July 19, 2023

Portugal AKIS | Updates on the different AKIS

AKIS Overview

In Portugal, since 2015 AKIS has been strengthened, as a result of GO’s projects, for which the involvement of 4 less typologies of stakeholders in each project is required. With this type of partnership, the links between the different stakeholders have been strengthened, which translates into a strengthening of the links between AKIS stakeholders.

According to article 69 of DL 5/2023, the coordination of AKIS at national level will be ensured by the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DGADR), an entity of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAA), which is the coordinator of the National Rural Network and responsible for the Agricultural and Forestry Counselling System.

An AKIS Follow-up and Monitoring Group (GAMA) will be created, coordinated by DGADR, which will bring together representatives of public and private entities.

This Monitoring and Follow-up Group will be responsible for the approval and revision of the AKIS Action Plan and its monitoring plan.

This plan, to be built in a participatory manner, according to a bottom-up approach, will focus on the articulation between instruments and policies and will define lines of action and activities to be developed, which include the following areas:

– Establish synergies and complementarity between support instruments and programmes

– Support and empower the development of innovation projects in partnership, at national and international level;

– Promote cooperation networks between project teams, multi-sectoral, at national and European level;

– Promote training and skills of trainers, technicians and producers.

– Develop and strengthen networks between all actors through the development of joint activities, fostering knowledge flows.

AKIS Coordination Bodies

According to article 69 of DL 5/2023, the coordination of AKIS at national level will be ensured by the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DGADR), an entity of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAA), which is also the coordinator of the National Rural Network and responsible for the Agricultural and Forestry Counselling System.

Coordination Objectives:

– Coordinate and develop the national AKIS System, with a view to integrating all entities and strengthening the transfer of innovation among all AKIS actors;

– Promote the development of AKIS, with a view to increasing the transfer of knowledge/innovation to practice, contributing to the increase of productivity, competitiveness and innovation, in the various sectors, agricultural and forestry;

– Promote and dynamise Sectoral Working Groups and other structures integrated in AKIS;

– Contribute to the definition of national policies related to AKIS;

– Promote dynamics that facilitate the participation of system actors in national and international networks, partnerships and projects that contribute to the development of their activity and to the strengthening of knowledge sharing and dissemination.

Priorities:

– Productive activity supported by the principle of “active management” of the territory – innovation, digitalization

– Soil as the main asset of farmers and forestry producers and associated with the use of other natural resources – Biodiversity – environmental sustainability

– Economic, social and environmental sustainability to ensure the resilience and vitality of rural areas – rural development

– Knowledge-based development of the sector