Imagine you're a farmer with a great new idea, but nobody around you knows how to help you make it work. AGRISPIN brought together 21 organizations from 13 countries to figure out what makes agricultural innovation support actually succeed. They sent teams on "cross-visits" to study real cases of farm innovation across 11 European regions, then built training tools so advisors and intermediaries can do a better job helping farmers turn ideas into reality. Think of it as a masterclass for the people whose job it is to connect farmers with the right knowledge, funding, and partners.
Farmers across Europe have good ideas but often lack the right support system to turn them into reality. Agricultural advisors and intermediaries — the people who are supposed to connect farmers with knowledge, funding, and partners — often work in isolation without proven methods for stimulating innovation. This means regions miss out on agricultural productivity gains and rural economic development.
The project produced training tools for innovation support intermediaries, a tested cross-visit methodology where teams study successful innovation cases across regions, and case studies from 11 European regions. In total, 25 deliverables were produced including the training tools on implementation.
If you are an agricultural advisory organization struggling to help farmers adopt new practices — this project developed tested cross-visit methods and training tools across 11 European regions that show how to identify and remove obstacles to farm-level innovation. The approach was validated by 21 partners in 13 countries, giving you ready-made blueprints for improving your advisory services.
If you are a food company that depends on farmer suppliers adopting better practices — this project mapped how innovation support systems work across 13 countries and identified what actually gets farmers to change. Their training tools help you design supplier development programs that connect farmers with the right knowledge and partners to improve quality and sustainability.
If you are a regional development agency trying to boost agricultural competitiveness — this project tested a joint learning method where teams from different regions study each other's successful innovation cases. With 11 regional partners hosting cross-visits, the project produced generalizable lessons on what institutional environments help farm innovation thrive and what blocks it.
The project was a Coordination and Support Action, so the outputs — training tools and cross-visit methodology — are knowledge-based, not technology products. Based on available project data, the training tools on implementation were developed as a deliverable, and costs would mainly involve staff time for cross-visits and training. No licensing fees for technology are indicated.
The project was explicitly designed for scaling. The objective states that once the cross-visit approach was tested and the professional network functional, it would be ready for collaboration with thematic networks, EIP operational groups, and other interested regions. The methodology was validated across 11 regional partners in 13 countries.
As a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), AGRISPIN produced methodologies and training tools rather than patentable technology. Based on available project data, the outputs are knowledge products — training tools, case studies, and lessons learned — which are typically made publicly available from CSA projects.
AGRISPIN directly addresses the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability. The project was designed to feed into EIP thematic groups and operational groups, making its outputs directly relevant if your organization participates in or supports EIP-AGRI initiatives.
The project produced 25 deliverables in total. The key practical output is the training tools on implementation, specifically designed to help intermediaries support agricultural innovation. Additionally, the project generated case studies from cross-visits across 11 regions and lessons for the professional innovation network.
The project ran from 2015 to 2017 and is now closed. Based on available project data, the network of 21 partners across 13 countries was established, but current activity status is not confirmed. The methodology and training tools remain available regardless of network status.
The AGRISPIN consortium is unusually broad for its type: 21 partners across 13 countries, which gives the results strong geographic diversity. However, the industry ratio is just 10% (2 industrial partners), with 12 "other" organizations — mostly agricultural advisory bodies and intermediaries who are the actual target users. There are 4 universities and 3 research organizations providing scientific backing. The 4 SMEs in the consortium suggest some commercial interest, but this is primarily a public-sector and advisory-driven project. The coordinator, LANDBRUG & FODEVARER (Danish Agriculture & Food Council), is a major national agricultural industry body, lending credibility for adoption by similar organizations across Europe.
Coordinator is LANDBRUG & FODEVARER F.M.B.A. based in Denmark — SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the project team.
Want to apply AGRISPIN's tested innovation support methods in your region or organization? Contact SciTransfer for an introduction to the project team and a tailored briefing on how these tools can work for your context.
