Presentation given at BLE in Bonn, September 2014 in workshop on relation EIP and ERAnets

1. EIP Agri: Aims, focus groups and multi-actor-
projects
How to use ERA-Net results for EIP activities?
Krijn J. Poppe (SCAR AKIS) with thanks to Inge Van Oost
(European Commission DG AGRI) for Commission slides
Meeting ERAnets ICT AGRI and SUSFOOD, Bonn, 2014

2. My introduction
Co-chair Strategic Working Group AKIS
(Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation
Systems)
of the EU SCAR (Standing Committee
on Agricultural Research)
Economist and Research Manager at LEI Wageningen UR
With a link to ICT Research in the Future Internet PPP
• Smart AgriFood
• Fispace
• Smart AgriFood2 and FInish

3. EIPs - a new Europe 2020 Strategy approach
• The establishment of European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs)
in different sectors represents a new approach under the
Europe 2020 Strategy to advance EU research and innovation.
• The Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative "Innovation Union"
specifies European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) as a new tool
for fostering innovation through linking existing policies and
instruments

4. The EIP-AGRI in short
• Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (COM (2012)79)
• Overarching concept – funding in CAP-RD and H2020 Research
funds, et al
• Based on interactive innovation model:
linking up multiple actors for creation and diffusion of
knowledge.
• Key entities: Operational Groups
• EU wide EIP network: communication, partnering,
dissemination, knowledge flows and collecting practice needs
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/documents/eip-opportunities_
en.htm#eip-origins-of-eip-agri

5. Innovation is a broad concept
 The implementation of a new or significantly
improved product (good or service), or process, a
new marketing method, or a new organisational
method in business practices, workplace organisation
or external relations. [source: OECD]
 Also the public sector can innovate !
(and public aspects of agriculture)

6. Social Innovation
●The concept of social innovation originates in critiques of
traditional innovation theory. By calling for social
innovation, new theories point at the need to take the
social mechanisms of innovation into account (social
mechanisms of innovation)
●In the context of rural development, social innovation
refers to the (social) objectives of innovation – that is
those changes in the social fabric of rural societies, that
are perceived as necessary and desirable in order to
strengthening rural societies and addressing the
sustainability challenge (social inclusion / equity: the
innovation of society as well as the social responsibility of
innovations)

7. The agro-innovation system and theory
 Innovation happens in a social system: “an institutional
clustering of practices among the participants (not
necessarily implying consensus)” (Anthony Giddens)
 Long-term infrastructural investment in ‘mental capital’
and its improvement is crucial for successful economic
development and for competitive trade performance (Chris
7
Freeman for OECD, quoting List, Keynes, and investigating historical cases in Europe and Asia)
 ‘Coupling mechanisms’ between the education system,
scientific institutions, R&D facilities, production and
markets have been an important aspect of the
institutional changes introduced in successful ‘overtaking’
countries. (Freeman)

8. Knowledge & Innovation System:
7 functions
1.Knowledge development and diffusion
2.Influence on direction of search and identification
of opportunities
3.Entrepreneurial experimentation and management
of risk and uncertainty
4.Market formation
5.Resource mobilisation
6.Legitimation
7.Development of positive externalities
(c) M. Hekkert et al.

9. Innovation by interaction in networks
 Innovation as a process has strong learning aspects: learn
how to do new things, bottom-up.
● Alternative: force (or pay for) quality standards, mandates
 Thematically-focused learning networks of different actors can
help.
 Generating learning and innovation through interactions
between the involved actors.
● participation for all in the planning of work and
experiments, their execution up until the dissemination
of results and the demonstration phase
 Members can include farmers, extension workers, food
industry, researchers, government and ngo representatives
and other stakeholders.

10. Different objectives,
methods, and public
roles

11. Science versus Innovation driven research
Aspect Science driven research Innovation driven research
Incentive to
program a topic
Emerging science that can
contribute to solving a
societal issue (or a scientific
question)
An issue / problem in society
that can be solved by new
research, or a new idea to
solve an existing issue
Participation of
users
In demonstration phase / via
research dissemination
In agenda setting, defining the
problem and during the
research process
Quality criteria Scientific quality
Relevance (for the sector or a
region)
Focus Research organisations
Networks of producers and
users of knowledge
Diffusion model Linear model System (network) approach
Type of
government
Science / Research Policy Innovation Policy
policy
Economic line of
thinking
Macro-economics Systems of innovation
Type of research
Interdisciplinary with
absorption capacity in AKIS
(to work with material
science, ICT, chemistry etc.).
Transdisciplinary and
translational with close
interactions.

12. The EIP-AGRI in short
• Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (COM (2012)79)
• Overarching concept – funding in CAP-RD and H2020 Research
funds, et al
• Based on interactive innovation model:
linking up multiple actors for creation and diffusion of
knowledge.
• Key entities: Operational Groups
• EU wide EIP network: communication, partnering,
dissemination, knowledge flows and collecting practice needs
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/documents/eip-opportunities_
en.htm#eip-origins-of-eip-agri

13. European Innovation Partnership
Rural Development Horizon 2020
• Funding for setting up
of an “Operational
Group“: farmers,
advisors, agribusiness,
researchers, NGOs, etc)
planning an innovation
project (Art 35)
• Project funding for the
Operational Group’s
project (Art 35). This co-operation
could be
combined with other
measures (investment,
knowledge transfer,
advice)
• Supporting innovation
support services
• Research projects,
including on-farm
experiments to
provide the
knowledge base for
innovative actions
• Interactive
innovation formats
such as multi-actor
projects and
thematic networks
genuinely involving
farmers, advisors,
entreprises,…."all
along the project"
eip-agri

14. Research
ERANETs
JPIs
Education
Consumers
Retailer
s
Food
processo
rs
Extensi
on
Input
suppliers
Farmers
Member states

15. Education
Research
Consumers
Retailer
s
Food
processo
rs
Extensi
on
Input
suppliers
Farmers
Member states
ERANETs JPIs
EIP-Agri’s
Operational
Groups

16. Operational Groups
in Rural Development Programmes 2014-2020
• A group is implementing one concrete innovation project
• Combines the different competencies (practical and scientific:
farmers, advisors, researchers etc), needed for the concrete
project objectives
• The groups works action- and result-oriented, aiming to benefit
from interaction for co-creation and cross-fertilisation
(interactive innovation)
• Support for setting up the group and/or for the costs of the
project of the group (Art 35)

17. Innovation Support Services
• Promoting innovation and innovation funding formats
• Brainstorming events and animation of (thematic) groups
• Brokering function for setting up operational groups
• Coordination and facilitation of projects as an intermediate
between partners
• Dissemination of innovative results

18. Network Function of the EIP
• Collect information (research and innovation projects etc.) and
best innovation practices
• Effective flow of information (interactive 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)
EIP
Network

19. Focus groups
(Focus groups form part of the networking function of the EIP:
up to 20 experts - typically: scientists, farmers, advisors)
Focus on practical knowledge in a particular field, and
where to get that knowledge, organised in 4 strands:
1. Take stock of the state of the art of practice (list of best
practices), listing problems and opportunities
2. Take stock of the state of the art of research, summarizing
possible solutions to the problems listed (incl. list of useful
projects with the contacts)
3. Identify needs from practice: dissemination and propose
further research where needed
4. Propose priorities for innovative actions, e.g. list of ideas for
future interactive OG projects

20. Focus Groups 2013 - 2014
May 2013:
1. Organic farming - optimizing arable yields
2. Protein crops
3. Animal husbandry – reduction of antibiotics use in the pig sector
Sept 2013:
4. Genetic resources co-operation models
5. Soil organic matter content in Mediterranean regions
6. Integrated pest management (IPM) – Brassica
March 2014
7 High Nature Value (HNV) farming profitability
8 Mainstreaming precision farming
9 Profitability of permanent grassland
10 Fertiliser efficiency – focus on horticulture in open field

21. Interactive innovation and transdisciplinary research
Large pool of OGs
Many Networks
Focus
groups
Operational
Group
Several
Projects
Thematic Network Multi-stakeholder
Research Project
Farmers For replication and up-scaling:
• End user material
• Identify blockades
• Research agenda
Transdisciplinary research:
Operational Groups as
Researcher
NGO cases and co-innovators
Food company

22. How will Horizon 2020 boost interactive
innovation ?
─ Fostering co-creation of knowledge in research and innovation
projects through the so-called "Multi-actor approach"
─ Fostering knowledge exchange through Thematic Networks
producing end-user oriented material (Coordination and Support
Actions)
─ Establishment of research and innovation priorities taking
account of the practice needs channelled through the AGRI
European Innovation Partnership (Art. 12 H2020 Regulation)

23. Thematic networks in
Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-2015
• Projects involving all concerned actors (researchers, farmers,
advisors, enterprises, education, NGOs, administration, regulatory
bodies, EIP project groups…): no pure research networks
• Projects must develop end-user material for practice, such as
info sheets in a common format and audio-visual material, that is
long-term available and easy understandable, to be shared
through the EIP (input for education and a research web-database
for end-users)
• Partners should synthesise, discuss and present existing
scientific knowledge & best practices, with a focus on: what
do we have/what do we miss to be used

24. Thematic networks in
Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-2015
• Themes can be linked to products or sectors, e.g. arable crops,
fruits, vegetables, pig,…etc) or a broad range of cross-cutting
subjects, e.g. crop rotation, certain farming practices, energy,
implementation approaches of a directive, eco-system services,
social services, bio-based products, short supply chains,…etc
• As they bring together possible actors, thematic networks help the
connecting and building of EIP interactive innovation
groups & multi-actor projects

25. Thematic networks in H2020 call 2014-2015
Topic ISIB 2 – 2015: call published 22 July 2014
5 networks on specific themes to be proposed bottom-up:
Sharing and presenting best practices and research results
focusing on themes and issues that are near to be put into
practice, but not known or tested by practitioners

26. Thematic network topics in 2014 & 2015
1 stage-calls
ISIB- 2 Closing the research and innovation divide
(knowledge exchange)
Call 2014: deadline for proposals 26/6/2014
Call 2015: deadline for proposals 11/6/2015
WATER-4B: Harnassing R&I results for industry, agriculture, policy
makers and citizens: thematic network on water in
agriculture (Soc Ch 5)
Call 2015: deadline for proposals 10/3/2015

27. Multi-actor projects in
Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-2015
• "multi-actor" is more than a strong dissemination requirement or what a broad
stakeholders' board can deliver
• "all along the project" *: a clear role for the different actors in the work plan,
from the participation in the planning of work and experiments, their execution
up until the dissemination of results and the possible demonstration phase.
• Project proposals should illustrate sufficient quantity and quality of knowledge
exchange activities
This should generate innovative solutions that are more likely to be applied thanks
to the cross-fertilisation* of ideas between actors, the co-creation and the
generation of co-ownership for eventual results.
(*legal base in Specific Programme)

28. Multi-actor projects in
Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-2015
A multi-actor project needs to take into account:
• how the project proposal's objectives and planning are
targeted to needs / problems and opportunities of
end-users
• the composition of the project consortium must get
sufficient involvement of key actors with complementary
types of knowledge (scientific and practical) to reach the
project objectives and make its results broadly
implemented.
Facilitation between actors and openness to involve additional
partners in the project, for instance relevant groups operating
in the EIP context, are strongly recommended.

29. Which multi-actor projects in 2015?
2 stage-call – topics for the call published 22 July 2014 (deadline
for proposals 3/2/2015)
SFS-1C Sustainable terrestrial livestock production: Assessing
sustainability of livestock production
SFS-2B: Sustainable crop production: Assessing soil-improving
cropping systems
SFS-5 Strategies for crop productivity, stability and quality
SFS-13 Biological contamination of crops and the food chain
SFS-20 Sustainable food chains through public policies: the cases of
the EU quality policy and of public sector food procurement
WASTE 7 Ensuring sustainable use of agricultural waste, co-products
and by-products (Soc Ch 5)
ISIB-4B Improved data and management models for sustainable
forestry

30. Practical tips and further implications
 How can a researcher find other stakeholders ?
● Many do have contacts in their region with farmers,
extensionists, food companies
● Many have international contacts with other
researchers (that have local contacts)
● Search LinkedIn, join Eur. Assocations
● And ICT is at your disposal...
 And how about my publication and citation indices ?
● Review papers and transdisciplinary research can
be published (be creative !)
● Incentives on excellence should be complemented
by indicators for relevance and impact

31. Multi-actor innovation benefits from ICT
Software type Tools evaluated Successful examples
Knowledge portals (KP) Search engines: Google, Yahoo
Slide and document sharing:
Slideshare
Video and photo sharing:
YouTube, Flickr
VOA3R, eXtension, Chil
E-document management
systems ( E-MS)
Digital libraries: Groen
Kennisnet in NL, Organic
Eprints
Organic Eprints, Agriwebinar
Use networks or post in social
media to find partners at farm
Data Warehouse (DW) Eurostat, FADN FADN
Groupware (GW) Wikipedia, Yammer,
Crowdsourcing
British Farming Forum, Lego
Cuusoo, Climate CoLab, P&G
Connect+Develop, Betacup
Challenge
level.
And database Operational Groups
will be created
Community of practice (CoP) ResearchGate, Erfaland Disease surveillance and
warning systems, IDRAMAP
Social communities of interest
(SCI)
Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+,
Ning, Quora
AgTalk+, E-Agriculture, Jeunes-agricultuers,
Rede Inovar
Individual communities of
interest (ICI)
Wordpress, Twitter, Blogs AG Chat

32. In ICT you can get inspired by the FI-PPP
Accelerators
90 M€ 80 M€ 130 M€

34. CALL OPENS 15 Sep. 2014
What are we looking for?
 SME’s and web entrepreneurs to lead the
development of a new generation of ICT products
to support smart agriculture.
 Apps and services (new or existing) must use
FIWARE technologies
 Apps and services targeting in particular arable
farming, horticulture, livestock
What’s in it for SME’s?
 Up to €100k in funding over 3 stages of
development: Prototype, End user Testing &
Business Development
 Mentoring and hands on support from an
experienced range of ICT, agri and business experts
Get started
 Get feedback on your idea: pre-proposal check
service available
 Call closes 15 November 2014
Visit us at: www.smartagrifood.com

35. More info on Multi-actor projects and Thematic
networks in WP 2014-2015:
EIP workshop 14/1/2014 on multi-actor projects and
thematic networks
Multi-actor projects and thematic networks:
http://vimeo.com/84381196
Proposal submission and evaluation:
http://vimeo.com/84381198
Multi-actor project example:
http://vimeo.com/84385119
Video, including Q & A session, and presentations on
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/events/eip-research-workshop-
2014_en.htm

36. More info on Multi-actor projects and Thematic
networks in WP 2014-2015:
Follow the EIP website (newsletters, info, examples, and for
common EIP formats for the output of thematic networks):
Info on EIP formats under Horizon 2020:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/pdf/fact-sheet-horizon-
2020_en.pdf
Looking for partners in Horizon 2020 multi-actor projects or
thematic networks?
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Partner-Search-Horizon-2020-Food-
7416906
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/index_en.htm
Factsheet on innovation support:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eip/events/berlin-11-2013/innovation-support-
services_en.pdf

37. Thank you for
your attention
krijn.poppe@wur.nl
www.lei.wur.nl
References
• Reflection paper AKIS 1
• Orientation paper AKIS 2
• Summarizing powerpoint
presentation available on SlideShare