The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and the EU CAP Network Support Facility for Innovation & Knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI are organising a seminar on 6-7 December 2022 in Porto, Portugal to find innovative solutions in response to the accessibility and affordability of energy and fertilisers and build resilient farming and food systems through smart circular economy approaches at farm and local level to safeguard food security and address climate objectives.
Event description and objectives
In response to the impacts of the climate crisis and, more recently, the economic consequences and disruptions to food supply due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, the prices for agricultural inputs and products have been driven upward. This contributes to the increased vulnerability of food systems and threatens food security in the long term. Trade disruptions, transportation costs and uncertainties regarding global agricultural markets highlight the dependency on agricultural inputs and commodities. Uncertainties related to energy and fertiliser exports from Russia in particular are putting severe pressure on agriculture and food production in Europe.
The current crisis underlines the urgency of efficient and sustainable use of energy and fertilisers to ensure farm resilience, competitiveness and food security during times of high-priced inputs. Innovative solutions are necessary in order to overcome the current deficits in energy availability and the availability of affordable and sustainable fertilisers. These solutions need to focus on using local resources efficiently, reducing input requirements for production and recycling agricultural wastes and by-products. This would create a more circular approach, with great benefits for the rural economy and ensure a transition towards more sustainable ways of food production.
Knowledge and innovation are essential components in lowering consumption of increasingly scarce resources. Collaboration across sectors and among different stakeholders are key to bringing sustainable solutions from the lab to the ground. The increased availability of data and its use through ICT, IOT, predictive tools and precision technologies can allow resources to be targeted in a more effective and efficient way.
Overall aim
Find innovative solutions in response to the accessibility and affordability of energy and fertilisers by building resilient farming and food systems through smart circular economy approaches at farm and local level to safeguard food security and climate objectives.
Specific objectives
1. Exchange knowledge on successful practices, opportunities and tools relevant for maintaining and enhancing energy security and fertilisers availability and affordability through a circular approach, and specifically on:
2. Identify challenges caused by lack of energy security and explore potential solutions
3. Identify needs from practice and possible knowledge gaps and possible directions for further research
4. Promote networking among EIP-AGRI Operational Groups and other innovative projects and relevant stakeholders
Target Group
The seminar will be interactive and will focus on exchange of information on good practices and initiatives in EU Member States. There will be a diverse range of participants including farmers, advisors, researchers, circular economy specialists, industry representatives…
Idea and project exchange market
Following the seminar, an additional ‘Idea and project exchange market’ will be organised in the afternoon of 7 December. This will involve more one to one interaction and opportunities for individuals and projects to network and exchange ideas to accelerate the uptake of best innovative practices.
As places are limited, applicants are required to indicate in their application form if they are interested in attending this additional event and to explain their specific motivation for joining and relevance of their work.