AKIS in Croatia

The strategic plan of the Common Agricultural Policy of the Republic of Croatia 2023 – 2027 envisages the construction of the agricultural knowledge and innovation system (AKIS) in the Republic of Croatia.

AKIS is a system of active cooperation, exchange of information and knowledge and encouragement of innovation between key stakeholders. A functional AKIS system produces, distributes and receives knowledge, shares Information and produces Innovations in agriculture and sectors that rely on agriculture. The AKIS system should provide agricultural producers and other AKIS stakeholders with the opportunity to acquire and transfer knowledge and catalyze the processes of creation and application of innovations.

AKIS of the Republic of Croatia consists of the following stakeholders:

  • Farmers, forest owners, processors and their associations
  • Research capacities at universities, polytechnics, scientific institutes and other institutions
  • Supporting institutions with good human and material resources, such as the Croatian Agency for agriculture and food (HAPIH), veterinary and phytosanitary service, institutions in the field of agrometeorology, institutions responsible for food safety, etc.
  • Advisors: public agricultural advisory service that operates within the Ministry of Agriculture, private advisors, associations in the field of nature and environmental protection
  • National Network of Common Agricultural Policy (NMZPP)
  • Operational groups of the European Innovation Partnership

The overall AKIS strategic approach is based on strengthening ties with scientific and other relevant institutions and sources of knowledge, strengthening the knowledge of advisers and their mutual connection, encouraging and strengthening innovation partnerships and effective use of information and communication technologies to improve the flow and sharing of knowledge.

For the purposes of organization and strengthening of connections and cooperation of advisors, research and the National Network of ZPP, in chapter 8. Modernization of AKIS and digitalization of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy of the Republic of Croatia 2023 – 2027, the establishment of a coordination body of the knowledge transfer system and innovations in to agriculture (AKIS coordination body) by the Ministry of Agriculture.

With the decision on the establishment of the coordination body of the system of transfer of knowledge and innovations in agriculture from October 2, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture established the AKIS coordination body.

The AKIS coordination body consists of representatives of the following stakeholders in the system of knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture in the Republic of Croatia:

  • Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for Support in Agriculture and Rural Development
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for Professional Support for Agricultural Development
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for Agricultural Policy, EU and International Cooperation
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for Animal Husbandry and Food Quality
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for Veterinary Medicine and Food Safety
  • National network of the Common Agricultural Policy
  • Ministry of Science and Education
  • Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development
  • Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Sector for Agriculture
  • Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb
  • Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb
  • University of Economics in Križevci
  • Scientific Center of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Breeding of Plants
  • Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, Osijek
  • Institute for Agriculture and Tourism, Poreč
  • Institute for Adriatic Cultures and Karst Reclamation, Split
  • Croatian Chamber of Agriculture
  • Croatian Network for Rural Development
  • LEADER network of Croatia
  • Association of Agricultural Journalists of Croatia
  • Croatian Chamber of Agronomists

The bodies, institutions and associations that are included in the AKIS coordination body have appointed their representatives, so the AKIS coordination body in the Republic of Croatia consists of a total of 24 members. The task of the AKIS coordination body is to participate in the process of establishing a functional AKIS system, determining cross-sectoral goals for the modernization of the agricultural sector by promoting and exchanging knowledge, innovations and digital technologies in agriculture, forestry and rural areas as part of the Strategic Plan of the Joint Agricultural Policy of the Republic of Croatia 2023 – 2027. and participation in the process of creating an AKIS plan with defined forms of cooperation and the roles of all actors involved in the transfer of knowledge, application and adoption of innovations and digital solutions in agriculture, forestry and rural areas. For the purposes of organization and implementation of all operational activities of the AKIS coordination body, the secretariat of the AKIS coordination body will be established within the Directorate for Professional Support for Agricultural Development of the Ministry of Agriculture, whose officials are already working intensively on the construction of the AKIS system of the Republic of Croatia.

Support for knowledge transfer and innovation will be provided through the following interventions:

01 – Support for knowledge transfer

The intervention is intended primarily for farmers who want to improve their knowledge, who want to adopt new knowledge and innovations to modernize and technologically improve the production process on the farm with the aim of greater economic efficiency and ecological sustainability of the farm itself. The intervention will be directed with additional attention to young farmers.

More information available at: https://ruralnirazvoj.hr/intervencije/78-01-akis-potpora-prenosenju-znanja/

02 – Support for the provision of advisory services

Advisory services that can provide tailored and timely advice on specific issues following ad hoc requests are a key element of knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture, food processing and forestry. The implementation of this intervention will encourage the use of appropriate innovations, as well as help agricultural holdings in fulfilling their obligations.

More information available at: https://ruralnirazvoj.hr/intervencije/78-02-akis-potpora-za-pruzanje-savjetodavnih-usluga/

03 – Support for EIP operational groups

The goal of the intervention is to encourage cooperation, connect research and agricultural practice, and better exchange information about existing and new processes, procedures and technologies in the production and processing of agricultural products and everything else that contributes to specific ZPP goals, which will affect better resource efficiency and the production of more value-added products.

More information available at: https://ruralnirazvoj.hr/intervencije/77-03-suradnja-potpora-za-eip-operativne-skupine/

04 – Support for short supply chains and local markets

The goal of this intervention is to ensure a better integration of agricultural producers into the agri-food chain, which will ensure greater competitiveness of agricultural producers on the local market, and products with added value to consumers.

More information available at: https://ruralnirazvoj.hr/intervencije/77-04-suradnja-potpora-za-kratke-lance-opskrbe-i-lokalna-trzista/

SUPPORTING INSTITUTIONS FOR AKIS

The Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy of the Republic of Croatia 2023 – 2027 envisages the establishment of an Innovation Support Service within the Directorate for Professional Support to Agricultural Development, which will have the function of “One stop shop for innovations”. The Innovation Support Service will maintain good and regular relationships with innovation brokers in the field and public and private advisors. This service additionally catalyzes innovation processes using a “bottom up” approach to identify key problems and needs of farmers and find possible solutions based on knowledge, information and technological achievements. The service also supports the establishment and work of EIP operational groups. The National Network of ZPP is actively involved in gathering needs and innovative ideas.

Back office for advisers

“Back office” is an organizational unit within the Ministry of Agriculture – Directorate for Professional Support for Agricultural Development (Public Advisory Service). The back office for advisers consists of a central unit for the coordination of regional advisers who together form an organizational unit. The organization of this office is based on the existing expert working groups, with the function of a back office for advisers is professional support and the transfer of knowledge and information to advisers as well as to all interested stakeholders of AKIS in the Republic of Croatia. The role of the back office in professional support to EIP operational groups and innovation brokers is significant. The activities of the office will also be aimed at supporting the implementation of annual education programs and individual counseling of public and private advisors.

 

SCHEME OF AKIS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA