EU-FarmBook Connects With Europe’s Advisory Community in Radenci 16–18 June
EU-FarmBook took part in the joint 15th EUFRAS Conference, 65th IALB Conference and 12th SEASN Conference, held from 16 to 18 June 2026 in Radenci, Slovenia. Hosted by the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia together with EUFRAS, IALB and SEASN networks, the event drew around 250 agricultural advisors, researchers, educators, policymakers, farmers’ representatives and innovation support organizations from across Europe.
Under the theme “Tailored Learning and Leadership to Empower Youth, with a Focus on Women in Agriculture,” participants examined how advisory services, Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), and international cooperation can help address some of the sector’s biggest challenges: generational renewal, climate resilience, digitalization and knowledge transfer.
Bringing knowledge closer to practice
A recurring theme throughout the conference was how much impact depends on getting knowledge into the right hands — research findings, field experience and advisory expertise only create value once they reach the people who can use them. That’s the gap EU-FarmBook is built to close, with a multilingual, open-access platform connecting research and practice through trusted agricultural and forestry knowledge resources.
At the dedicated networking and poster session, EU-FarmBook representatives met with advisors and agricultural organizations to showcase the platform, talk through its ongoing development and gather feedback from potential users. The conversations underlined a consistent message: knowledge resources need to be easy to navigate and genuinely useful to farmers, advisors and other AKIS actors on the ground. The event also opened doors to new collaborations with advisory organizations well placed to contribute high-quality content to the platform.
Advisors as knowledge brokers
Several sessions traced how the advisor’s role is shifting — from delivering technical advice to facilitating innovation, connecting research, policy and farming practice, and helping farmers adapt solutions to local conditions. That shift is exactly what EU-FarmBook is designed to support: making reliable resources easier to find and reuse, so advisors are better equipped for their day-to-day work and knowledge moves more freely across countries and sectors.
Discussions also touched on the value of independent advisory services, stronger AKIS collaboration, peer learning and digital tools that complement face-to-face advice, with several workshops offering concrete examples of multi-actor cooperation and farmer engagement in action.
Looking ahead
The conference closed with a joint statement from IALB, EUFRAS and SEASN, warning that without decisive action, an ageing farming population, youth outmigration and the persistent under-involvement of women will put food security, rural vitality and the green transition at risk. The three networks called on the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2028–2034) to put young people, women and Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems at its core, alongside a broader shift away from short-term market pressure and toward policies that make farming genuinely viable and rural areas genuinely livable.
Among the priorities set out: easier access to land, financing and farm transfers; targeted support for women’s entrepreneurship and involvement in decision-making; long-term, stable funding for independent advisory services; and investment in the softer, often overlooked side of generational renewal — mentoring, peer learning and support for the trust, communication and mental well-being that make or break a smooth farm succession. As the statement puts it, there is no future for European agriculture without young people and women, no successful transformation without strong advisory systems, and no successful succession without trust and knowledge transfer between generations.
Reflecting on the conference, Līga Saulīte, EUFRAS Project Manager, said:
“This conference made clear that generational renewal isn’t just about who takes over a farm — it’s about whether young people and women see a future in agriculture at all, and whether advisory services have the backing to support them through that transition. EU-FarmBook has an important role to play here, connecting research, advisory services and practice in one place, so that knowledge on succession, innovation and rural livelihoods reaches the people who need it most. The energy and constructive discussions in Radenci confirmed there is strong demand for platforms that support advisors and farmers across Europe.”
The turnout and engagement in Radenci were a reminder that effective knowledge exchange is central to building a more resilient, competitive and sustainable agricultural sector — and that conferences like this one keep valuable knowledge moving off the page and onto farms across Europe.
