EU-FarmBook at German AKIS Workshop
Iden, Germany (10 September 2026)
The EU-FarmBook project presented its work at the second Germany-wide AKIS workshop titled “How does knowledge become effective?”, hosted by the German National Rural Network (DVS) on 9–10 September at the State Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture of Saxony-Anhalt in Iden.
Poster Exhibition
During a “Market of Inspiration” session, Dr Susanne von Münchhausen (Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development – HNEE) introduced participants to EU-FarmBook as a best-practice example of knowledge exchange within AKIS. A dedicated poster—developed in collaboration with teams from Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (BRSU) and Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW)—supported the presentation.
EU-FarmBook Team Dr Leonie Göbel/DVS and Dr Susanne von Münchhausen/HNEE (second and third from left) explain the platform’s leverage effect to Elin Johansson/DG AGRI. Foto: EU-FarmBook
Interactive Innovation Approach: learning by doing
Following an introduction to the development and understanding of the AKIS concept, participants experienced the Interactive Innovation Approach (IIA) for cooperation between project partners through a hands-on simulation. Working with differing stakeholder perspectives, they organised a fictional town festival featuring a farmers’ market, information stands and a discussion forum.
The key takeaway: successful interactive processes depend on strong management and thorough preparation. “Roles must be clearly defined, and all relevant stakeholders need to be informed and involved,” said Dr Susanne von Münchhausen. Participants agreed that such interactive processes require more time than organising an event through a single, stand-alone team. At the same time, the approach enables equal-footing dialogue and better integration of differing interests—from agriculture, processing and marketing to associations, and public policy and administration.
The European Commission views the Interactive Innovation Approach as a driver for strengthening practice-oriented research and innovation. Agricultural and forestry project teams are required to apply these principles in their work.
