EIP-AGRI Brochure on Innovation support services

The EIP-AGRI aims at supporting innovation following the interactive bottom-up approach which relies mainly on co-operation, sharing of knowledge and intermediating advisory methods. This approach will be implemented under the EIPAGRI via the creation of Operational Groups: groups of people (such as farmers, researchers, advisers etc.) who work together on a practical innovation project with concrete objectives (for more information see the EIP-AGRI brochure on Operational Groups). One of the lessons learned in connection with the former Rural Development programmes is that sometimes it is not enough to offer stand-alone funding for groups cooperating on innovation projects. Innovation support services and innovation brokering which work using models that are adapted to local conditions could play a crucial role in bringing the right people into the projects, connecting farmers and advisers with researchers and helping to identify funding. In short, innovation support services and brokering could play a crucial role in getting many worthwhile projects off the ground and capturing grassroots ideas from practitioners. German translation courtesy of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft – BMEL); Greek translation courtesy of Dr. Takavakoglou Vasileios, Pana Eleanna, and Touloumi Korina (www.ecotopia.gr); Hungarian translation courtesy of the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture; Romanian translation courtesy of the National Rural Development Network – Romania; Spanish translation courtesy of RRN (Red Rural Nacional); Swedish translation courtesy of the Swedish Rural Network (Landsbygdsnätverket).