International attention and insights on agro-ecosystems sustainability in Lithuania

On 2-3^rd December, 2020 was held the 3rd International Scientific Conference AgroEco2020: “Agroecosystem Sustainability: Links between Carbon Sequestration, Food Security and Climate Change” organized by Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) Agriculture Academy, Faculty of Agronomy. The conference was held virtually for the first time. The international research infrastructure consortium AnaEE also contributed to the organization of the conference. The conference was attended by about 200 participants from various countries: France, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, India, Denmark and others.

The conference AgroEco2020 was opened by the VMU Agriculture Academy Dean of Agronomy Faculty prof. Aušra Blinstrubienė. Vice-President of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences prof. Zenonas Dabkevičius welcomed all participants of the conference.

The topics of the conference are closely related to the European Commission’s Mission area “Soil Health and Food”. The conference was attended by the Chairman of the Mission Board “Soil Health and Food” prof. Cees Veerman. He presented the Mission and the Board’s activities in plenary session. He has a wide experience as he is a former Dutch Minister of Agriculture, a professor at Wageningen University & Research, and also he is a farmer. Assoc. prof. dr. Zita Kriaučiūnienė from VMU Agriculture Academy, Faculty of Agronomy, Institute of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences is also a member of Mission Soil Health and Food Board.

The second plenary presentation was about the research infrastructure AnaEE (Analysis and Experimentation on Ecosystems), presented by Michel Boer, Head of this infrastructure. VMU Academy of Agriculture together with the Lithuanian Agriculture and Forestry Sciences Center (LAMMC) seeks to join this international infrastructure and its project activities. Later in the conference was presented BIOEAST initiative, in which the VMU Academy of Agriculture and its researchers are already participating as partners together with other Central and Eastern European countries, on common agro-ecological problems and insights into sustainable farming. Prof. Abdul M. Mouazen from the University of Ghent (Belgium) presented research on precision agriculture. Active cooperation with this professor has been going on for several years and in 2021 a joint international project will be launched. The famous researcher of allelopathy research prof. Inderjit from the University of Delhi (India) had presentation about weeds in agroecosystems. Professors from Poland presented two more plenary presentations: prof. Ewelina Hallmann on bioactive food components, and prof. Renata Marks-Bielska on the circular bioeconomy in the food chain.

For the rest of the day, oral presentations were presented in three parallel sections. A total of 31 oral presentations were made on the following topics: soil health and carbon sequestration for sustainability; soil and crop management to reduce chemicals in agriculture; biodiversity, crop and product diversification; precision agriculture and digital technologies; food quality and safety; the role of the circular bioeconomy in climate change mitigation.

The conference poster presentations, of which there were 41, and the conference abstract book were published on the Internet.

The second day of the conference was dedicated to the presentation of AnaEE international research infrastructure and its services. During it prof. Algirdas Augustaitis, prof. Arvydas Povilaitis, prof. Vaclovas Bogužas, assoc. prof. Zita Kriaučiūnienė presented agro-, forest- and aquatic ecosystem research infrastructures, laboratory equipment and research and project activities in VMU Agriculture Academy, and the director of LAMMC dr. Gintaras Brazauskas in the Lithuanian Agriculture and Forestry Sciences Center.

Communication with foreign partners is very important to increase the awareness and quality of research. The conference, even in a pandemic, took place and was successful. It is hoped that the experience gained by organizing an international scientific conference virtually will be useful in the future, but wishing that at the AgroEco2022 conference we would have the opportunity to meet live in our nice academic campus and in a wonderful country – Lithuania!

AgroEco2020 organizers:
Assoc. prof. Zita Kriaučiūnienė and prof. Vaclovas Bogužas

AGROECO 2020 3rd International Scientific Virtual Conference

The 3rd International Scientific Virtual Conference “AGROECO 2020” will be held online on 2-3 th of December, 2020. The conference is organised by Faculty of Agronomy of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy.

Conference programme and connections.

AGROECO 2020 3rd International Scientific Virtual Conference

The 3dr international scientific virtual conference “AGROECO 2020” will be held online on 2-3 th of December, 2020. The conference is organised by Faculty of Agronomy of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy.

Conference programme and connections.

Europe’s eyes are on Lithuania: the International AgriFood Forum 2020 is being organized

Agriculture is approaching the breaking point: the European Green Deal, the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, the ongoing process of digitalization and the world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis will fundamentally change the perception of productivity, sustainability and technology in the agri-food industry. The main trends in the sector will be discussed in detail at the International AgriFood Forum 2020, which will take place remotely on 26-27 November. The event is designed for business, decision makers, farmers and anyone interested in the prospects in this area. Participation in the forum is free of charge, but due to the limited number of people who can join, pre-registration is required.

The organizers of the event – the AgriFood Lithuania DIH and the European Parliament (EP) Liaison Office in Lithuania – emphasize that decisions made today will determine the long-term future of agricultural and food industry. “At the end of October, the European Parliament voted in favor of making the agricultural policy of the EU more flexible, sustainable and resilient to crises. MEPs will seek to ensure that a significant proportion of support is dedicated to combating climate change and ensuring biodiversity. In the past, The European Parliament has advocated solutions that reduce the use of fertilizers and antibiotics in food the production and shorten the food supply chain. In the near future, the funds of the Economic Recovery Fund should reach Europe. These funds can become the basis for the transformation towards a more sustainable agriculture and food production,” Daiva Jakaitė, the Head of the EP Liaison Office in Lithuania, explained.

According to Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė, the Managing Director of the AgriFood Lithuania DIH, the pandemic has brought many changes and Europe has to respond urgently. Digital transformation proposed by the European Commission has become a key response to the crisis, which will make countries and businesses, determined enough to seize this opportunity, more sustainable and stronger than ever before.

Speakers of the forum – leaders from all over Europe

Today, the topic of the AgriFood Forum 2020 is more relevant than ever before. A great proof of this is the list of speakers, which consist of leading European and Lithuanian experts, politicians, entrepreneurs and decision-makers from the European Commission. It includes Members of the European Parliament Juozas Olekas, Bronis Ropė and Petros Kokkalis, the President of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists Vidmantas Janulevičius, the Director of the EIT Food Consortium Marja-Liisa Meurice, the President of the European Clusters Alliance Antonio Novo Guerrero, the Managing Partner of the Iron Wolf Capital Venture Capital Fund Kasparas Jurgelionis, CEOs of Agrokoncernas, Dojus Agro, Scandagra Baltic and many others. The full list of speakers is available on the official forum website.

According to Grigoris Chatzikostas, one of the moderators of the AgriFood Forum 2020 and the co-pioneer of Digital Innovation Hubs in Europe, COVID-19 tested the resilience of our food systems but it also accelerated the adoption of game-changing technologies. G. Chatzikostas believes that this forum is a meeting space where different actors of food ecosystems – farmers, technology developers, entrepreneurs, food chain suppliers, decision-makers and consumers – can reach an agreement, make decisions and take actions in order to transform the agri-food sector and create a greener, more sustainable and prosperous future.

Focus on Europe and Lithuania

The AgriFood Forum 2020 will take place on 26-27 November. The first day of the event will focus on decisions and strategies of the EU, and on the second day the future of the Lithuanian agri-food industry will be in the spotlight. The number of people who can join is limited, so those wishing to participate are encouraged to register in advance.

This forum is a continuation of the International Agro Business Forum held in Vilnius City Hall in 2019, during which a memorandum was signed. The purpose of the Memorandum was to promote further cooperation between different actors of the agri-food ecosystem, to form an infrastructure supporting the development of digital innovations in Lithuania and to ensure the necessary funding. All of these goals have been successfully achieved.

Registration for the online regional hackathon HACK AgriFood’20 has started

AgriFood Lithuania DIH, together with international partners, has announced the beginning of registration for the regional online two-day hackathon HACK AgriFood’20, which will take place on November 21-22, 2020. Participants will be able to choose from 18 unique challenges, divided into 6 different categories, that the agri-food sector is facing today.

During the two-day hackathon innovators from Lithuania and neighboring countries will:

get mentorship and guidance from experts at the top of their fields;
have the opportunity to pitch their ideas during the international AgriFood Forum 2020;
compete for a solid cash prize;
be invited to participate in unique interactive entertainments.

Anyone interested can join HACK AgriFood’20 at www.hackagrifood. Registration for the hakathon will be open until November 18.

Challenge categories: Fighting food loss and food waste; Crisis-averse horticulture; Mitigating labor shortage; Smart animal husbandry; Side-stream valorization; Boosting local production.

Competition for Erasmus+ Studies for the Spring Semester

VMU International Cooperation Department invites students to participate in the additional competition for Erasmus+ studies for the Spring semester academic year 2020/2021!

If you want to gain even more international study experience, improve your foreign language skills, become a VMU Ambassador and a part of even bigger international community, participate in the competition and fill in the online application form on https://epasirasymas.vdu.lt -> Outgoing-Application for Erasmus Study Exchange (EU countries) until October 18th (23:59), 2020.

Lists of the partner institutions: EVF / GMF / HMF / IF / KTF / MA / MF / PMDF / SMF / TF / ŠA KAUNAS / ŠA VILNIUS / ŽŪA

Eligible applicants are full time and part time students except 1st year bachelor degree student. Students with disabilities or special needs have an opportunity to receive additional funding.

The results of competition will be announced on October 28th on VMU website. Each selected student will also be informed personally by e-mail.

Additional information about Erasmus+ studies

Competition for Exchange Studies at Partner Countries

Students are invited to participate in a competition for one semester exchange studies at non-EU/EEA countries with Erasmus+ or VMU Mobility scholarship.

Students have to submit completed online application form (Application form for non-EU exchange studies (bilateral and Erasmus+ exchange)) until 18th of October, 2020.

Selection criteria:

compatibility between the plan for studies or research at the Higher Education Institution abroad and the study programme at VMU;
motivation;
results of studies or research during the last two semesters (for VMU Mobility scholarship GPA should be no less than 8.0);
good knowledge of the language in which lectures will be taught.

Selected students will receive Erasmus+ or VMU Mobility scholarship.

Students will be personally informed via email about the results of first selection stage and invitation to second stage – interview.

Please note that possibility to go for exchange studies will depend on global situation of COVID-19 pandemic.

More information

Students who wants to visit International Cooperation Department for consultation should contact the coordinator first and agree the time of the visit.

International scientific conference “Accounting and Finance: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Bioeconomy and Rural Development”

The 12th international scientific conference “Accounting and Finance: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Bioeconomy and Rural Development” will be held online on 19-20th of November, 2020. The conference is organised by Faculty of Bioeconomy Development of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy.

The conference is designed to discuss research ideas in area of accounting and finance and share research results that are relevant to business and public organisations operating in bioeconomy sector and rural areas. Our goal is to identify innovative sustainable development and appropriate solutions, in order to increase business sustainability bioeconomy and efficiency, to promote partnership of small and medium-sized enterprises and public sector.

Conference Programme

More information

Lecture DIH – a Gateway to the Digital AgriFood Sector Future

We cordially invite you to a lecture DIH – a Gateway to the Digital AgriFood Sector Future. Or is the Future Now? by Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė, DIH Coordinator at AgriFood Lithuania DIH, hosted by VMU Agriculture Academy Faculty of Bioeconomy Development. Lecture will be held on 28 May 2020 at 10:00 (EEST). Registration is now open and required. To register, please enter your details using the link.

Once we receive your registration – we will provide you with further instructions.

Kristina Sermuksnyte-Alesiuniene is a DIH Coordinator at AgriFood Lithuania DIH. She has more than 10 years experience working as Senior Product Development and Innovation Manager with innovations, information technology and services, ICT products in AgriFood sector. For the past two years she has been A Chairman of Agribusiness Commission at Lithuanian Business Confederation, cooperating closely with governmental institutions. Last December in the workshop, organized by European Commission on AgriFood digitalization, she was invited to represent AgriFood Lithuania DIH, as it was selected among the top 5 most actively working DIH’s in EU.

AgriFood Lithuania is a Digital Innovation Hub that brings together major research, business and public stakeholders in Lithuania for the common pursuit of digital transformations in the agriculture, food and associated sectors.

The mission of AgriFood Lithuania DIH is to contribute towards achieving the vision outlined in the EU Declaration of ‘A smart and sustainable digital future for European agriculture and rural areas’ and strengthen the national and European technological infrastructure.

The DIH links stakeholders with international and cross-sector initiatives to provide all-round support in the research, development and deployment of AgriFood Tech innovations.

For more information, please contact ausra.nausediene@vdu.lt

PUBLIC LECTURE

Invitation to register for free online seminars on bioeconomy

We would like to draw your attention to the online webinar series of the BIOEASTsUP project, “Advancing Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in Central and Eastern European Countries”, where an overview of the BIOEAST initiative and the BIOEASTsUP project will be presented. The webinars will provide a comprehensive review of how the BIOEASTsUP project helps the BIOEAST countries in developing national bioeconomy strategies & action plans, building a strategic research and innovation agenda (SRIA) for evidence-based policy making and engaging national stakeholders. The content is designed to contribute towards bioeconomy knowledge of all relevant stakeholders in the BIOEAST network.

21 May 2020, 10:00 CET – Introduction to BIEOEASTsUP activities (open to everyone)
28 May 2020, 13:00 CET – BIOEASTsUP BIO HUBs and national platforms for bioeconomy strategies development (open to BIOEAST NCPs, members of national BAIMG and Stakeholder Groups, TWG and BIOEASTsUP members)
5 June 2020, 10:00 CET – Indicators and statistical evidence for bioeconomy development (open to BIOEAST NCPs, members of national BAIMG and Stakeholder Groups, TWG and BIOEASTsUP members)
15 June 2020, 10:00 CET – Developing multi-stakeholder partnerships and co-creation for boosting the uptake of bioeconomy in CEE (open to everyone)
09 July 2020, 10:00 CET – Planning sectoral analysis and exchange of good practices for bioeconomy value chains (open to everyone)

Registration is available here

More about the project