Press release Joris Relaes is new president of the agricultural platform Agrolink Vlaanderen.
Joris Relaes, Administrator-General of ILVO, has been appointed chairman of Agrolink Flanders. He succeeds Nadine Buys, former dean of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at KU Leuven. Anne-Rose Gustin becomes the new coordinator and is responsible for the daily operations. Agrolink Flanders is a unique collaboration between 16 Flemish knowledge institutes with a wide range of expertise in fundamental and applied research in primary agricultural and horticultural production. Brand-new chairman Joris Relaes: "Even more than before, Agrolink Vlaanderen will focus on the search for synergy between the members and on cooperation between government, industry and end user."
Cooperation and complementarity
Even more than before, Agrolink Vlaanderen will focus on the search for synergy between the members and on cooperation between government, industry and end user."
Agrolink Flanders was founded by Guido Van Huylenbroeck (Ghent University) on 8 December 2014 as a joint venture between the research centers active in primary production and as a central contact point for the agro-food industry, the research community and the government. One of the most important objectives was to put Flanders on the map as a knowledge-based region in Europe. And the platform has certainly contributed to this. In the meantime, members have received more than 175 European projects and Flanders is represented via Agrolink in many European networks, such as EIP-Agri.
Due to this very success, the operations of Agrolink Flanders were ready for an update. The platform remains active in European networks, but will also focus more on mutual cooperation and complementarity. In this way the organization meets the call from the newly-formed Flemish Government to create more synergy. Joris Relaes: "Through cooperation between the members, fundamental and applied research, practical knowledge, information and training are intertwined. By cooperating with the government, industry and end users in the Agricultural Knowledge Innovation System (AKIS), the other chain partners are closely involved. Only by reinforcing this can Agrolink Flanders make a substantial contribution to the transition to a circular agriculture for healthy food, soils and climate, where farmer and consumer stand central. "
The members of Agrolink Flanders are the faculties of Bio-engineering Sciences of Ghent University and KU Leuven, ILVO, University College Ghent, KBIVB, Proefcentrum Pluimvee, Proeftuin voor Witloof, Hooibeekhoeve, Proefcentrum Hoogstraten, Inagro, PSKW, PCA, PCG, PCS, pcfruit and VCBT.
