The AKIS Coordination bodies

Rationale

What are the AKIS coordination bodies?

The institute of the AKIS-CBs represent the first attempt, within the European policies, to identify an institutional structure in charge of creating an enabling environment for innovation. Indeed, the introduction of this institute comes along with the acquisition of policy dignity of the AKIS and their strategies, which main goal is to strengthen the agricultural systems in rural areas and contribute to more competitive and sustainable primary sector in Europe (Cristiano et., al, 2023; D1.1).

So that, AKIS coordinating bodies (AKIS-CB) are new governing actors of the CAP SPs 2023-2027, which responsible are identified under chapters 8 of the CAP SPs and which overall goal is to enable the environment for well-functioning AKISs, through fostering cooperation, effectively combining the interventions of the CAP Strategic Plans and satisfying the need for a quicker, more qualitative and more inclusive AKIS.

Approaches and roles of AKIS coordination bodies in CAP-SPs

Indeed, as it emerges from the study on the comparative analysis of the AKIS in EU (Fanos et al. 2023; D1.10), “the managing authorities play a pivotal role in strategizing the AKIS coordination and serving as the umbrella organization”. While the strategic coordination tasks are taken up by the managing authorities, multiple approaches/models are observed across the CAP-SPs for the operational coordination tasks.

Firstly, the different institutional configuration of MSs, with some having the competence for the primary sector at national and some at regional levels makes some difference, by shaping more centralized or decentralized approaches to AKIS coordination. For example, “in MSs with a decentralized AKIS organization, particularly Germany, Italy and Spain, role of and facilitate knowledge exchange between the regions” (Birke et al. 2023; D1.10). AKIS-CBs at the national level is dedicated to bringing regional or provincial AKIS coordination bodies together by setting up a working group or an advisory board in which the group proposes an overall strategy.

Which functions to ensure an overall AKIS Coordination

As a matter of fact, the only reference to the responsibilities and tasks of AKIS CBs is provided by the Tool 8.1 “Tool for the CAP Cross-Cutting Objective” (EC, 2021) that proposes the followings:

• Acting as the contact point for the Commission as regards the governance and coordination of the AKIS strategic approach.
• Organising the advice and advisors and all other related AKIS interventions.
• Keeping close and regular contact with the main AKIS (regional) coordinators and actors in the country by giving suggestions for encouragement of more effective knowledge exchange activities (advice, training, ...), including also the generation and co-creation of innovation (EIP OGs) and the broad sharing of it.

Box 1: AKIS governance levels across EU

The organisation of national AKISs and the degree of public sector engagement in the AKIS governance entail differences in how AKIS-CBs may implement their coordination tasks:

• AKIS-CBs in a centralized AKIS governance with strong engagement of managing authorities may have a more focused mandate at the national level with a well-defined hierarchical structure that also influences the coordination efforts.
• AKIS-CBs in a centralized AKIS governance with medium or low engagement of managing authorities need to navigate their coordination by aligning between the state and non-state structures, which may be diverse and flexible.
• AKIS-CBs in a decentralized AKIS governance will need to facilitate coordination among diverse regional actors while aligning with the strategies at the national level.
• AKIS–CBs in a hybrid AKIS governance (centralized with a tendency for decentralization), similar to those in a decentralized AKIS need to facilitate coordination among regional actors while aligning to the strategies at the national level.

(Birke et al. 2023)

However, beyond the institution and the identification of some tasks, the coordination of the AKIS is a strategic process of systems functioning and transformation. Consequently, governance models in MSs should be appropriately defined by including clear a definition of role, responsibilities, and approaches, along with capacity development strategies that would enable these bodies playing an overall process of coordination of the AKIS and their actors towards the good implementation of the respective strengthening strategies.

“The challenge lies in strategically aligning knowledge exchange and collaboration between diverse actors at various levels” (Birke et al. 2023; D1.10). All in all, the configuration of appropriate models of AKIS coordination bodies should consider that some key processes should be organized under their responsibility in view of enabling the environment for effective knowledge flows and innovation towards well-functioning AKISs (Cristiano et al., 2023; D1.1, Annex 2). Among them, the AKIS-CB should balance, according to the contextual situation of the AKIS, the roles of “player” with the one of “enabler” as shown in Table 1.

First insights from practices

The practices reported in this "Compendium" show a tentative to profile the AKIS coordination bodies, that certainly include the definition of the responsibility, the configuration of the (individual/collective) responsible body and some key functions. Still, the procedures and mechanisms for effectively operationalise the functions attributed to the AKIS coordination bodies are less defined, except that for the one case of pre-existing collective body (i.e. Sardinia Region).

A preliminary insight about the different organization models and functions described by the CAP SPs, and as deepened in the AKIS-in-practices! that are included in this Compendium, is that apparently, in general, two governance models are being applied (Figure 1: AKIS coordination bodies’ models in EU):

• A managerial model characterizes those AKIS coordination bodies which responsibility, role and the functions are fully maintained at institutional level, under the responsibility of the MA of the SP. The coordination functions are all run by an already existing unit (e.g., research and innovation) or a new established unit, but still by public servants of the Ministry of Agriculture. Tasks applied under this model concern the simple translation, at the level of AKIS strategies, of typical functions of the MAs, such as the planning, management, monitoring and evaluation of AKIS interventions. Possibly, the functions of the AKIS coordination bodies are supported by technical assistance. In practice, the managerial model implies that the AKIS-CB collaborates with other institutional governance bodies of the SP (such as the responsible for communication, the monitoring and evaluation unit, paying agency, etc. in ch.7 of the CAP SPs) that are internal to the MA of the CAP SP or external (e.g., ministry of research).  In these cases, the planned operational activities are varied and include networking, that is delegated to the CAP Network and to other bodies that remain external to the AKIS-CB, M&E, information for enable the access to the CAP SP, strategy formulation and implementation.
• A networking/collaborative model, that characterizes those AKIS coordination bodies which role and functions are almost or fully shared within, mostly new established, collective bodies, such as the CAP network, steering committees, working groups, etc. In these cases, in general, typical functions of strategy management and implementation are assigned to the institutional body, while other entities are assigned more operational functions that better suit their nature: research, territorial networking, advisory services, etc. The operational activities, are evidently focused on networking and capacity building activities (newsletters, conferences and discussion forums) and enabling access to knowledge particularly by the establishment of web platforms and innovation databases. This model is applied, for example, by the Region of Sardinia, whose AKIS coordinating body is a collegial body including institutional entities (i.e., the Minister and the Managing Authority) and non-institutional entities (Agencies) with a clear separation of their respective tasks: planning, programming and management, implementation, monitoring, payment and monitoring of interventions.

Food for thinking

The results of the observation on the first modelling and approaching the AKIS-CBs, brings some reflections on the needs for capacity building and networking activities that can be certainly considered in modernAKIS:

• How to configure best fitting models in each MS? Managerial versus Networking.
• How to organize procedures for monitoring of the AKIS strategies and connections with the paying agencies?
• How to organize procedures for fruitful collaboration within collective AKIS-CB? Which separation of tasks and how to coordinate knowledge flows and common goals between the different members of the AKIS-CB?
• Which organization in regionalized systems? Which coordination between the AKIS-CBs of different levels?
• Which support by the CAP Network?

How to follow-up with the results of collection of AKIS-in-practice!

• AKIS-CB identity cards. Short description of the key features of the AKIS coordination bodies in view to share information for knowledge and further interaction.
• Practice workshops, aimed at sharing practices, reflecting on experiences and views on the models applied, early functioning and further organization of coordination tasks.
• Peer-to-peer review, within the CoPs in view to allow comparison and mutual learning.
• Tailored capacity building to address both strategic aspects like planning and priority setting, as well as operational tasks such as collaboration facilitation and communication (Birke et al., 2023).
• Capacity building on exploitation of modernAKIS
• Capacity building on functional skills “to engage and align diverse actors to create a coordinated approach” (Birke et al., 2023).
• Training on fundamentals on AKIS concepts and principles, system thinking structure, infrastructures, processes, governance and coordination.
• Training on AKIS actor diagnosis, assessing interactions and benchmarking performance (Birke et al., 2023).

Further information

• Cristiano et al., 2023 (D1.1 modernAKIS)
• EU SCAR AKIS (2019), Preparing for Future AKIS in Europe. Brussels, European Commission
• Fanos et al., 2023 (D1.10 modernAKIS)
• Fanos et al., 2022 (i2connect)
• Knierim A., Gerster-Bentaya M., Birke F., Bae S., Kelly T., 2020. Innovation advisors for interactive innovation process: Conceptual grounds and common understandings. Deliverable 1.1 i2Connect project