The conference “Knowledge-based Bioeconomy in Agriculture and Food production” was held on 1 Desember, 2016, in the Latvia University of Agriculture, Jelgava palace, Jelgava, Lielā iela 2. The main goal of the conference was to bring the researchers, private sector, state and non-governmental sector representatives from agriculture and food production industries together to introduce the concept of bioeconomy and to involve various stakeholders in bioeconomy strategy development. The conference also aims to transfer the best praxis examples to Latvia from the Nordic countries. The government of Latvia has assigned the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) to develop bioeconomy strategy document for Latvia. MoA plans to develop the strategy in cooperation with Latvia University of Agriculture (LUA). The government of Latvia has assigned the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) to develop bioeconomy strategy document for Latvia. MoA plans to develop the strategy in cooperation with Latvia University of Agriculture (LUA). MoA has approached NCM Latvia office and defined their need for determining the focus areas and activities of the bioeconomy strategy, as well as transfer of general best practice from the Nordic countries. While working on the development of Latvia's Bioeconomy Strategy, Latvia has been involved in the INTERREG EUROPE project BIO4ECO, which aims to bring energy policy closer to land policy, facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy. The recommendations made in the BIO4ECO project regarding the efficient use of land resources and low carbon development solutions will be taken into account while continuing to work on the development of Latvia's Bioeconomy Strategy. In the first part of the confernece the Rector of Latvia University of Agriculture, prof. Dr. Irina Pilvere and the director of the Latvian Federation of Food Entrepreneurs Ināra Šure gave general introduction to Knowledge-based Bioeconomy in Agriculture & Forecasting Agriculture. In the second part of the conference two nordic participants shared their experience - “Bioeconomy in various Nordic countries: lessons learned” by Jukka Teräs (Sweden), Senior Research Fellow in Nordregio and “Bioeconomy in a crossroads - what influence the emergent bioeconomies of Europe; growth, climate change and sustainable development” by Mads Wolff (Denmark), Director and Senior adviser in Baeredygtighed 2030.
