The National Rural Network supported and energized the seventh edition of the National Rural Development Forum, which was held from February 25 to 27 at the Zaragoza Fairgrounds. It also featured a program of presentations focused on training for the agri-food sector.

Presentations

Laurens Klerkx , Professor in the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Group at Wageningen University (Netherlands), opened the presentations. Klerx cited the major challenges facing global agriculture, including climate change and increased food demands. He concluded that agricultural producers should have their own network of well-trained advisors and recommends interconnected advisors for mutual benefit.

The Forum was inaugurated by Isabel Bombal, Director General of Rural Development, Innovation and Agri-Food Training ( MAPA ), who stressed that "in the face of the helplessness of farmers, the most valuable thing we can offer them is training." She therefore emphasized that "new knowledge models must be adapted to the farmer, and not the other way around."

All the presentations emphasized that better-trained producers are more profitable, and therefore farmers and ranchers are encouraged to acquire new skills, for example, in digitalization, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the bioeconomy. The conference emphasizes the need for new approaches to promote interaction between different stakeholders (farmers, advisors, cooperative managers, young people, civil servants, etc.), and new practical learning methodologies , such as mentoring systems, joint masterclasses with operational groups, cross-country visits, living labs , blended learning , and so on.

AKIS

The figure of the has entered the scene AKIS (Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems), where people and organizations connect through innovation systems to foster mutual learning and generate, share, and utilize agricultural knowledge and information. In this regard, it is worth noting that AKIS will be a key component of the post-2020 CAP reform.

Knowledge, innovation, and digitalization are defined as cross-cutting objectives of the future CAP that should inform the other objectives. Some key ideas of the AKIS include peer learning, putting the farmer first, independent advice, and a stronger public-private connection, among other key ideas.

The Forum served as a reminder of the creation by MAPA of the AKIS Advisory Focus Group in November 2019, which defined the role of advisors and advisory bodies in evaluating innovation support systems. In addition to this group, MAPA supports other initiatives such as the Multiregional Training Programs, the Continuing Education Plan, and the Digitalization Strategy for the agri-food, forestry, and rural sectors.

The forum confirmed that training and knowledge acquisition are essential tools for achieving a competitive, profitable, and sustainable agri-food sector and rural environment.

The presentations and videos of the talks will be published at the following link: https://coiaanpv.org/forodesarrollo/

The Forum was organized by the Official College of Agricultural Engineers of Aragon, Navarre and the Basque Country.