EU and Eastern Partnership Countries join forces to reinforce agri-food innovation and knowledge transfer
The EU-funded SUAFRI-EPC(opens in new window) (Supporting the uptake of agri-food research results into innovation with EPC countries) project worked to bridge the gap between agri-food research and innovation in EPCs by gathering all actors in the knowledge value chain and raising their awareness on how to turn research results into innovation. To foster networking, project partners mapped EPC agri-food actors at different levels of the knowledge value chain and organised three brokerage events to encourage cooperation. They analysed the potential for collaboration and knowledge transfer in EPCs, and delivered a report on the technology transfer opportunities and bottlenecks of EPC organisations involved in agri-food research, development and innovation (RDI) activities. Six promising technologies were selected for innovation support. The exchange of best practices in knowledge and technology transfer took place via a range of tailored training courses and three intensive summer schools in Europe that attracted 50 EPC participants. Three pilot projects were launched in Armenia, Belarus and Georgia to demonstrate agri-food innovation good practices. The first developed new production methods in aquaculture and apiculture to optimise production costs and increase environmental sustainability. The second developed a model of consumer preferences in choosing fish and seafood from a study of various factors in the chain of fish caught to consumer’s plate. The last mapped Georgian vineyards linked to soil specificity data to determine the best production area, and improved the overall wine quality by using biotechnology methods. The SUAFRI-EPC team provided coaching and advisory services on innovation and technology transfer to high-potential EPC organisations in support of their RDI activities. SUAFRI-EPC fostered mutually beneficial partnerships between the EU and EPCs through the market uptake of research results. It contributed to establishing a common knowledge and innovation space by strengthening cooperation between RDI actors on both sides.