Last Wednesday, 11th April in Brussels Open Fields with the Bio2 project participated at the workshop “Make innovation in agriculture. The experience of the EIP Operational Groups in Emilia-Romagna”.
The Emilia-Romagna Region allocated 50 million euros for innovation: 93 Operational Groups were activated after the first two calls, with projects involving 250 different subjects. An exemplary application of the European Innovation Partnership in Emilia-Romagna.
In the Operational Groups created in Emilia-Romagna farmers, researchers, universities and companies collaborate for common challenges: production chains, climate change, new plant diseases, water efficiency, precision techniques, soil quality and organic matter, organic and peri-urban agriculture, animal welfare, antibiotic free, organic waste recovery and many other specific subjects. The aim of their collaboration in the Operational Groups is the improvement, through innovation, of the production and competitiveness of our companies and the income of farmers.
“The investment effort that makes Emilia-Romagna Region the European leader in innovation in agriculture and in the commitment to foster the dialogue between research and business is a model to follow – said Paolo De Castro, vice president of the Agriculture Commission at the European Parliament. The operational groups make possible an alliance between agriculture and research, and that is the key for a sustainable agriculture”.
On the website of the Emilia-Romagna region you can find the the press release on the role of operational groups in the promotion of innovation and dialogue between research and agri-food companies; a summary report of the main evidences of the “Innovation in Agriculture” seminar is available.
