Agricultural Sciences for Business: 100 Years of Progress

Written by: Anželika Dautartė, VMU

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On 17th October, the Vytautas Magnus University Academy of Agriculture (VDU MAA) hosted the conference “Agricultural Sciences for Business: 100 Years of Progress” to promote science-business collaboration and share research findings that contribute to more sustainable agricultural development. The event brought together scientists, corporate leaders, and practitioners looking for novel answers to current human concerns including climate change, resource conservation, and agricultural efficiency.

Prof. Gediminas Brazaitis presented ᴇNᴀBʟS, a project that focuses on the application of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in a variety of sectors, as well as knowledge dissemination. The European Union-funded initiative intends to incorporate NBS into higher education and vocational training to help reverse biodiversity loss. The conference emphasised that this initiative is an outstanding example of how university collaboration can produce genuine outcomes and provide answers for a more sustainable future. ᴇNᴀBʟS not only promotes scientific innovation, but also helps to implement practical NBS solutions that secure the agriculture sector’s long-term growth. This programme reflects the aims of the EU’s biodiversity and climate plans, which seek to make a substantial contribution to environmental protection by 2030.

In addition to the oral presentation, a poster was developed to educate conference attendees on the ᴇNᴀBʟS project’s aims and activities. The emphasis is on education and NBS to urge society to improve its views towards biodiversity and slow its decline. The research will investigate how ecosystem loss and dysfunctional economic and social institutions, such as over-exploitation and resource depletion, contribute to environmental concerns. The initiative also emphasises the significance of social dialogue and the green economy in achieving an inclusive and equitable transition that creates employment and ensures that no one is left behind.

The event demonstrated that scientific knowledge accumulated over a century can and must be transformed into real-world solutions that contribute to sustainable agricultural development and better resource use, and that scientific research results continue to be important for the modernisation of Lithuania’s agricultural sector.