptake
New technologies
Impacts
2017
2018
November "H2020 Digitisation Day"
IoF2020 –Internet of Food 2020 project
Publication WP
H2020

23. 4-5 April, Bratislava (Slovakia)
EIP-AGRI Workshop : "Data Sharing: ensuring a fair sharing of digitisation benefits in agriculture"
4-5 April, Bratislava (Slovakia)
Objectives:
To explore existing and potential data governance models, to protect and satisfy the interests of the different parties involved, both within and outside agriculture.
To evaluate the benefits for farmers of the most promising data governance models as well as to identify which constraints hamper their involvement in these models.
To bring the relevant actors together to create the identified enabling environment(s) for data sharing and create new business/data sharing opportunities.
Explore the potential of the principles and concepts described in the Communication on Building a European Data Economy. 23 23

24. 4-5 April, Bratislava (Slovakia)
EIP-AGRI Workshop : "Data Sharing: ensuring a fair sharing of digitisation benefits in agriculture"
4-5 April, Bratislava (Slovakia)
1. Transparency & Trust
Clear contractual terms?
Safe data storage and management?
Clear on use of data & distribution of generated value?
Visible & credible service provider?
User in control of data sharing?
2. Terms of Use & Licensing
Customised & fine-grained enough for all data parts & derivatives & uses?
Specific provisions of who has access to what & for which purpose?
Clearly positioned in the Closed vs Open data spectrum?
3. Incentives
What type of incentives for data sharing are offered to make it a win-win case? (monetary, features, added value extracted from data, societal good, etc)

25. Vote Now . 7
Which of the following possibilities do you want the Commission to develop in order to create a legal framework for data exchange? 1.
No EU action needed, contractual arrangements offer the necessary legal framework
10% 2.
Guidance documents at EU level
21% 3.
EU regulation laying down how a number of basic principles needs to be applied
35% 4.
Sectoral agreements developed in the different sectors that will be made obligatory by EU intervention
17% 5.
EU defined default contract rules 6 7 8 9 10
Vote Trigger

26. 1-2 June, Kilkenny (Ireland)
EIP-AGRI Seminar: "Digital Innovation Hubs: mainstreaming digital agriculture"
1-2 June, Kilkenny (Ireland)
Objectives:
To clarify the concept of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) and how they can contribute to mainstream digital innovation in agriculture
To identify and connect existing initiatives and entities in Europe with the capacity to share technical, financial, training and/or other services to contribute to the development of DIHs in agriculture
To identify and discuss about the specific needs and potential barriers to develop DIHs in Europe focused on agriculture.
To define main priority steps to further develop DIHs in agriculture (and to foster collaboration among them at European level) 26 26

28. 2nd Semester 2017
11-12 October: First Agricultural Innovation Summit, Lisbon (Portugal) with a focus on "Digitising rural economies":
Networking sessions between operational groups and H2020 projects (11/12)
Policy event (12/12)
End October: Publication of the Work Programme
Digitization is a "focus area"
Substantial investments to be expected
14-17 November: SC2 InfoWeek including "H2020 Digitisation day" (17/11)
Overview of policy framework on DSM and opportunities for agriculture and food industry
Showcasing of interesting initiatives and projects 28 28

29. Tänan teid tähelepanu eest!
Thank you for your attention!