Smart Agriculture, Policy and Practice in Dialogue to Support the Adaption to Climate Change

Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge (METK), Estonian Research Council’s Brussels Office (ETAG), and Lithuanian Research Development and Innovation Liaison Office in Brussels (LINO) invite you to a roundtable discussion on the challenges of climate change – Smart Agriculture, a European dialogue on science, policy and practice in climate adaptation.

📅 18 September 2025
📍 Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU, Brussels

Climate change is no longer a distant threat — it is a present reality, reshaping agriculture, ecosystems, and rural life across Europe. From shifting growing seasons to emerging pests and extreme weather events, adaptation is no longer optional. It is an urgent, complex challenge that requires coordinated responses from science, policy, and practice.

The Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge (METK) plays a pivotal role in this transition through applied research and collaboration with farmers, policymakers, and local communities. This roundtable offers a platform to exchange insights and deepen cross-border cooperation on climate adaptation in agriculture and rural areas, with a focus on building resilient solutions for Eastern Europe.

Taking place during the week of the European Research and Innovation Days, the event will showcase METK’s role in agri-environmental innovation and highlight key outcomes from EU-funded projects such as AMBROSIA, Climate-Smart Advisors, CiNURGI, and the newly launched ClimateSmartResearch. These projects span critical areas of adaptation — biodiversity, soil health, nutrient cycling, systemic experimentation, and advisory systems.

The roundtable will address key questions:

How can Europe’s network of experimental research stations become engines of climate-smart innovation?
What mutual lessons can Eastern, Western, and Southern European rural areas offer in terms of adaptation?
How can we accelerate the uptake of scientific knowledge into policy and farm-level decisions?
What governance and knowledge-sharing frameworks are needed to close the gap between research, policy, and practice?

The programme will feature two expert panel discussions involving speakers from ministries, research institutes, advisory networks, and EU institutions, as well as short project pitches — offering concrete illustrations of how applied science is already helping rural areas adapt.

Join us to explore how European cooperation and knowledge exchange can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s climate resilience.

PROGRAM

Materials:

• Dr. Liina Jakobson, Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge: “Sustainable Agriculture in Europe: Breeding Climate-Resilient Crop Varieties for Northern Climates”
  PRESENTATION
• Dr. Kristiina Laanemets, Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge: “The Role of New Genomic Techniques in Field Crop Adaptation”
  PRESENTATION
• Event summary PDF
• Event gallery

For further information please email  kristel.oitmaa@etag.ee  / carmen.kivistik@etag.ee (Liaison Officers, Estonian Research Council in Brussels)