Newsletter on Agriculture & Innovation March 2018
In 2009, livestock farmer Clément Guillaud from the Isère region in France saw his meat prices drop. Knowing he could no longer live from what he produced, he knew he had to think innovatively about his supply chain. It resulted in the creation of 'l’Association des éleveurs de Saveurs Iséroises', an organisation that reconnects all partners in the food system. Find out more.
In November 2017, Jean-Louis Reverter, fruit farmer from France, was awarded the Pierre Sarazin Foundation innovation prize. Reverter has developed a kit to support farmers in their understanding of the biological activity of their soil, which is essential in improving soil stability and fertility. The kit can be used by farmers, and by the general public, to analyse samples of their soil. Read on.
A three-month public consultation on the performance of the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programmes has been launched by the European Commission’s DG AGRI. The consultation will run until 20 April and is intended to collect feedback from stakeholders ranging from the general public, to farmers, to public authorities on what worked and what did not during the previous programming period. Respond to the consultation.
Water2REturn is a Horizon 2020 project looking into the techniques for recovering nutrients from slaughterhouse wastewater, and then turning them into products for the agrochemical industry. This process enables nutrients to return to the soil as organic fertilisers. Farmers, slaughtering industry, fertiliser industry, waste-water treatment industry and consumers, complete this questionnaire and be part of the dialogue.
MycoKey, a Horizon 2020 project is collecting experiences and future needs on rapid methods for mycotoxin screening. Their project aims to develop integrated ICT-based solutions to address mycotoxin contamination along the food and feed chain. Your contributions would be very helpful to them in this process. Go to the survey.
The EU Bioeconomy Strategy aims to step up action to link the sustainable use of renewable resources for food, feed, bio-based products and bioenergy, with the protection and restoration of biodiversity, ecosystems and natural capital across land and water. An update of the strategy roadmap has just been published and the EU Commission would like to receive feedback on this document. Provide your contribution before 20 March 2018.
EIP-AGRI SERVICE POINT ACTIVITIES
Operational Groups that connect with organisations outside their partnership get access to fresh ideas, new ways to exchange knowledge and a wider reach to share results. A new EIP-AGRI brochure highlights examples of successful collaboration as well as networking tools and opportunities that can help Operational Groups connect. https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/publications/eip-agri-brochure-operational-groups-collaborateDownload the brochure here.
The EIP-AGRI workshop ‘Innovation in the supply chain’ took place on 6-7 February 2018 in Lyon, France. 48 Operational Groups and 9 research projects, including Horizon 2020 multi-actor projects and thematic networks, from 19 EU member states attended the event. The participants explored potential solutions which can be found in this short report. More publications from the event, including a brochure presenting 50 projects, can be found here.
392 people filled in the EIP-AGRI communication survey. Over 90% find the inspirational ideas in the newsletter very interesting. Read the EIP-AGRI communication survey report to find out how other EIP-AGRI communication tools score. Download the report here. Thank you to those who contributed!
PRIMA funds R&I projects on innovative solutions in agro-food and water systems which can contribute to inclusive, healthy and prosperous Mediterranean societies. A number of calls for proposals have been launched on the following themes: agro-food value chain, farming systems and water management. Calls close end of March/beginning of April. More information.
