In the current 2023–2027 funding period of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), AKIS, the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System, plays a central and prominent role. The reformed CAP will focus on comprehensive modernization starting in 2023. Member states are, among other things, called upon to describe their systems for the generation, dissemination, and application of agricultural knowledge. Despite the European Commission’s (COM) finding that the German AKIS is one of the most effective in the EU, the COM also emphasizes that the knowledge networks in Germany do not yet collaborate closely enough in some cases and recommends improving the coordination of the AKIS.
In light of this, the Thuringian Ministry of Infrastructure and Agriculture has set the goal of conducting a comprehensive inventory, description, and evaluation of the Thuringian AKIS and has commissioned the Institute for Rural Structural Research e.V. to carry out this work.
The main objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the agricultural knowledge and innovation system in Thuringia. This involves analyzing the various stakeholders, networks, and activities involved in the generation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and innovations in agriculture. The aim is to break down how those active in Thuringia’s agricultural sector generate and disseminate knowledge and innovations, and how these stakeholders are interconnected. The aim is to gain a clear overview of existing structures, collaborations, and resources in order to identify weaknesses and highlight opportunities for improvement. Finally, recommendations for action will be provided regarding the design of AKIS interventions, complementary coordination mechanisms at the state level, and the utilization of EU and CAP networks.
The necessary information will be collected through interviews with key stakeholders and online surveys of agricultural businesses and advisory services. The survey results will be reviewed with the help of a focus group consisting of key stakeholders. Subsequently, a strengths-weaknesses analysis will be conducted, and areas requiring action will be identified.
