1. European Regions for Innovation in Agriculture, Food and Forestry
The ERIAFF Network
European Regions for Innovation in Agriculture, Food and Forestry

2. ERIAFF main objectives
To improve the performance of the EIP network itself by acting as facilitators of information flow and links between stakeholders across their territories as well as across the European Union
To develop interregional Operational Groups which are already linked by common priorities and goals

3. The ERIAFF Regions are committed to
Allocate a high level of resources on Rural Development measures linked with innovative actions, allowing the best take up from the work of the Operational Groups
Select common innovation priorities and act as promoters of close collaborations among their Operational Groups and other Regional Stakeholders
Promote and support an European Research Infrastructure for Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Environment (SACE), which was submitted as a proposal during the European Commission consultation of October 2012

4. ERIAFF requests
To be involved in the EIP Implementation Plan and in the process of priorities selection and activity deployment. Regions tend to have a deep involvement in different EIP tools (Focus Groups, Seminars, Experts, etc.).
Regions are also asking for strong support by the Commission in shaping simple and clear administrative and financial rules for maximising the expenditure in research and innovation by combining different funding sources (Structural, National and Regional Funds).
Non-technological and social innovations should be considered important aspects of the future actions of the EIP.

5. ERIAFF requests
EIP initiatives should take into account the different farm size across EU territories, that is, the farm size shouldn’t be considered as the only indicator of quality.
Regions wishes to understand in practical terms the overall ability of the EIP to influence the future work programmes of the Research Framework Programme.
Which technical and financial rules the Commission intends to activate to translate into action the desired coordination/integration among Structural, Cohesion and Research funds through the integrated operations, as they are proposed by the Commission itself and confirmed by the EU Council on last 8 February.

6. EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Increased agricultural productivity, output, and resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the bio-based economy
Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, and soil functionality
Innovative products and services for the integrated supply chain
Food quality, food safety and healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
Promoting innovative techniques: Precision farming: and technologies for the mitigation and adaptation to Climate Changes, with particular attention to (a) the efficient use of energy, water and genetic resources and (b) the development of innovative methods to fight against new pests and diseases:
Efficient use of water resources
Energy transition to renewable energies, efficient use of energy and energy independence of operations
Control of greenhouse gas emissions in livestock and crops
Tackling new plant pathologies and diseases

7. EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Increased agricultural productivity, output, and resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the bio-based economy
Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, and soil functionality
Innovative products and services for the integrated supply chain
Food quality, food safety and healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
Making farm and forestry management practices more environmentally and socially sustainable:
Promotion of new production systems
Development of ICT systems
Development of robotics and/or co-botics (man and machine)
Development of Social Innovation in Rural Areas
Decreasing the environmental footprint of food industry
Development of sustainable agricultural high-tech

8. EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Increased agricultural productivity, output, and resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the bio-based economy
Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, and soil functionality
Innovative products and services for the integrated supply chain
Food quality, food safety and healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
Restructuring of territorial management and organization in rural areas, assuring a better integration with territorial and metropolitan planning:
Management of farming systems on a territorial basis for the conservation of soil, water, landscapes and biodiversity (putting different players around the table)
Improvement of rural landscape and biodiversity

9. EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Increased agricultural productivity, output, and resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the bio-based economy
Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, and soil functionality
Innovative products and services for the integrated supply chain
Food quality, food safety and healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
Strengthening the role of farmers (and their cooperatives) in the agro-food production chain through: the development of new organizational and managerial systems, the improvement of the logistic and the creation of new services to farms and food operators:
Short market systems / farmers' markets
Innovative managerial & cooperation solutions for the creation of competitive structures in agricultural production
Logistic operations
Improve feed self-sufficiency of farms
Shaping and translating into practice new approaches towards productivity, competitiveness and diversification
Restructuring the production chains for the improvement of contract management and the distribution of value added

10. EIP and ERIAFF proposed innovation areas
Proposed EIP Innovation areas*
Increased agricultural productivity, output, and resource efficiency
Innovation in support of the bio-based economy
Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, and soil functionality
Innovative products and services for the integrated supply chain
Food quality, food safety and healthy lifestyles
* COM(2012) 79
Proposed ERIAFF Innovation areas
Improving the quality of foods (better nutritional and ecological profile) and food safety:
Genetic profiling and breeding (excluding transgenic technologies) and food traceability for the agro-food quality systems
Optimization of technical processes
Development of innovative diets and products
Control of the use of chemical inputs
Nutrition education in the population and raising awareness of healthy and safe food in society