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CIHEAM Zaragoza participates in PREMIERE, a European project to strengthen innovation in agriculture and forestry
CIHEAM > AGENDAS > CIHEAM Zaragoza participates in PREMIERE, a European project to strengthen innovation in agriculture and forestry
  • The international organization located on the agricultural research Campus of Aula Dei in Zaragoza takes part in the kick-off meeting in Germany

CIHEAM Zaragoza participates in the PREMIERE project that aims to strengthen knowledge and innovation systems in the agricultural and forestry sectors in Europe. The intergovernmental organization, whose Spanish headquarters are based on the agricultural research Campus of Aula Dei in Zaragoza, is one of the consortium’s 15 partners from twelve European countries that attended the project’s kick-off meeting from 27 to 29 March at the University of Sustainable Development in Eberswalde (Germany).

PREMIERE will run for five years (2023-2027) and will provide support and training in the preparation of multi-actor project proposals for European R&D and innovation funding. As Alun Jones, head of CIHEAM Zaragoza’s projects unit explains: “In order to strengthen innovation, it is essential to connect multiple actors that use and generate knowledge in the agriculture and food sector”.

PREMIERE focuses its attention on the phase prior to the approval of a project, when different organizations come together to write a proposal and present it to the calls for the European agriculture and forestry sector. In this respect, CIHEAM Zaragoza will design and provide training tools to enhance collaboration and exchange and pool knowledge in these multi-actor projects.

CIHEAM ZARAGOZA will coordinate a mediterranean panel of experts

CIHEAM Zaragoza will also coordinate several online and face-to-face events to facilitate high-level multi-actor dialogues. For example, a panel of experts from the Mediterranean will include people involved in policy-making, advisors, farmers, foresters, training and research centres, as well as organizations and other bodies working in agriculture and forestry. Laura Quijano, project manager in CIHEAM Zaragoza’s projects unit talks about their involvement: “There will be four multi-actor groups focusing on different geographic areas. CIHEAM will assemble the expert discussion panel for the Mediterranean region”.

PREMIERE is a multi-actor project in itself, where partners from the scientific field collaborate with rural development consultants, chambers of commerce or public administrations. When creating the international consortium the idea has been to involve countries with a low level of participation in European research and innovation projects. Hence, five of the partners represent Member States from eastern Europe.

PREMIERE is financed by Horizon Europe and has a total budget of 5 million euros, of which EUR 513,625 will be allocated to the tasks undertaken by CIHEAM Zaragoza.