The European Innovation Partnership “Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability” or EIP-AGRI and the Service Point

ERIAFF Conference: SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

June 10-12, 2014 Seinäjoki, Finland

Willemine Brinkman, EIP-AGRI Service point

EIP-AGRI in a nutshell

Aim: To foster a competitive and sustainable agriculture and forestry sector that "achieves more from less“

Approach: Closing the innovation gap between research and practice (forming partnerships) by: • Using the interactive innovation model ("two-way road") • Linking actors via an EIP Network

Funding: Existing Union policies: "Rural development regulation" (EAFRD) and "Horizon 2020" No double funding!

EIP-AGRI: Interactive Innovation Model

Far beyond speeding up transfer from laboratory to market

Forming partnerships - using bottom-up approaches and linking farmers, advisors, researchers, businesses, and other actors in Operational Groups

New insights and ideas, shape existing knowledge into solutions

Solutions put into practice very quickly thanks to the co-ownership generated during projects.

Help to target the research agenda.

Means to Implement the EIP-AGRI

Rural Development Programmes:

Setting up "operational groups" (key actors of the EIP AGRI)

Combining the setting up of operational groups with project funding (investment, knowledge transfer, advisory services)

Establishing "innovation support services", e.g. to facilitate the formation of operational groups

European Union Research Policy (Horizon 2020)

Funding research projects, also involving on-farm experiments, to enhance the knowledge base for innovation

Interactive formats such as multi-actor projects and thematic networks

The EIP-AGRI Network

What is an Operational Group?

• Are built around concrete innovation projects targeted towards finding innovative solutions for a specific challenge or new opportunity

• Are "hands-on" groups and include people relevant for the project

• Benefit from the interactions between the participants of the group and the sharing of the respective expertise

• Are funded by Rural Development Programmes

• Share results through the EIP-AGRI network

OPERATIONAL GROUP

Setting up an Operational Group

Farmers

NGOs Advisors

Researchers Agri-

business

Operational Group

Operational Group projects

• New grouping, new project √

• Existing grouping, new project √

• Existing grouping, existing project X

• The OG must demonstrably have an active project which will contribute to RD priorities

* See updated innovation guidelines * See updated Art 35 guidance

Getting an Operational Group started

Getting an Operational Group started

INNOVATION SUPPORT

SERVICES, AT YOUR SERVICE!

Innovation support services

Promoting innovation and innovation funding formats

Brainstorming events and animation of (thematic) groups

Brokering function for setting up operational group projects

Coordination and facilitation of running projects as an intermediate between partners

Dissemination of innovative results

EIP-AGRI Service Point connects all actors within the network

The goal

Current website ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/

www.eip-agri.eu , the one-stop-shop for agricultural innovation

SHARE WITH US

SEARCH AND FIND

FOCUS ON

DEEPEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE

STAY UP TO DATE

MY EIP-AGRI

Monthly newsletters

Subscribe:

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/service-point/index_en.htm

• Upcoming events

• Results from events

• Innovative projects

• EIP AGRI news

• Publications and fact sheets (Horizon 2020, Operational Groups, Innovation Support Services, …)

Ideas for operational

groups

Priorities for innovative

actions

Research needs from

practice

Propose projects to

test solutions

EIP-AGRI Focus Groups, tackling agricultural challenges

Exchange practical

knowledge

EIP-AGRI Focus Groups tackling agricultural challenges

• Open calls for interest of participation

• 20 participants, different types of actors

• Short duration, focused

• 7 running Focus Groups

• inspiration to set up Operational Groups

Potential cooperation with networks such as ERIAFF

• Mutual dissemination of information

– (eg Focus group call on alternative supply chains)

• Exchange of newsletters • Announcing events • Etc.

• Other activities may be agreed on a case to case basis •

Thank you for your attention!

servicepoint@eip-agri.eu +32 2 543 73 48 EIP-AGRI Service Point Avenue de la Toison d’Or 72 1060 Brussel Belgium http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/