Crop protection industry welcomes European Innovation Partnerships

Launch of European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) on agricultural sustainability and productivity signals European Commission recognition of the need to close the gap between farming practices and the advancement of science.

European Crop Protection (ECPA) welcomes the introduction of EIPs; “Speeding up knowledge transfer between science and farming is crucial in order to face pressing agricultural challenges and revive market potential of EU agri-business” – said Friedhelm Schmider, Director General of ECPA. EIPs can help address the multiple challenges faced by agriculture as we look to achieve sustainable productivity.

With the global population expected to peak in the year 2050, and diminishing arable land and growing water scarcity, farmers need to be able to produce more food with less use of natural resources. EIPs recognise that solutions can develop where there is incentive for research and innovation - the agricultural research agenda needs to not only foster innovation for the environment, food quality and food safety but also for agricultural productivity.

The European Innovation Partnership for agricultural productivity is a platform that can further enhance cooperation and knowledge exchange between stakeholders. It is viewed as an opportunity to add value by interlinking policies and promoting innovation instruments.

Adopting a bottom up approach, the EIPs appear to recognise the importance of stakeholder partnerships – understanding the value of ground-level and practical input to finding innovation-gap solutions. The European Commission expects relatively quick results from EIP projects – aiming for achievements within the next couple of years as operational groups apply and test innovative practices.

"Bringing public and private stakeholders together is vital for EU innovation; it is the most practical way to close the gap between the ‘situation in the field’ and the ‘science in the laboratory’” – continued Friedhelm Schmider. “I am particularly keen on seeing EIPs achieve one key goal - reversing the recent trend for diminished agricultural productivity, by 2020. ECPA looks forward to continuing its role as a key partner in this challenge” – he concluded.