1.
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

2.
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!

3.
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.

4.
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

5.
The EIP-AGRI Network

6.
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

7.
Setting up an Operational Group
Farmers
NGOs Advisors
Researchers
Agri-
business
Operational
Group

8.
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

9.
Getting an Operational Group started

10.
Getting an Operational Group started
INNOVATION
SUPPORT
SERVICES,
AT YOUR
SERVICE!

11.
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

12.
EIP-AGRI Service Point connects
all actors within the network

13.
The goal

14.
Current website
ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/

15.
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

16.
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, …)

17.
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

18.
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

19.
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
•

20.
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/