The Multi-Actor Approach and the EIP-AGRI

The EIP-AGRI (European Innovation Partnership Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability) is a new development in EU policy. Launched in 2012, its aim is to foster competitive and sustainable farming and forestry that 'achieves more and better from less'. The EIP-AGRI helps to ensure a steady supply of food, feed and biomaterials, in harmony with the essential natural resources on which we depend, and with a dedicated attention to include the relevant actors in the chain.

To enable impact from projects, the basic concept of the EIP-AGRI is based on the Interactive Innovation Model, essential to tackle complex current challenges with good results. The two most important principles are:

• to focus on end-users’ problems/opportunities and develop innovative solutions which cover real needs. End-users like farmers, foresters or businesses will be more motivated to implement the project results, because they were incorporated in generating them and therefore feel "co-ownership"
• to bring together the most relevant partners with a complementary type of knowledge which helps solving problems and tackling opportunities of e.g.: farmers, advisors, researchers, suppliers, processors, agencies and/or other actors, who co-operate and co-innovate in project activities from the beginning till the end.

The EIP-AGRI synergetic system connects:

• Operational Groups (OG), developing practical innovations in specific regions or countries and funded under the second pillar of the CAP
• H2020 Multi-Actor projects (MAP) on research and innovation at EU level
• H2020 Thematic Networks (TN), collecting and making existing knowledge and best practices 'useable' while creating links between Operational Groups and other stakeholders.
• The EIP Network which organises communication and interactive events between everyone with a keen interest in innovating agriculture: e.g. through workshops or Focus Groups (FG) on specific subjects with high innovation potential.

Figure: Presentation at the VDMA Technical Working Committee – AKT, Djelveh S., Frankfurt 15/02/2018

Thematic Networks are a specific type of Multi-Actor projects funded by H2020 Societal Challenge 2 on “Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy”.  The first call for TNs was released in 2014: up to now there are 21 TNs focusing on the most urgent needs of agriculture and working for connecting the research and practice in agriculture, boosting existing scientific knowledge and best practices that are not sufficiently known (and applied) by practitioners, and supporting the EIP-AGRI activities.

Table: Thematic Networks and Demonstration Networks funded under H2020 (2014-2017)