The European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability Moving Innovation in Agriculture Ahead !

ERRIN 16 April 2013 Inge Van Oost - DG Agriculture and Rural Development
Health and Consumers

Context
Europe 2020 Strategy & post 2013 CAP reform package: Key role for research and innovation in preparing the EU sustainable agriculture and rural development for the future challenges The Budget for Europe 2020" under the CAP heading foresees 4.5 billion Euros for research and innovation in the field of food security, bio-economy and sustainable agriculture The Europe 2020 flagship initiative "Innovation Union" specifies European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) as a new tool for fostering innovation

1. The EIP interlinking policy instruments for synergy

Aims of the EIP according to the Commission Proposal for a Rural Development Regulation (Article 61)

Efficient, productive, climate and environment friendly agriculture Steady supply of food, feed and biomaterials, both existing and new ones Improved processes to preserve the environment, adapted to climate change and mitigation Building bridges between research and farmers, businesses and advisory services

Areas of Innovative Actions as outlined in the EIP Communication (COM (2012)79)

(non-exhaustive list: finally the content will emerge bottom up)

Primary production: technical solutions to increasing productivity and economic viability Resource management: eco-system services, soil functionality, water management, and genetic resources (public goods) Bioeconomy: innovative technology for the bio-based economy bio-refinery; new products; reduction of post harvest loss Supply chain: integrated supply chain solutions; new services; logistics, and management systems

Quality and consumers: food quality, food safety, and healthy lifestyles (consumer information and consumer choice)

The Interactive Innovation Model

The innovation model under the agricultural EIP goes far beyond speeding up transfer "from laboratory to market" through diffusion of new scientific knowledge (referred to as a "linear innovation model"). The EIP adheres to the "interactive innovation model" which focuses on forming demand-driven partnerships - using bottom-up approaches and linking farmers, advisors, researchers, businesses, and other actors in Operational Groups. This knowledge exchange will generate new insights and ideas and mould existing tacit knowledge into focused solutions that are quicker put into practice thanks to the coownership generated during projects. Such an approach will stimulate innovation from all sides and will help to target the research agenda.

Key Acting Entities Within the EIP

- Operational Groups -

Farmers NGOs

Advisors

Agribusiness

Operational Group

Researchers

Different Sources of Funding for Operational Groups

Rural National Operational Horizon Private ERDF DevelopFunds 2020 Funds Group ment

Different Sources of Funding for Operational Groups

Horizon 2020

National Funds

Rural Development

ERDF

Private Funds

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EIP Network

Network Function of the EIP

Collect information (research and innovation projects etc.) and best innovation practices Effective flow of information (website, databases) Give advice on opportunities within policies (helpdesk function) Sharing knowledge on concrete practical work and connect actors

Systematic feedback to the scientific community about practice needs (Art.12 H2020)

First draft workprogramme 2013

1. Animation
Focus Groups : up to 20 experts with the technical knowledge Workshops: up to 80 participants, active input of experts and stakeholders Seminars: 150 participants, presentation & discussion (where possible on location hosts?) 2. Networking and communication tools 3. Mapping and database

Focus groups
FG (up to 20 experts) must set out a series of tangible deliverables (reports etc) General approach for output of a focus group: practical knowledge and where to get that knowledge, e.g. List of practices/solutions for the problems/opportunities of the FG List of useful projects (research, advisory etc) with the contacts Audio-visual material if possible for the EIP website Organise two face-to-face meetings preferably on location List of ideas for future interactive OG projects

2. EU support under Rural Development: Co-financing & Innovation guidelines

EIP Implementation via Rural Development Programmes

Establishing operational groups (Art 62) involving farmers, advisors, agribusiness, research, NGOs, etc
Support for Operational Groups (OGs) (Art 36 and other) Bottom-up approach towards defining composition and operational purpose of a single operational groups: each operational group must establish its plan on expected results and share results within the EIP network Possible combination of cooperation in "operational groups" with other measures such as knowledge transfer, advisory services, investment aid, quality schemes etc. The EIP aims at a flexible and open system for the creation of a multiplicity of operational groups

RD Support for innovation & knowledge exchange

Rural Development funds provide for financing if the Member State makes it part of its Rural Development Plan(s): Support for the use of advice by farmers, the setting up of farm advisory services and for the training of advisors: 50% cofinancing Cooperation support: 80% co-financing Support for knowledge transfer & inf. actions: 80% co-financing 40% + top up 20% support rate for collective investments RD programmes have a horizontal priority on knowledge transfer and innovation National rural networks and EIP national networks support network activities for innovation

Art 36 - Cooperation measure for OGs

Support for Operational Groups (OGs) covers setting up EIP OGs funding their operations: - Support for the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies - Support for "pilot projects, pursuing the testing and adaptation of technologies, processes etc. to "new" geographical/environmental contexts (i.e. contexts in which they have not yet been used) The cooperation measure also supports many other activities which pursue the objectives of the EIP, e.g. support for networks, which bring together a variety of actors and by sharing needs and knowledge may initiate actions of OGs and/or support actions of existing groups.

Innovation guidelines: Composition of operational groups (OGs) (RDC 20 Feb 2013)

- An EIP operational group builds itself around a concrete innovation project targeted towards finding a solution for a specific issue - not necessarily being bound to a specific territory or an upfront fixed strategy. - project implementation may be short (less than 7 years) So, OGs are action and result oriented hands-on groups (no balanced representation needed) to maximise interaction for co-creation and cross-fertilisation OGs are a mixture of actors from possibly very different territories and in principle only exist for the aim of execution of 19 the project

Innovation guidelines: 100 % bottom-up innovation projects under Rural Development (RDC 20 Feb 2013)
Innovation is a horizontal priority in RD program: Establishment of operational groups (Art. 36) can be 100% bottomup (calls without determining specific project themes upfront) criteria can be related to: - relevance of the project for actors and end-users* - targeted composition of the partners in view of co-creation* - quality & quantity of knowledge exchange & cross-fertilisation - demonstrating competences on state of play/avoiding repetition - easy understandable & long-term communication effect (*evidence from examples collected by the KT & I focus group (ENRD)
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Innovation guidelines: networking (RDC 20 Feb 2013)

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National EIP networks: Technical assistance under Article 51 of the rural development regulation can be used to finance national EIP networking activities and implement the EIP for the country/region (e.g. promote innovation measures, connect with EIP activities at EU level, connect to regional EIP-networks and advisory services, innovation brokers, thematic networks etc.)
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Innovation guidelines: innovation brokerage under Rural Development (RDC 20 Feb 2013)
To help setting up a multiplicity of operational groups formed around concrete projects, innovation brokerage can be supported via - - technical assistance (Art 55 (2)) - animation under the cooperation measure (Art 36 (5)) - advisory services (Art 16 (1)) So, strive for a flexible and open system for the creation of a multiplicity of operational groups: Different approaches for OGs may be useful e.g. vouchers etc
(e.g. of an innovation broker: 500 for small project till 12.000 euro for very big projects )

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Innovation broker: (Source: Howells, 2006)

A innovation broker is an impartial person or organisation that .acts as an agent or broker in any aspect of the innovation process between two or more parties. Such intermediary activities include: helping to provide information about potential collaborators; brokering a transaction between two or more parties; acting as a mediator, or go-between bodies or organizations ; and helping find advice, funding and support for the innovation outcomes of such collaborations.
(see EIP Kick-off event 19 Nov 2013 for the process steps in brokering, see AGRI research and innovation conference March 2012 for the concept)

Communicating the project

results

Innovation broker process

Coordinating the progress of the project

Starting up a project team

Searching for possible support program

Searching for adequate partners

Refining the

idea

A close connection of the innovation broker with agriculture is important for efficient facilitation
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3. Multi-actor projects and Thematic networks to boost innovation Under Horizon 2020 as discussed in the SCAR AKIS CWG

EIP Implementation via the European Union Research Policy (Horizon 2020)
Research projects enhancing including on-farm experiments the knowledge base,

Support for practice-oriented formats such as multiactor projects, and support for innovation brokers, innovation centres, and thematic networks Calls for proposals via work programmes (at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 Member States or associated countries) Interlinking knowledge generation and sharing experience through dissemination activities and thematic networks

Multi-actor projects and Thematic networks under Horizon 2020 Horizon 2020 legal base:
- A multi-actor approach" "will ensure the necessary crossfertilising interactions between researcher, businesses, farmers/producers, advisors and end-users". - "The impact and dissemination of research results will be actively supported through specific actions on communication, knowledge exchange and the involvement of various actors all along the projects.
This approach fully matches with the concept of RD Operational Groups under the EIP interactive innovation model

Multi-actor projects under Horizon 2020

Important features of multi-actor projects:

1. Relevance of the research object for end-users (importance of subject, demand driven, complementarity, creativity, absorption capacity)

2. Targeted composition of the partnership of actors (coverage of partners, complementarity, adequacy, )

3. Refining of possible solutions: knowledge exchange and cross-fertilisation actions during the project (actions generating co-ownership)

4. Short-term dissemination (via involvement of actors & end-users, expertise and track record of actors, translation)
5. Long-term dissemination (output and outreach, easy accessible and understandable)

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Thematic networks: can connect with other EU MS and OGs around specific themes of common interest

Thematic networks under Horizon 2020

Projects involving all concerned stakeholders (researchers, farmers, advisors, enterprises, education, NGOs, administration, regulatory bodies): no pure research networks Stocktaking, mapping and state-of-the-art of existing scientific knowledge & best practices: what do we have/what do we miss to make used Projects must develop end-user material to facilitate the discussion on, sharing and dissemination of knowledge in an easy accessible way: input for education and a research database for end-users (long term availability of results in a common format)

Thematic networks under Horizon 2020

Themes can be be linked to sectors, e.g. arable crops, fruit&veg, pig,) or subjects, e.g. crop rotation, certain farming practices, energy, eco-system services, social services, biobased products, short supply chains,or etc? (SCAR & AKIS WG ) As they bring together possible actors, they may help the connecting and building of EU operational groups & multiactor projects Projects may possibly link to demonstration or pilot (?)

Thematic networks under Horizon 2020

Possible subnetworks with a more limited focus, e.g. the local/regional/national level or for a specific crop/product/farming type (see Dairyman example) regional: (subnetwork could be in a region, on a specific crop or farming system, or an OG under RD interregions and MS: Think tank, generating knowledge exchange & end-user material, listing practice needs for research

To an Agriculture of Knowledge .. Connect for added value, so Join the EIP Thank you for your attention!
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/index_en.htm
Kick-off event 19 Nov 2012 AGRI research and innovation 7 March 2012 Kick-off event: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/events/research-conference-2012_en.htm Inge.Van-Oost@ec.europa.eu