The ERIAFF Network
European Regions for Innovation in Agriculture, Food and Forestry
ERIAFF main objectives
To improve the performance of the EIP
network itself by acting as facilitators of
information flow and links between
stakeholders across their territories as well as
across the European Union
To develop interregional Operational Groups
which are already linked by common priorities
and goals
The ERIAFF Regions are committed to
Allocate a high level of resources on Rural Development measures
linked with innovative actions, allowing the best take up from the
work of the Operational Groups
Select common innovation priorities and act as promoters of close
collaborations among their Operational Groups and other Regional
Stakeholders
Promote and support an European Research Infrastructure for
Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Environment (SACE),
which was submitted as a proposal during the European
Commission consultation of October 2012
ERIAFF requests
• To be involved in the EIP Implementation Plan and in the process of priorities
selection and activity deployment. Regions tend to have a deep involvement
in different EIP tools (Focus Groups, Seminars, Experts, etc.).
• Regions are also asking for strong support by the Commission in shaping
simple and clear administrative and financial rules for maximising the
expenditure in research and innovation by combining different funding
sources (Structural, National and Regional Funds).
• Non-technological and social innovations should be considered important
aspects of the future actions of the EIP.
ERIAFF requests
• EIP initiatives should take into account the different farm size across EU
territories, that is, the farm size shouldn’t be considered as the only indicator
of quality.
• Regions wishes to understand in practical terms the overall ability of the EIP
to influence the future work programmes of the Research Framework
Programme.
• Which technical and financial rules the Commission intends to activate to
translate into action the desired coordination/integration among Structural,
Cohesion and Research funds through the integrated operations, as they are
proposed by the Commission itself and confirmed by the EU Council on last
8 February.
EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
-
Promoting
innovative
techniques:
Precision farming: and technologies for the
mitigation and adaptation to Climate
Changes, with particular attention to (a)
the efficient use of energy, water and
genetic resources and (b) the development
of innovative methods to fight against new
pests and diseases:
-
-
Increased
agricultural
productivity, output, and
resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the
bio-based economy
Biodiversity,
Ecosystem
services, and soil functionality
Innovative
products
and
services for the integrated
supply chain
Food quality, food safety and
healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
-Efficient use of water resources
-Energy transition to renewable energies,
efficient use of energy and energy
independence of operations
-Control of greenhouse gas emissions in
livestock and crops
-Tackling new plant pathologies and diseases
EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
-
Making farm and forestry management
practices more environmentally and
socially sustainable:
-
-
Increased
agricultural
productivity, output, and
resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the
bio-based economy
Biodiversity,
Ecosystem
services, and soil functionality
Innovative
products
and
services for the integrated
supply chain
Food quality, food safety and
healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
-
-
Promotion of new production systems
Development of ICT systems
Development of robotics and/or co-botics
(man and machine)
Development of Social Innovation in
Rural Areas
Decreasing the environmental footprint of
food industry
Development of sustainable agricultural
high-tech
EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
-
Restructuring of territorial management
and organization in rural areas, assuring a
better integration with territorial and
metropolitan planning:
-
-
-
Increased
agricultural
productivity, output, and
resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the
bio-based economy
Biodiversity,
Ecosystem
services,
and
soil
functionality
Innovative
products
and
services for the integrated
supply chain
Food quality, food safety and
healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
-
-
Management of farming systems on a
territorial basis for the conservation of
soil, water, landscapes and biodiversity
(putting different players around the
table)
Improvement of rural landscape and
biodiversity
EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
-
Strengthening the role of farmers (and their
cooperatives) in the agro-food production chain
through: the development of new organizational
and managerial systems, the improvement of
the logistic and the creation of new services to
farms and food operators:
-
-
Increased
agricultural
productivity, output, and
resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the
bio-based economy
Biodiversity,
Ecosystem
services, and soil functionality
Innovative products and
services for the integrated
supply chain
Food quality, food safety and
healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
-
-
-
Short market systems / farmers' markets
Innovative managerial & cooperation solutions
for the creation of competitive structures in
agricultural production
Logistic operations
Improve feed self-sufficiency of farms
Shaping and translating into practice new
approaches towards productivity,
competitiveness and diversification
Restructuring the production chains for the
improvement of contract management
and the distribution of value added
EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
-
Improving the quality of foods (better
nutritional and ecological profile) and food
safety:
-
-
Increased
agricultural
productivity, output, and
resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the
bio-based economy
Biodiversity,
Ecosystem
services, and soil functionality
Innovative
products
and
services for the integrated
supply chain
Food quality, food safety
and healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
-Genetic profiling and breeding (excluding
transgenic technologies) and food traceability
for the agro-food quality systems
-Optimization of technical processes
-Development of innovative diets and
products
-Control of the use of chemical inputs
-Nutrition education in the population and
raising awareness of healthy and safe food in
society