February 2, 2026
Strengthening AKIS Collaboration in Malta: modernAKIS Capacity Development Event
On 2 February 2026, the National Viticulture and Oenology Centre of Malta hosted the modernAKIS Capacity Development Event, entitled “Mapping and improving collaboration among AKIS actors in Malta.”
The event gathered 19 participants, bringing together the Maltese AKIS Coordination Body and a wide range of AKIS actors — including representatives from public authorities, advisory services, research institutions, educational organisations, farmers’ organisations and innovation support actors. Their shared objective was to strengthen collaboration, improve coordination mechanisms, and further develop Malta’s AKIS in a more integrated and effective way.
Particularly, the initiative focused on building a common understanding of key AKIS concepts and functions, mapping actors and relationships, identifying collaboration gaps, and outlining priority actions to enhance system-wide performance. Participants also explored governance and coordination mechanisms and discussed the role of digital knowledge platforms such as AKISconnect and EU-FarmBook in supporting more efficient knowledge flows.
Throughout the day, presentations were interwoven with highly participatory activities and serious games developed within the modernAKIS project — including the Sticking Barriers game — encouraging open discussion, reflection and active engagement.
This collective work strengthened participants’ grasp of AKIS principles, systemic approaches and the functions needed to ensure an effective Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System. It also deepened understanding of roles, relationships and collaboration dynamics within Malta’s AKIS, helping to identify priority areas for improvement and potential coordination approaches. The discussions underscored the importance of strong knowledge and innovation infrastructures — including digital tools — in enabling more structured, effective and sustainable cooperation.
