Events

The General Subdirectorate of Innovation and Digitalization of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is organizing the information session: "Aid for the preparation and execution of innovation projects of general interest by supra-regional operational groups of the European Innovation Partnership in agricultural productivity and sustainability (AEI-Agri), within the framework of the Strategic Plan for the CAP of Spain (PEPAC)", which will take place on Wednesday, May 7, at 11:00 a.m., in the Auditorium of the Palacio de Fomento (MAPA) behind closed doors and will be streamed on the PAC Network channel and the AKIS Advisors Platform YouTube channel. This event will feature key information on both Royal Decree 366/2023, of 16 May , which establishes the regulatory framework for granting cooperation subsidies for the preparation and execution of innovation projects of general interest carried out by supra-regional operational groups of the European Partnership for Innovation in Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (AEI-Agri) , and the 2025 call for these grants and their application forms . In addition, time will be set aside to address the most common questions from potential applicants that have been previously received via email at idiagri@mapa.es . The event can be followed via streaming on the RedPAC channel. For any questions, please write to the following email address: idiagri@mapa.es . PROGRAM OF THE DAY

On May 8, Brussels will host the "Vision for Agriculture and Food" Conference at The Square. Under the theme "Shaping the Future of Agriculture and the Agri-Food Sector," the event will bring together key stakeholders from the European agri-food sector, civil society, rural communities, and policymakers. The conference aims to strengthen consensus around the vision for the future of EU agriculture and its roadmap, discuss key initiatives, and collaborate on the future direction of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) beyond 2027. Plenary sessions will be streamed online without registration. The "Vision for Food and Agriculture" initiative seeks to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector by ensuring a stable food supply in the EU. It is based on the report of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture and consultations with the European Agriculture and Food Council. The event will take place at La Plaza, Mont des Arts, Brussels, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (CEST). Wide participation, both in person and online, is expected for this key event for the future of European agriculture. Social media: #EUAgriVision | @euagrifood

FUTURAL (Powering the Future through Smart and Innovative Solutions for Rural Areas) is an EU-funded innovation project led by the Agricultural University of Athens, involving 21 partners from across Europe. The project seeks to test and pilot a set of community-led social, technological, and business innovations designed to generate lasting change through collaboration with rural communities. In this context, the project will organize its first EU-wide Rural Innovation Forum , a two-day networking event bringing together stakeholders from the rural ecosystem (such as FUTURAL multi-stakeholder pilot projects -MAPs-, rural innovators, rural networks, policy makers and implementers, EU-funded projects, organizations and entrepreneurs) with the aim of laying the groundwork for capacity building and experience sharing on smart community-led innovation in rural areas. Goals To increase the capacity of rural communities to implement and adopt social, technological, and commercial innovations by organizing a series of workshops on capacity development and policy and governance frameworks. Present and share experiences of co-creating innovations in multi-stakeholder pilot projects (MAPs). Introducing the Alpha version of the FUTURAL Smart Solutions and Metasearch Platform. Maximize interaction and knowledge exchange among FUTURAL's MAPs, partners, and participating experts within and outside the project. PROGRAM | REGISTRATION

On May 14, 2025 , from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CET , the European workshop entitled “The future of EIP-AGRI Operational Groups: challenges, opportunities and existing support services. Unlocking the potential of Operational Groups” will be held online. This initiative focuses on promoting cooperation and sharing practical tools to strengthen Operational Groups (OGs) in Europe. The event is the result of a collaboration between five EU-funded thematic networks: BBioNets , FOREST4EU , NUTRI-KNOW , Soil-X-Change and AQUAGRI-KNOW , which represent different levels of maturity in project implementation, from established initiatives to those in their early stages. This diversity will provide a broad and enriching insight into the functioning and challenges of GOs. During the workshop, key topics will be addressed such as: Factors that facilitate the creation of GO in different European contexts. Challenges faced by producers when developing or implementing a OG. Difficulties in the implementation of European projects, such as cost analysis and administrative complexity. Strategies and tools to promote the formation of new GOs. Under the theme "Collaboration in Action: Unlocking the Potential of Operational Groups," this event offers a unique opportunity for project teams, representatives from the agri-food sector, policymakers, and experts to discuss the future of Operational Groups as a driver of rural innovation. PROGRAM | REGISTRATION