Call for participation in cross-country visits of Operational Groups in Europe

Those interested can register until February 23.

The EU CAP Network is organizing the following cross-visits for Operational Group projects:

• "Bees and Other Pollinators" Visit – in Romania, May 7 and 8, 2025. Field visit to the GO 'Smart Bees, Healthy Bees'
• Visit "Irrigation: Optimizing Water Use Practices in Annual (and Perennial) Crops" – in Greece, May 7-8. Field visit to the GO 'A Smart System for Low-Input Agriculture and Irrigation Water Management - Irrisma' and the GO 'Automated Services for Rice Irrigation Management Using Field Sensors - SisRice'
• Visit "Animal Welfare Monitoring" – in Italy, on May 8 and 9, 2025. Field visit to the GO 'Virtuous Parmigiano Reggiano Supply Chains with High Levels of Animal Welfare - IN-FORMA' and to the project 'Two is better: pre-weaned calves with their mother and in groups' .

SEND APPLICATION

Each cross-country visit is organized by an Operational Group (OG) to its project, which then welcomes other OGs working on similar or complementary topics to exchange information and experiences about their work. All participants will actively engage in a stimulating program that includes one or two field visits and several interactive sessions. Farmers representing OGs are strongly encouraged to register.

The working language during cross-country visits will be English , and there will be no interpretation.

Travel and accommodation (hotel) expenses will be arranged and covered by the organizer.

If your GO has applied to host the cross-country visit and has not been selected, you are cordially invited to submit your application to this call for participation.

Due to the limited number of places, it will not be possible to process all applications. Selected applicants will receive an invitation to register to participate in early March 2025.

For more information, please contact crossvisit.innovation@eucapnetwork.eu .

TESTIMONIES FROM OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Reports of previous cross-visits

• Interdisciplinary visit of the EU CAP Network "Using agricultural and forestry residues to create alternative sources of income for farmers and foresters"
• Interdisciplinary visit of the EU CAP Network "Climate Adaptation on the Ground: Innovative Solutions to Increase Farm Resilience"

About the EU CAP Network's Innovation and Knowledge Sharing Support Facility

The main objective of the EU CAP Network's cross-country visits is to foster in-depth, transnational knowledge exchanges by connecting operational group projects from different Member States that are active in the same complementary field of work.

Operational Group (OGG) projects generate valuable new knowledge and experiences. OGGs addressing similar challenges can produce different results and benefit from mutual learning. Projects working on complementary issues can draw inspiration from each other, while new OGGs addressing similar issues can emerge in other regions and countries. To leverage the knowledge generated and maximize its potential impact, interactions between projects and across borders are essential.

Specific objectives of cross-visits:

• Promote peer learning: Offering GGOOs a platform to learn from each other's experiences, innovations, and best practices. Participants gain knowledge of different approaches to addressing common agricultural challenges.
• Exchange of innovative practices: Facilitate the exchange of innovative solutions and technologies developed in GGOO projects. Participants assess whether these innovations are applicable in their own regions.
• Discuss challenges and solutions: Create an opportunity for GGOs to discuss shared challenges, obstacles, and potential solutions. Collaborative problem-solving and knowledge sharing are encouraged.
• Disseminate project findings: Promote the dissemination of project findings and results beyond individual working groups. This contributes to broader adoption of successful practices and innovations across the EU.
• Establish collaborations and partnerships: Encourage local governments to explore opportunities for future collaborations, partnerships, and joint projects. This enhances the impact of EU CAP Network initiatives.