“Transfer of Knowledge and Innovation: Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS)” was the topic of the eleventh session of Working Group 1 – Agriculture and Rural Development (Chapter 11) of the National Convention on the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia (NKEU-MK), which took place on March 5, 2024 in the Club of Members of the Parliament.
Within the session, a panel discussion was held in which the participants highlighted the role and benefits of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System in the European Union, known as AKIS, which expresses the developed cross-sectoral approach of the new Common Agricultural Policy (2021/ 2027). The ultimate goal of this system is to empower farmers with the knowledge and tools needed to deal with challenges such as: optimal use of resources, increased profitability and competitiveness, dealing with the impacts of climate change and other challenges of modern agriculture.
Mileva Gjurovska, National Coordinator of NKEU-MK and President of the European Movement in the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as Henrik Markus, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Republic of North Macedonia, gave introductory speeches on the topic and the work of the National Convention.
Goce Georgievski, head of the Department for Rural Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of North Macedonia, gave a review of the previous activities of the Ministry regarding the transfer of knowledge and innovations in agriculture. The benefits of passing the new law on the establishment of an advisory system for agriculture and rural development were shared and it was emphasized that the country will be the first in the region to introduce a mobile application, which will connect all stakeholders from the agricultural sector, contributing to faster and easier sharing of all the necessary information in this sector.
At the session, experts Donald Aquilina and Dimitar Vanev shared detailed findings and experiences from the EU-funded project – “Modernization of advisory services for operators in the field of agriculture in North Macedonia”, emphasizing the need of creating and implementing trainings tailored to the needs of farmers, and in the direction of modernizing agriculture in the country.
Ana Simonovska from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food at the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” – Skopje, emphasized the need for intersectoral cooperation between all segments that are part of the AKIS system, making a comparison with the human organism, where for its normal functioning connection and “cooperation” of all organs is required. At the same time, the need to strengthen capacities and develop bilateral cooperation between all stakeholders in the AKIS system through the introduction of a coordinating body that will coordinate and encourage the exchange of necessary information, knowledge and innovations among all participants was highlighted. On her part, it was also emphasized that cooperation is trust, if there is no trust, there will be no cooperation for transferring knowledge.
Through practical examples and experiences from the field, shared by Biljana Petrovska Mitrevska from the National Federation of Farmers, the need for immediate implementation of the AKIS system in our country was emphasized, as a necessary need for farmers to more easily and successfully deal with the challenges of modern agriculture, such as climate change, product placement and the increasing need for water and food.
At the eleventh session of Working Group 1 – Agriculture and Rural Development (Chapter 11) of the National Convention for the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia, a rich discussion and exchange of expert views was developed among the present participants, which covered issues related to the role and the importance of advisory services in the process of transferring knowledge and innovation to farmers, the need to introduce innovative methods for motivating farmers, as well as the introduction of a new “modern” learning system adapted to new challenges. Within the session, the key issues were defined and recommendations were adopted for the ways of implementation of this important mechanism of the European common agricultural policy, which will be sent by the competent institutions.
The project National Convention on the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia is a platform for inclusion of the civil sector in debates on topics related to the process of European integration, with the aim of preparing all the capacities of the state institutions for the process of negotiations with the EU. The project is implemented by the European Movement in the Republic of North Macedonia, and is financed by the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia and SlovakAid.
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