A first meeting of the Stakeholder platform was held in Brussels on June 5th
Promotion of transnational access and dissemination of SmartCow outcomes and innovations for maximum impact will be supported by a Stakeholder Platform at national and EU levels. The potential Stakeholders of SmartCow are key players and experts in the field of sustainable agriculture, animal nutrition, genetics, health and welfare, farming technologies, climate impacts; from industry, advisory bodies, farmers’ organisations, NGOs, policy makers. The objectives of Stakeholders’ commitment in SmartCow are to ensure i) that the results of the SmartCow project have maximum impact and that methodologies and tools are broadly disseminated and appropriated throughout the cattle production chain and ii) the relevance of activities for the pre- and post-farm gate industries, advisory bodies, farmers’ organisations…
The first meeting of the stakeholder platform in Brussels was the opportunity to consult European stakeholders on the research priorities for the TNA calls, on the dissemination and the exploitation plan of the project, on the proposed catalogue of training and study tours. The contribution of stakeholders to the dissemination of SmartCow methods and results as well as their direct implications in TNA activities were also discussed. A wide list of research priorities was built that covers:
- Efficient use of feed resources
- Mitigation options to reduce GHG and other emissions
- Efficient and robust animals, adaptation to climate change
- Animal health and welfare
- Product quality
- Precision cattle farming
- Phenotyping and monitoring tools: biomarkers, sensors
- Comprehensive behavioural, digestive and metabolic physiological studies in cattle