Purpose

To enable discussions among policy makers, advisory services managers and other stakeholders on the effectiveness of advisory services in providing innovation support to farmers through the proposed measures proposed in CAP 2013-2020. 

Foreword
There is renewed focus on the provision of effective supports for innovation in agriculture, driven by increased global demand for food which is produced in a resource efficient and sustainable manner. Agriculture in the developed world has economic, social and ecological dimensions that are independent of market forces, and these dimensions are supported by national and regional policies. Within the EU, it is recognised that supporting agriculture through market measures, supply side measures and direct payments all contribute to the viability of production systems and the sustainability of the industry. There is a recognition that European agriculture is losing competitiveness and that there is a widening gap in the adoption of new research knowledge, systems innovation and improvements in best and general practice. The ongoing reform of the CAP in Europe shifts economic supports from a production-based systems approach to a public goods approach. This will require improved production efficiency, especially on many economically marginal farms, in the absence of a major market adjustment. This, combined with increased global demand for food and energy, brings the role of agricultural research and that of advisory services centre stage.

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