News
The FP6 European project BAFN.
Background and overview
Several initiatives were implemented to facilitate the access to EU research programmes for researchers from the Western Balkan Countries (WBC). In 2003, a “EU-Balkan Countries Action plan in Science and Technology” was adopted. This action plan identified four initiatives to be promoted (“support to research infrastructures”, “improvement of the human potential”, “institutional building” and “promotion of joint research activities”) and five scientific fields of intervention (“Information and Communication Technologies”, “Energy”, “Environment”, “Agriculture” and “Cultural Heritage”).
The project Balkan Agro Food Network (BAFN) intends to contribute to these efforts in the area of agricultural and food research. The overall objective of the project is to support the opening of the European Research Area by developing a sustainable network in agricultural and food sector in the Western Balkan.
BAFN is a project supported by the European Commission under the sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP6). The project started on 1st May 2006 and will run for two years, ending in April 2008. The project gathers partners from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM and Serbia. Organisations from Bulgaria, Hungary and Greece with good knowledge of European research programmes also participate in the project. The project is co-ordinated by Euroquality, a consulting company established in Paris.
Major outputs of the project
• One research database and one company database
The databases are a tool intended to foster the building of networks between agricultural and food organisations from the WBC and agrifood organisations from the EU. It is designed to help researchers, research centres and companies to initiate co-operation with others, and to identify scientists or organisations with specific competencies. These databases will be available on-line on the BAFN portal (www.bafn.eu).
• A mapping report
A mapping report, identifying the research potential in the field of agricultural and food research will be delivered in July 2007. The report will include data on the organisations (type of organisation, average size, production and productivity) and on the scientists (level and sector of education, age, gender etc.). Four national mapping reports and one consolidated mapping report, identifying the main players in agricultural and food research and industry will be available on-line on bafn.eu.
• Recommendations on research areas and support instruments
A recommendation report, identifying future support policies and priority research areas will be delivered in January 2008. The report will include a list of the main fields considered as the priority areas for agricultural and food research and industry in each country. It will also include a description of supports mechanisms that could contribute to answer specific problems of research and industry organisations from the Western Balkan Countries. The report will be a contribution to the implementation of the “EU-Balkan Countries Action plan in Science and Technology” in the agricultural and food sector. A Position Paper which will be presented in April 2008 at a High level meeting will be available on-line on bafn.eu at the beginning of 2008.
The objectives of BAFN will be achieved thanks to the creation of a network of agrifood research groups, researchers and companies. Researchers and research groups will be invited to register their profile into an on-line and dynamic database as well as the companies. Networking will then be stimulated thanks to the involvement in national consultations and to the communication of relevant information for scientists and companies from the agricultural and food sector.
BAFN partnership
The consortium gathers 13 organisations from 8 countries.
| Participant name | Country | Contact person |
| EUROQUALITY | France | Marie Fauchadour |
| University of Plovdiv | Bulgaria | Ivan Minkov |
| The Food Industrial Research and Technological Development Company | Greece | Rozanna Ploumidou |
| GKI Economic Research Co | Hungary | Balazs Borsi |
| Sustainable Energy Development Authority | Albania | Genc Myftiu |
| Agriculture University of Tirana | Albania | Pellumb Harizaj |
| University of Banja Luka Faculty of Technologies | Bosnia Herzegovina | Igor Pandzic |
| Institute for Genetic Engineering an Biotechnology | Bosnia Herzegovina | Jasmina Hindija |
| University “St Kliment Ohridski” | FYROM | Boris Angelkov |
| Institute of Agriculture Skopje | FYROM | Miroslav Sekuloski |
| Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection | Serbia | Zeljka Dukic |
| Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade | Serbia | Milica Mojasevic |
| EuroProject | Bulgaria | Olivier Chartier |
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