The financial instruments of the European Rural Development policy can to a large extent be shaped in a way that is consistent with the seven phases of the AgriSpin innovation spiral. Thus, funding for innovation can be found in the current regulation.

As established by AgriSpin, innovation in agriculture is a non-linear, iterative process which starts with identifying a problem and coming up with ideas for solutions. The very interactive nature of the innovation process makes it challenging to find appropriate funding. However, the Rural Development (RD) financial support tools may be addressed to the seven phases of the innovation process, thus making the funding possibilities of this programme worth considering.

The agricultural European Innovation Partnership (EIP AGRI) is the main EU initiative aimed at supporting interactive innovation in agriculture. It mainly connects research (H2020 multi-actor projects, which is where AgriSpin originates, and thematic networks) and Rural Development policies.

Where Is RD Helpful?

Within the Rural Development regulation, the support to Operational Groups is the option which most decidedly aims at fostering interactive innovation. The “Operational Group” is a group of people who work together on concrete, practical solutions to a problem or innovative opportunity; an Operational Group consists of several partners with a common interest in a specific, practical innovation project and who are supposed to cooperate.

Cooperation

The measure concerning support for cooperation within the Rural Development regulation is 16: specifically, the sub-measures 16.1 and 16.2 are aimed at supporting the setting-up and project realization of Operational Groups.

The setting up of Operational Groups is relevant in the planning and development phases of the innovation spiral where partners have to widen their partnerships and prepare the innovation project. Such actions are at the core of measure 16.1.

On the other hand, measure 16.2 fits very well in supporting the realization and dissemination phases of the innovation spiral, because it is aimed at funding projects of Operational Groups.

Both measures must be set up by interested actors such as farmers, researchers, advisors and businesses involved in the agriculture and food sector, who are relevant for achieving the objectives of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP).

Other measures of the RD regulation can also support Operational Groups, even if not directly: These are knowledge transfer and training (measure 1) and the sub-measures dedicated to coaching and Cross Visits (measure 1.1 and measure 1.3) as well as the advisory services (measure 2).

Helping Advisory Services And Farmers

Measure 2 is aimed at helping farmers, young farmers, forest holders, other land managers and SMEs in rural areas benefit from the use of advisory services for the improvement of the economic and environmental performance as well as the climate friendliness and resilience of their holdings, enterprises and/or investments.

Knowledge Transfer And Information Actions

Support under measure 1 covers vocational training and skills acquisition actions, demonstration activities and information actions. Vocational training and skills acquisition actions may include training courses, workshops and coaching. It may also cover short-term farm and forest management exchanges as well as farm and forest visits.

Support under this measure needs to be for the benefit of persons engaged in the agricultural, food and forestry sector, land managers and other economic actors which are SMEs operating in rural areas.

Even if knowledge transfer and information actions should be organized all along an innovation process, the implementation of this measure can be particularly relevant during the dissemination phase, where ideas have been put into practice.

Cluster And Networks

AgriSpin has observed that the preliminary phase of an innovation process is currently less supported within the RD regulation.

To fill this gap, the creation of cluster and networks, which is another support action foreseen by measure 16, could be relevant in the initial stages of the innovation spiral, e.g. during the development of new ideas and inspiration.

The figure below shows how available financial tools within the RD policy can be organized in order to support the different phases of an innovation spiral.

Read More

Read the entire report on the possibilities of financial support within the European Rural Development regulation.