Helsinki, Finland | 20–22 May 2025
Our CEO, Patricia Mora, represented our organisation at the 5th General Assembly of AKIS Coordination Bodies (AKIS CBs), held from 20 to 22 May in Helsinki. This meeting, organised within the framework of the European project Modern AKIS, is a key forum for policy makers, technical experts and stakeholders in the agricultural knowledge and innovation ecosystem (AKIS) in Europe.
A forum to promote modern and connected AKIS systems
The General Assemblies of the AKIS Coordination Bodies are held twice a year with the aim of:
- Providing practical knowledge and useful experiences for AKIS stakeholders.
- Stimulate cooperation and knowledge transfer between research and practice.
- Promote the development of innovative and effective agricultural policies for the future of the CAP.
This edition, held in Helsinki, addressed strategic issues such as:
? Current agricultural policy developments related to AKIS systems.
? Evaluation of tools such as the AKIS Self-Assessment Toolkit (TAJ).
? Design of participatory evaluation frameworks.
? Synergies with Horizon Europe and EIP-AGRI projects.
? Strategies to strengthen the role of advisors within national agricultural knowledge systems.
Collaboration, transfer and sustainability
During her speech, Patricia Mora shared our experience in European projects that promote the connection between research, technical advice and agricultural production. She reaffirmed the importance of having active networks of rural advisors, improving access to applied knowledge and better integrating AKIS systems into rural and agri-food development policies.
In Patricia’s words:
‘This assembly has shown that the future of European agriculture lies in strengthening the link between scientific knowledge, practical experience and political commitment. To move towards more sustainable agriculture, we need AKIS that are more open, coordinated and people-centred.’
Field visit: innovation in context
The programme also included a joint field visit with the SCAR AKIS Working Group to the Västankvarn Gård farm in Ingå, a leading agricultural experimentation site in Finland, where technological innovation, sustainable practices and cooperation between local actors were discussed.
Contributing to a knowledge-based European agriculture
Participation in this assembly reinforces our organisation’s role as an active agent in the transformation of the European agri-food model, committed to sustainability, innovation and shared knowledge as drivers of change.
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