Knowledge transfer is key for European farm advisory services going forward. This was the main message at the Teagasc, the European Commission and University College Dublin’s (UCD) three-day conference this morning.
The International Knowledge Transfer Conference, focussing on the future of the farm advisory services and delivering innovation systems, opened in UCD on Wednesday. The conference heard plans for the expansion of the farm advisory system and the establishment of a European innovation partnership.
Addressing the 200 attendees, Dr Inge van Oost from the Agriculture and Rural Development DG in the European Commission, said advisers are key enablers of change and innovation, as they build bridges between research and farmers and between businesses and advisory services.
Teagasc Director Prof Gerry Boyle stressed the importance of having an innovation pipeline. This needs to be actively developed and encouraged for new innovative techniques to emerge and be applied on farms.
President of UCD Dr Hugh Brady welcome the delegates to the conference and reiterated the universities commitment to the agriculture and food sector.
More than €4.5bn has been earmarked for research and innovation in the field of food security, bioeconomy and sustainable agriculture in the Budget for Europe 2020 under the Common Agriculture Policy.
Image: Shuttlestock