CREHAN, KUSANO & ASSOCIATES

Their core work

CKA is a Brussels-based consultancy specializing in EU agricultural policy, rural development strategy, and innovation support services for the farming sector. They advise on short supply chains, knowledge transfer mechanisms, and policy design for rural areas. Their work bridges the gap between EU policy frameworks and on-the-ground implementation in agriculture and energy efficiency for SMEs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

CKA's early H2020 work (2016) centered on agricultural knowledge networks and short food supply chains through the SKIN project, emphasizing practical innovation support for farmers. By 2019, their focus broadened to rural development policy and energy efficiency for SMEs, with PoliRural introducing data-driven methods like text mining into their policy work. The shift suggests a move from narrow agricultural supply chain consulting toward broader rural and SME policy advisory services.

CKA is expanding from agriculture-specific consulting into broader rural economy and SME support policy, making them relevant for projects combining food systems with energy transition or digital tools.

How they like to work

CKA operates exclusively as a consortium partner, never leading projects — consistent with a consultancy that provides specialized policy expertise within larger teams. With 75 unique partners across just 3 projects, they work in large consortia (averaging 25+ partners per project), indicating comfort operating in complex multi-country initiatives. Their Brussels location and focus on EU policy make them a natural contributor for projects needing someone who understands the EU institutional landscape.

Despite only 3 projects, CKA has built a broad network of 75 partners across 24 countries, reflecting participation in large EU-wide coordination actions. Their Brussels base positions them at the center of the EU policy ecosystem.

What sets them apart

CKA brings a rare combination of agricultural policy expertise and Brussels-based EU institutional knowledge as a small, specialized consultancy. For consortium builders, they offer practical experience in rural innovation support, food supply chains, and SME engagement — areas where policy understanding must translate into actionable advice. Their cross-sector reach into energy (via SME auditing) makes them useful for projects at the intersection of rural economy and green transition.

Highlights from their portfolio

• INNOVEAS
  Their largest grant (EUR 212,500) and a move outside agriculture into energy auditing for SMEs, showing cross-sector versatility.
• PoliRural
  Forward-looking rural policy project using text mining methods — signals CKA's evolution toward data-driven policy analysis.