The role of Nemunas valley in developing (creating) competetiveness ability of

Lithuanian agriculture sector

Director of association “Nemunas valley” Prof. dr. Albinas Kusta

Klaipėda, 2010 m. spalio 21 d.

THE PURPOSE OF THE “NEMUNAS”

VALLEY

The integrated science, studies and business centre (Valley) of “NEMUNAS” was established for the purpose of the development of agriculture, forestry and food sectors.

From the resolution No 1130 of October 1, 2008 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania

The main mission of the “NEMUNAS” Valley

To concentrate the potential of agricultural, forestry, food industry scientific research and studies and knowledge-intensive business enterprises having common and net scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) infrastructure and to purposefully contribute to:

• the development of agricultural, forestry, food industry

• the creation of knowledge economics;• the increase of the competitive ability of

Lithuanian economy.

The tasks of the “NEMUNAS” Valley

• To create the state-of-the-art scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) infrastructure for the needs of the development of agricultural, forestry and food industry scientific researches.

• To concentrate for the common activity the highly-skilled Lithuanian and foreign researchers.

The tasks of the “NEMUNAS” Valley

• To renew and modernize the infrastructure of studies, to strengthen the interaction of science, studies and business.

• To create conditions for business enterprises to cooperate with science and studies institutions for the formation of the elements of knowledge-intensive business enterprises on the basis of the commercialization of scientific research results.

• To expand the amount of works on agricultural, forestry and food industry scientific research and experimental development at national and international levels.

Approved by the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No 1130, 01-10-2008

Programme for the development of integrated science, study and business centre (valley) “Nemunas” -

http://www.smm.lt/smt/docs/sleniai/programa_NEMUNAS.pdf

Association “NEMUNAS” valley

The treaty for the establishment of the association “NEMUNAS valley” was signed in Kaunas, on 10 th December 2008.

• The object of the treaty is to establish the juridical person, i.e. the association the “NEMUNAS valley” for the implementation of the program of the “Nemunas Valley”.

The treaty of the establishment of the Association “NEMUNAS”

valley signed • Lithuanian University of Agriculture• Lithuanian Veterinary Academy• Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture• Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture• Lithuanian Forest Research Institute• Water Management Institute of Lithuanian University of

Agriculture• Institute of Agricultural Engineering of Lithuanian

University of Agriculture• Institute of Animal Science of Lithuanian Veterinary

Academy• Veterinary institute of Lithuanian Veterinary Academy• Food Institute of Kaunas University of Technology• Kaunas University of Technology

The treaty of the establishment of the Association “NEMUNAS” valley signed

• JSC Concern “Achema Group”• JSC ARVI Management Enterprise of Enterprises

Group• SC “Kauno Grūdai”• JSC “Utenos mėsa”• JSC “Mestilla”• Lithuanian Association of Biomass Energetics

“Ltbioma”• Lithuanian Association of Melioration Enterprises• Baltic Agribusiness Institute

Later, four new institutions joined to Association “Nemunas valley”

• Ltithuanian institute of agrarian economics

• Lithuanian agricultural advisory service

• Mykolas Romeris University

• JSC “ELINTA VS”

At present, association has two main

partners

• Newspaper “Ūkininko patarėjas”

• SC “Ūkio bankas”

DEMAND FOR NEW TECHNOLOGIESLabour productivity in Lithuanian agriculture is still

significantly lower than the overall economic productivity and the EU agricultural productivity, however, the rapid growth is being noticed in latter years. The active work of Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Lithuanian Academy of Veterinary and of some other institutions of agricultural direction had influence on the rapid growth of activity while spreading new technologies, organizing exhibitions, field days, consultations, seminars and other publicity measures. The Ministry of Agriculture and the National Payment Agency played the big role as well.

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ACTION PLAN

• Creation of secure and competitive plant-growing and cattle-keeping technologies;

• Genetics, biotechnology and selection of plants and animals;

• Ensuring of food quality and safety, creation of modern technologies and new products;

• Biomass energy and renewable energy sources, sustainable development;

• Development of scientific human and financial resources.

LŽŪU skirtų žemės sklypų ribos

Slėnio ,,Nemunas“ plėtrai numatoma teritorija

Esami LŽŪU pastatai, naudojami mokslui ir studijoms

Studentų bendrabučiai

Territory near the Lithuanian University of Agriculture for integrated science, study and business centre (valley)

“Nemunas”. 15

Financing of the “NEMUNAS” Valley

• Ministry of Education and Science 124 275 thousand Lt

Including ESF 5250 thousand Lt

Including ERDF 119025 thousand Lt

• Ministry of Economy from ERDF 10 000 thousand Lt

• Ministry of Agriculture 47 348 thousand Lt

• Total 181 623 thousand Lt

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Project carried out by the “NEMUNAS” Valley -1 Lithuanian University of Agriculture (LUA) together with the

partners Lithuanian agrarian and forest science centers (LAFSC) with branches are implementing the project “Development of agrobiotechnologies, forestry, biomass energy, water and biosystems engineering SR&ED centers, higher education studies and related infrastructure as well as reorganization of science and study institutions”.

• Project value 80 289 thousand Lt.• Project promoter LUA and LAFSC• Financing source – the Ministry of Education and Science,

ERDF

Centre of Agrarian and forestry Sciences

Laboratories of :• Agrobiology• Environmental • Microbiology• Plant material quality • Biological signs • Agrobiotechnology • The research on climate change impact upon forest

ecosystems • Timber use, quality and processing technologies

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Research, Study and Development Centre of the Forestry Sector

Laboratories of :

• Hunt research • Plantation forestry

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Plant Genetics and Biotechnology Centre

Laboratories of :

• Cryobiology • Plant metabolic • Plant physiology • Molecule signs• The research and development on the genetic

potential of crop and feeding plants

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Science and Study Centre of Agroecology and Plant Biopotential

Laboratories of :• Ecophysiology• Soil physics and productivity• Bioorganic phytocompounds diagnostics• Plant pathology• Agricultural systems • Soil and crop ecology

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Biosystem Engineering, Biomass Energy and Water Engineering Centre

Laboratories of :• Progressive plant-growing engineering,• Geomatics• Constructions and building materials• Water ecosystems research and modeling• Thermoenergetic processes and emission• Automation control of machinery, technological systems and

processes,• Technology safety• Synthesis gas, second generation liquid biofuel and biohydrogen• Biodiesel, bioethanol and biological lubricating oil• The biomass preparation, logistics and solid fuel processes• Biogas• Biological waste and use of by-products

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Project carried out by the “NEMUNAS” Valley -2

The Kaunas University of Technology and the branch of Lithuanian agrarian and forest science center the Institute of Horticulture are implementing the project “The development of food and technologies SR&ED infrastructure and consolidation of scientific potential”.

• Project value 8 433 thousand Lt.

• Project promoter KTU and LAFSC

• Financing source – the Ministry of Education and Science, ERDF

Food Science and Technology Centre

Laboratories of :

• Biochemical researches of food products’ production processes

• Biological active food compounds’ researches and functional food components

• Structure and rheology of food products

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Food Science and Technology Centre

Equipment sets for laboratories:KUT• Equipment for the research and modeling of the properties of milk products• Equipment for the research and modeling of the properties of meat-fish

products• Equipment for the research and modeling of the properties of fermentation

products• Equipment for the research and modeling of the properties of crop products• General equipment for the research of food technologies• Analysis equipment for the composition of food products• Analysis equipment for the physical and chemical properties of food products

LIH• Equipment for the research and modeling of biochemical and physical

properties of fruit and vegetables

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Project carried out by the “NEMUNAS” Valley -3

THE VA of LUHS are implementing the project

“Development of the healthiness, nourishment of animals and animal material science and study infrastructure, consolidation of scientific potential”.

• Project value 30 303 thousand Lt.

• Project promoter VA of LUHS • Financing source – the Ministry of Education and Science,

ERDF

Centre for Animal Health and Quality of Raw Materials of Animal Origin 

Laboratories :• Virusology research

• Microbiology research

• Parasitologicy research

• Histopathology research

• Animal material safety and quality research

• Meat properties and meat qualities assessment

• Experimental and clinical pharmacology

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Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology Centre

Laboratories :

• Animal feed food material digestion research

• Feed production and feeding technologies assessment

• Animal genetic resources research and long term preservation by ex site

• Animal nutriciology research

• Animal breed value research and selection

• Domestic bird feed and aviculture

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Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology Centre

• Department of nutrigenomics and systematic evaluation of animal-breeding processes and

• Digestion physiology and pathology center

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Project carried out by the “NEMUNAS” Valley -4

THE VA of LUHS are implementing the project

“The sdcientific - educological center of animal breed - value determination”.

• Project value 47 348 thousand Lt.

• Project promoter VA of LUHS

• Financing source – Ministry of Agriculture

Project carried out by the “NEMUNAS” Valley -5

“Development of Communications and Technology Transfer Center”

• Project value 10 000 thousand Lt.

• Project promoter LUA, KTU and LAFSC• Financing source – Ministry of Agriculture, ERDF

The main aim of the activity of the association the “Nemunas Valley” and to-be-established the Communications and Technology Transfer Center – to be a bridge between science, studies and business.

Project carried out by the “NEMUNAS” Valley -7 The national integrated program of

agricultural, forestry and food sectors

“The training of scientific competences and mobility inducement”

• Project value 1250 thousand Lt.

• Project promoter LUA, VA of LUHS and LAFSC

• Financing source – Ministry of Economy, ERDF

Project carried out by the “NEMUNAS” Valley -8 The national integrated program of

agricultural, forestry and food sectors“Renewal and implementation of higher education

studies programs in I-II levels of studies, the training of the competences of the higher education studies personnel (lecturers)”.

• Project value 2500 thousand Lt.

• Project promoter LUA, VA of LUHS

• Financing source – Ministry of Education and Science, ESF

NEW OPPORTUNITIES CREATED BY VALLEY PROGRAMS

• Young scientists have opportunity to fulfill postdoctoral studies research, to go to traineeships

• Doctoral students will be able to receive grants for studies and traineeships, to use new laboratories while studying

• Scientists and researchers will have modern conditions for the fulfillment of scientific research, to cooperate with the scientists working at international level

• Business – will be able to to engage researches in enterprises, to use the equipment of science centers

• State and society have opportunity to carry out modern researches, to use new technologies, innovative enterprises, creative business and flexible economics

BENEFITS FROM THE VALLEY FOR LITHUANIAN ECONOMY

• Activity carried out by the “Nemunas Valley” will further the development of modern, dynamical and competitive economy grounded by newest nanobiotechnologies and achievements of informatics sciences as well as the even economic and social activity in entire Lithuania.

• At the same time the employment of rural inhabitants will be increased, inequalities of Lithuania’s regional development will be decreased and the rural social disjuncture will be decreased.

• Bioenergetics will be developed more actively, which will enable the decrease of country’s dependence upon imported oil products.

• The planned building, repair of reconstruction work will further the persistency of building business.

Development perspective of the “Nemunas Valley”

• Establishment of new enterprises

• Creation of new working places

• Big demand for businessmen, especially for young ones

• Youth entrepreneurship training

• Informational events, consultations

Development perspective of the “Nemunas Valley”

• Big demand for young scientists for the work in new laboratories with up-to-date equipment

• Limitation• Low financing of the training of researchers

according to the Valley program (1.25 + 2.50) and because of that comparatively small opportunities for the preparation of scientists abroad

• Conditions for the training of doctoral students in Lithuanian science and studies institutions are changed in the unfavourable for agriculture direction

Ačiū už dėmesįTHANK YOU FOR ATTENTION

slenisnemunas@lzuu.lt+370 37 752303

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