Periodic Reporting for period 2 - AgriFoodBoost (Boosting Excellence in Experimental Research for Agri-Food Economics and Management)
Período documentado: 2022-01-01 hasta 2024-03-31
The main objective of the AgriFoodBoost project is to enhance the research excellence and scientific visibility of agri-food economics at the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb and to support FAZ in becoming a regionally leading centre for experimental agri-food economics and management.
AgriFoodBoost twinning will enhance the scientific, innovation and academic capacities of FAZ researchers in order to become competitive in the scientific market. The project will help improve networking between faculty and industry and increase the capacity of FAZ researchers to offer new expertise to the agri-food industry.
AgriFoodBoost activities include researcher exchanges, thematic summer schools and workshops, expert visits, participation in conferences, the establishment of a laboratory for experimental economics and a research HUB, which aims to bring together universities, industry and public administration. Special attention has been given to early stage researchers, including long-term visits and dual supervision, participation in summer schools, workshops and PhD conferences. A specific task will help to improve the project management/administration skills of FAZ researchers and administrative staff. Communication, dissemination and exploitation activities include efforts to raise awareness of recent developments in experimental economics among the scientific community in Croatia and neighbouring regions. In addition, these activities target businesses and policy makers with the aim of increasing their awareness and understanding of the goals of the experimental economy, its potential areas of application and its benefits. It also aims to promote experimental economics to the public as a support for rational and responsible decision-making in order to achieve a positive societal and economic impact on society.
The workshops and summer schools were attended by members of the AgriFoodBoost project, but also by (young) scientists from different countries. This diverse participation enabled excellent interaction and the establishment of new collaborations between researchers. The participation of scientists from Croatia and abroad, including both young and experienced scientists, is one of the most important successes of this project.
A total of 12 short-term and three long-term mobilities were organised at all three partner institutions. These mobilities gave the researchers the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the scientific activities at the host institutions.
Together with the project partners, the FAZ researchers successfully organised an international scientific seminar entitled "Experimental and Behavioural Economics Research in Agri-Food and the Environment" as the 183rd Seminar of the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE). In addition, members of the AgriFoodBoost team prepared and organised a session at the XVII Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE).
Nine research studies were conducted, three of which were organised in the Laboratory of Experimental Economics. Several joint scientific papers were prpared
and others are in preparation.
FAZ scientists were involved as partners in seven new Horizon Europe project proposals (of which one was approved and five are in the evaluation phase) and coordinated one ERA Chair project proposal.
Two events were organised with the aim of bringing science together with stakeholders from the agri-food sector.
The dissemination of the project and its results was extensive. The research results were presented at numerous national and international conferences and in several institutions in Croatia and the region. The result of the dissemination activities is an increased interest in experimental economics both in Croatia and in the region.
The media reported on the project, which led to new co-operation with relevant stakeholders.
Collaboration with international partners in the AgriFoodBoost project has increased FAZ's scientific visibility and their integration into the European Research Area by joining international consortia preparing EU-funded proposals.
The leading role in the AgriFoodBoost project enabled the expansion of FAZ staff's management and administrative skills.
The project gives FAZ researchers the opportunity to improve their collaboration and knowledge transfer to the business and government sectors.
Particular attention is paid to raising awareness and disseminating the project results. Therefore, project activities are continuously published on the project website (https://agrifoodboost.agr.hr/(se abrirá en una nueva ventana)) and via social media.