June 28, 2023
Denmark AKIS | Updates on the different AKIS
AKIS Overview
1 – Ministries
At governmental level the main official institutions of the Danish AKIS system are the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark, the Ministry of Environment of Denmark and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science who set out the general framework and research strategies which have a profound impact on the direction of the knowledge and information system for Danish farmers.
In Denmark the administration at state level is managed by The Danish Agricultural Agency. At the regional and local levels, much of the administrative responsibility has been delegated to the municipalities. The Ministry is responsible for policy development and implementation of the CAP and its administration and departments provide advice on legal matters.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency is organised into five centres: Centre for Rich Nature, Centra for Clean Water, Centre for Safe Chemistry, Centre for Green Production and Centre for Staff.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Department is within these areas primarily responsible for ministerial and management services, quality assurance and coordination of cases, strategy and development, media and press activities, and finance and legal affairs.
2 Universities
The two main universities with agricultural related research and education are the Aarhus University (AU) and the University of Copenhagen (KU). The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) carries out the food and agricultural research at the National Food Institute. The last two universities with agricultural and spatial planning activities are the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and Aalborg University (AAU).
3 Agricultural colleges
There are 11 agricultural colleges organised as boarding schools. These traditional agricultural educational institutions are today mostly placed in Jutland. Previously they were scattered all over Denmark. They teach modern farmers and offer special courses in farm management and economics. In addition to the 11 traditional agricultural colleges, 8 vocational schools are offering agricultural educations.
4 Knowledge centres
SEGES Innovation is the main knowledge centre for agriculture in Denmark with expertise within all areas of agricultural activities and issues. The employees transfer the newest national and international research results into new knowledge for all Danish farm advisers and farmers; participate in research and innovative projects and develop new advisory methods and practices for implementation.
5 – GTS-institute
Many business sectors have a GTS-institute, which stands for Authorised Technological Service Institute. All GTS-institutes are non-profit organisations who have the task of supporting the creation of more innovative and competitive Danish companies. The GTS-institute, Danish Technological Institute develop, apply and disseminate research- and technologically-based knowledge for the Danish and International business sectors. One of the business sectors, AgroTech, delivers research-based consultancy and technological services for the farm and the agro-business industry.
6 – Advisory service centres
The 29 existing independent local farmer owned agricultural advisory centres form together with SEGES Innovation the Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS).
Patriotisk Selskab is likewise a farmer owned advisory service traditionally servicing the large estate landowners.
Veterinarian services and advising is performed by the farmer owned “LVK – Landbrugets Veterinære Konsulenttjeneste” and by a large number of individual and private veterinarian companies.
The horticulture sector is served by the advisory company HortiAdvice, which is owned by SEGES Innovation, the Dutch advisory company Delphy and the management of HortiAdvice.
7 – Private advisory companies
A relatively small number of small private advisory companies, typically between 1 to 8 employees/owners, offer advisory services. Most of them have specialised in one or a very few advisory subjects.
8 – Upstream industries
Suppliers for agriculture also often provide some form of advisory services as an integrated part of their supplies to the farmers. Among the major of those are farmer owned companies within feedstuff, nutrients and seed.
9 – Danish Agriculture and Food Council
The Danish Agriculture & Food Council represents the farming and food industries of Denmark including companies, trade and farmers’ associations.
Agriculture and food is Denmark’s largest competency cluster, employing some 120,000 people and exporting agricultural products, food and equipment to an annual value of around EUR 23 billion (2021), corresponding to 22 percent of total Danish export.
Figure 1 – The knowledge channels of the Danish AKIS.
AKIS Coordination Bodies
There has been established an AKIS Coordination Body in Denmark by The Danish Agricultural Agency
in the unit Green Development and New Knowledge. The Coordination Body is anchored in the research
part of team Research and Foundations. The team is part of the unit that is responsible for research,
Green Development and Demonstration Program, Plant Foundation and the agricultural funds. The Coordination Body will secure cooperation and coordination between the actors in AKIS, which is done
through funding of cooperation projects, etc. The contact person for the Commission and EIP Agri is Mr.
Bjarne Thomsen.
CAP Strategic Plan Priorities
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Find the full AKIS country report here.
