AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN LITHUANIA

1
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN LITHUANIA

• Angele Liubeckiene
• Head of the Quality division
• Food safety and quality department Ministry of
  Agriculture

2
LONG-TERM STRATEGY OF RD

• The main goals
• to increase the efficiency of RD system - to
  form knowledge-based society in Lithuania till
  2015
• to strengthen links between research and industry
  and to do it in line with European practice in 7
  years
• to increase gradually (till 2015) the funds of
  all resources assigned for RD till 3 per. of
  GDP, 2 per. of which has to be funded by business
  sector
• to increase production of high technologies till
  20 per. of GDP in 10 years
• to integrate Lithuanian system of RD into
  European one.

3
PROGRAMME OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR 2004 2008

• Aims to facilitate access to relevant databases
  for researchers, and create conditions for
  regional institutions to gain access to extensive
  collections of scientific and technical
  literature., to provide framework for private
  business investments in science, RD to review
  the mechanism of money allocation for science, by
  earmarking state commissioned and programme-based
  funding for science to encourage a better
  quality in scientific research and its relevance
  in application to develop new technologies
  facilitating the creation of new jobs.

4
PROGRAMME OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR 2004 2008

• To implement long term investment in fundamental
  scientific research. To build up the
  competitiveness of the Lithuanian science
  increasingly rely on science in developing new
  technologies, which will contribute to the
  creation of new well-paid jobs To support
  value-added innovative SMEs and increase their
  international cooperation To utilize national
  and EU structural funds for the improvement of
  RD infrastructure To coordinate scientific
  priorities between Lithuania and other European
  countries, to provide conditions for joint
  action. To reduce brain drain and foster brain
  gain.

5
PRIORITIES OF RD IN LITHUANIA

• Research for ensuring the quality of human life
• genomic and biotech for health and agriculture
• technologies of safety, safe and good quality
  food
• changes of ecosystems and climate.
• Research for creating of knowledge-based society
• Research of nanotechnologies
• Research of nuclear security
• RD for creation of competitive Lithuanian
  industry biotech, mechatronics, lasers and other
  high technologies

6
ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM OF AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTES
AND UNIVERSITIES IN LITHUANIA
7
SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS OF AGRICULTURE

• UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE and academic
  institutes
• Institute of Water Management
• Institute of Agricultural Engineering
• ACADEMY OF VETERINARY and academic institutes
• Institute of Animal Science
• Institute of Veterinary Studies
• Food Institute of Kaunas University of
  Technology
• STATE INSTITUTES
• Institute of Agriculture
• Institute of Horticulture
• INSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTE
• Institute of Agrarian Economics under the
  Ministry of Agriculture of Lithuania

8
FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF THE AGRICULTURAL
INSTITUTES OF LITHUANIA IN 2004
9
Ministry of Agriculture

• Organizes and coordinates the research in
  agriculture necessary for the implementation of
  the agriculture and rural development strategy,
  prediction of regional and structural policy of
  agriculture, coordinates the activity of the
  Scientific council of agriculture, participates
  in the activity of agricultural committees of the
  European Comission, regulating research and
  technological development.

10
THE MAIN RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN
ANIMAL SCIENCE RESEARCH

• Lithuanian Veterinary Academy
• Institute of Animal Science, Lithuanian
  Veterinary Academy
• Institute of Veterinary, Lithuanian Veterinary
  Academy
• Lithuanian University of Agriculture
• Institute of Immunology, Vilnius University
• iauliai University
• Kaunas Medical University

11
Support to the organisations involved in animal
science research

• The total expenditure on RD in 2004 year was
  472.3 mill. Litas (or 136.787 mill. EUR)
  Expenditure on RD as a percentage of gross
  domestic product (GDP) was 0.78.
• National programmes Rural support programme
  Animal breeding programme
• State Science And Studies Foundation programmes
  Food safety program is under priority
• Non- financial support
• Program of Innovation in bussines (2003-2006 )

12
Priority scientific areas of Risk Assessment and
Public Information Centre of LVA

• Investigation of Toxoplasmosis in livestock and
  evaluation of risk on humans health
• Incidence Campylobacter in food chain and
  evaluation of risk on humans health
• Incidence of fungi in their toxins in raw food,
  consistent pattern of their accumulation in food
  and creation of safety implements for humans
  health
• Comparison of livestock meat quality from organic
  and conventional production systems.

13
Main scientific directions of Food safety and
animal hygiene department of LVA

• Microscopic fungi and their produced mycotoxins
  spread in the feedingstuffs and in the grains
  intended for human consumption.
• Researches of mycotoxins impact to the organism
• Comparative tests of feedingstuffs and grains
  intended for human consumption in organic and
  chemicals using farms
• Consistent patterns of mycotoxins cumulation in
  the foodstuffs and creation of preventive safety
  measures ( interdepartmental project ordered by
  State science and study fund)

14
Main scientific directions of Food safety and
animal hygiene departmentof LVA

• Researches of carcasses and meat quality of pigs
  grown in conditions of organic and intensive
  growing farms
• New animals keeping ways (cold cows keeping in
  light construction farms) and their impact to
  animal health and quality of production
• Possibilities of use of less aggressive
  disinfection stuffs for improvement of sanitary
  condition of animals and birds premises
• Impact of different breeds to the quality of pigs
  carcasses.
•  

15
NEW DIRECTION

• Diagnostics of animals health condition (of
  noncommunicable diseases) at the post-mortem
  expertise. Impact of animals health to the
  carcasses and meat quality and food safety.

16
Projects on safety of non animal food under
Foundation of State Science and Studies

• ,,Plant Origin Functional Ingredients and Food
  Additives for Food Safety and Quality.
• The project started in 2003, total budget
  820,000 LTL 238,000
• Coordinator Prof. P.R. Venskutonis (Department of
  Food Technology, Kaunas University of
  Technology).
• PartnersLithuanian Institute of Horticulture,
  Food Institute of Kaunas University of
  Technology, Kaunas Botanical Garden at Vytautas
  Magnus University, Kaunas Medical University,
  Vilnius University, Institute of Biochemistry

17
Projects on safety of non animal food under
Foundation of State Science and Studies

• Modern technologies to increase the safety of
  ready-to eat meals
• The project started in 2005, total budget
  400,000 LTL 116,000
• Coordinator Habil. Dr. Z. Lukiene Vilnius
  university, Institute of Material Sciences and
  Applied Research and Center of Allergology
  
• Partners
• Kaunas university of Technology, Institute of
  Biochemistry, Lithuanian university of
  Agriculture

18
Programs on food safety under foundation of
State budget

• Research program Search, development and
  implementation of new methods and systems for the
  assurance of food safety is carried on.
• Main research themes investigation of organic
  acids in sour milk products studies of
  mycotoxins in food products by HPLC
  investigations of  dietary amines in food
  products. The identification of aflatoxines
  residues and amines in foods, determination of
  water activity and other food quality
  characteristics are performed.(LFI)

19
Programs on food safety under foundation of
State budget

• Research program Identification of food
  microorganisms properties and development of
  microbiological analysis methods seeking to
  improve safety and quality of food products is
  carried on. Main research themes inhibitors in
  milk and meat investigations and improvement of
  methods investigation of properties of natural
  antimicrobial materials.(LFI)

20
Other activities

• Participation in Eureka and COST programs
• Participation in FP6 projects
• SSA INCO-CT-2004-003356 Lithuanian networkFood
  Quality and Safety
• SSA SAFEFOODNET project Chemical Food Safety
  Network for the enlarging Europe

21
Conclusion and recommendations

• Whereas minor and middle agricultural companies
  still remain prevailing in the agricultural
  sector, they are not able to support science.
  That is why financial support for science
  institutions should be given more flexible
  method, taking into consideration specificity of
  this branch of science.

22
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN LITHUANIA

• Angele Liubeckiene, Head of the Quality division
  of Food safety and quality department, Ministry
  of Agriculture

23
LONG-TERM STRATEGY OF RD

• The main goals
• to increase the efficiency of RD system - to
  form knowledge-based society in Lithuania till
  2015
• to strengthen links between research and industry
  and to do it in line with European practice in 7
  years
• to increase gradually (till 2015) the funds of
  all resources assigned for RD till 3 per. of
  GDP, 2 per. of which has to be funded by business
  sector
• to increase production of high technologies till
  20 per. of GDP in 10 years
• to integrate Lithuanian system of RD into
  European one.

24
      PROGRAMME OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR 2004 2008

• Aims to facilitate access to relevant databases
  for researchers, and create conditions for
  regional institutions to gain access to extensive
  collections of scientific and technical
  literature., to provide framework for private
  business investments in science, RD to review
  the mechanism of money allocation for science, by
  earmarking state commissioned and programme-based
  funding for science to encourage a better
  quality in scientific research and its relevance
  in application to develop new technologies
  facilitating the creation of new jobs.

25
PROGRAMME OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR 2004 2008

• To implement long term investment in fundamental
  scientific research. To build up the
  competitiveness of the Lithuanian science
  increasingly rely on science in developing new
  technologies, which will contribute to the
  creation of new well-paid jobs To support
  value-added innovative SMEs and increase their
  international cooperation To utilize national
  and EU structural funds for the improvement of
  RD infrastructure To coordinate scientific
  priorities between Lithuania and other European
  countries, to provide conditions for joint
  action. To reduce brain drain and foster brain
  gain.

26
PRIORITIES OF RD IN LITHUANIA

• Research for ensuring the quality of human life
• genomic and biotech for health and agriculture
• technologies of safety, safe and good quality
  food
• changes of ecosystems and climate.
• Research for creating of knowledge-based society
• Research of nanotechnologies
• Research of nuclear security
• RD for creation of competitive Lithuanian
  industry biotech, mechatronics, lasers and other
  high technologies

27
ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM OF AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTES
AND UNIVERSITIES IN LITHUANIA
28
AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTES

• UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE and academic
  institutes
• Institute of Water Management
• Institute of Agricultural Engineering
• ACADEMY OF VETERINARY and academic institutes
• Institute of Animal Science
• Institute of Veterinary Studies
• Food Institute of Kaunas University of
  Technology
• STATE INSTITUTES
• Institute of Agriculture
• Institute of Horticulture
• INSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTE
• Institute of Agrarian Economics under the
  Ministry of Agriculture of Lithuania

29
Ministry of Agriculture

• Organizes and coordinates the research in
  agriculture necessary for the implementation of
  the agriculture and rural development strategy,
  prediction of regional and structural policy of
  agriculture, coordinates the activity of the
  Scientific council of agriculture, participates
  in the activity of agricultural committees of the
  European Comission, regulating research and
  technological development.

30
COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE UNDER THE
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE OF LITHUANIA

• Members represent
• the Government
• Lithuanian Academy of Science of all
  agricultural institutes and universities
• Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service
• NGO
• Functions of the Council
• - coordinates agricultural research system and
  makes proposals in the field of agricultural
  studies and science
• - makes proposals on the formation of rational
  rural development strategy
• - makes proposals for the development of
  science, education and advisory system
• -makes proposals for applied research funded by
  the MA

31
emes ukio srities institutu gautu leu
struktura 2004 m.
32
FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF THE AGRICULTURAL
INSTITUTES OF LITHUANIA
33
Funding of agricultural RD

• MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE ALLOCATES
  FUNDS FOR BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH FROM
  STATE BUDGET
• MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ALLOCATES FUNDS FOR
  APPLIED RESEARCH, EXPERIMENTAL WORK,
  DEMONSTRATIONS FROM SPECIAL RURAL SUPPORT
  PROGRAMME
• OTHER RESOURCES ARE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH
  PROJECTS AND FUNDS OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

34
THE MAIN RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN
ANIMAL SCIENCE RESEARCH

• Lithuanian Veterinary Academy
• Institute of Animal Science, Lithuanian
  Veterinary Academy
• Institute of Veterinary, Lithuanian Veterinary
  Academy
• Lithuanian University of Agriculture
• Institute of Immunology, Vilnius University
• iauliai University
• Kaunas Medical University

35
Support to the organisations involved in animal
science research

• The total expenditure on RD in 2004 year was
  472.3 mill. Litas (or 136.787 mill. EUR)
  Expenditure on RD as a percentage of gross
  domestic product (GDP) was 0.78.
• National programmes Rural support programme
  Animal breeding programme
• State Science And Studies Foundation programmes
  Food safety program is the under priority
• Non- financial support
• Program of Innovation in bussines (2003-2006 )

36
Priority scientific areas of Risk Assessment and
Public Information Centre of LVA

• Investigation of Toxoplasmosis in livestock and
  evaluation of risk on humans health
• Incidence Campylobacter in food chain and
  evaluation of risk on humans health
• Incidence of fungi in their toxins in raw food,
  consistent pattern of their accumulation in food
  and creation of safety implements for humans
  health
• Comparison of livestock meat quality from organic
  and conventional production systems.

37
Main scientific directions Food safety and animal
hygiene departmentof LVA

• Microscopic fungi and their produced mycotoxins
  spread in the feedingstuffs and in the grains
  intended for human consumption.
• Researches of mycotoxins impact to the organism
• Comparative tests of feedingstuffs and grains
  intended for human consumption in organic and
  chemicals using farms
• Consistent patterns of mycotoxins cumulation in
  the foodstuffs and creation of preventive safety
  measures ( interdepartmental project ordered by
  State science and study fund)

38
Main scientific directions Food safety and animal
hygiene departmentof LVA

• Researches of carcasses and meat quality of pigs
  grown in conditions of organic and intensive
  growing farms
• New animals keeping ways (cold cows keeping in
  light construction farms) and their impact to
  animal health and quality of production
• Possibilities of use of less aggressive
  disinfection stuffs for improvement of sanitary
  condition of animals and birds premises
• Impact of different breeds to the quality of pigs
  carcasses.
•  

39
NEW DIRECTION

• Diagnostics of animals health condition (of
  noncommunicable diseases) at the post-mortem
  expertise. Impact of animals health to the
  carcasses and meat quality and food safety.

40
Projects on safety non animal food under
foundation of State Science and Studies

• Plant Origin Functional Ingredients and Food
  Additives for Food Safety and Quality.
• The project has been started in 2003, total
  budget 820,000 LTL 238,000
• Coordinator Prof. P.R. Venskutonis (Department of
  Food Technology, Kaunas University of
  Technology).
• PartnersLithuanian Institute of
  Horticulture,Food Institute of Kaunas University
  of Technology, Kaunas Botanical Garden at
  Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas Medical
  University,Vilnius University, Institute of
  Biochemistry

41
Projects on safety non animal food under
foundation of State Science and Studies

• Modern technologies to increase the safety of
  ready-to eat meals
• The project has been started in 2005, total
  budget 400,000 LTL 116,000
• Coordinator Habil. Dr. Z. Lukiene Vilnius
  university, Institute of Material Sciences and
  Applied Research and center of Allergology
  
• Partners
• Kaunas university of Technology, Institute of
  Biochemistry, Lithuanian university of
  Agriculture

42
Programs on food safety under foundation of
State budget

• Research program Search, development and
  implementation of new methods and systems for the
  assurance of food safety is carried on. Main
  research themes investigation of organic acids
  in sour milk products studies of mycotoxins in
  food products by HPLC investigations of  dietary
  amines in food products. The identification of
  aflatoxines residues and amines in foods,
  determination of water activity and other food
  quality characteristics are performed.(LFI)

43
Programs on food safety under foundation of
State budget

• -Research program Identification of food
  microorganisms properties and development of
  microbiological analysis methods seeking to
  improve safety and quality of food products is
  carried on. Main research themes inhibitors in
  milk and meat investigations and improvement of
  methods investigation of properties of natural
  antimicrobial materials.(LFI)

44
Other activities

• Participation in Eureka and COST programs
• Participation in FP6 projects
• SSA INCO-CT-2004-003356 Lithuanian networkFood
  Quality and Safety
• SSA SAFEFOODNET project Chemical Food Safety
  Network for the enlarging Europe

45
Conclusion and recommendations

• Whereas minor and middle agricultural companies
  still remain prevailing in the agricultural
  sector, they are not able to support science.
  That is why financial support for science
  institutions should be given more flexible
  method, taking into consideration specificity of
  this branch of science.

46
Its need

• To increase internal and external communication
  between consumer groups, industry, authorities
  and the scientific community
• To increase expenditures on RD from funding from
  State budget
• To promote technical modernization of research
  basis
• To develop international co-operation in EU
  research programs.