Cabinet Order No. 789 validating the National Research Program "Research on agricultural and forest resources for the development of a secure and sustainable Latvia" for 2026–2028.
Country
Type of law
Regulation
Policy
Abstract
The Program is implemented under the Scientific Activity Law and relevant government regulations, with the Ministry of Agriculture designated as the responsible authority. It is funded with a total budget of €6 million, evenly distributed across the three years and financed from the state budget allocated to scientific activity. The overarching goal is to strengthen the national food, economic, ecological, and energy security, while increasing resilience to climate change and external risks through scientific research and sustainable resource use.
A major focus of the Program is agriculture and food systems, aiming to improve national food self-sufficiency and crisis resilience. Planned activities include developing environmentally friendly and climate-resilient farming technologies, reducing chemical contamination, and creating new high–value-added food products based on local raw materials. The Program also addresses food safety and public health by strengthening the capacity to prevent infections and antimicrobial resistance in animals and across the food chain. In parallel, it seeks to enhance the economic performance and competitiveness of the national agricultural sector by analyzing risks, productivity, and policy options, particularly under internal and external crisis conditions.
The Program’s forest research component aims to improve the long-term efficiency and sustainability of forest resource use, positioning forestry as a cornerstone of the national bioeconomy and climate strategy. Research priorities include enhancing forest ecosystem resilience, advancing sustainable forest management practices, monitoring biodiversity indicators in line with EU nature restoration goals, and increasing the sector’s contribution to climate change mitigation through substitution effects and circular bioeconomy solutions. Cross-cutting objectives include strengthening interdisciplinary research teams, promoting international cooperation, ensuring open access to research results following FAIR data principles, supporting policy-making through evidence-based recommendations, and integrating research outcomes into education, especially at the doctoral level.
A major focus of the Program is agriculture and food systems, aiming to improve national food self-sufficiency and crisis resilience. Planned activities include developing environmentally friendly and climate-resilient farming technologies, reducing chemical contamination, and creating new high–value-added food products based on local raw materials. The Program also addresses food safety and public health by strengthening the capacity to prevent infections and antimicrobial resistance in animals and across the food chain. In parallel, it seeks to enhance the economic performance and competitiveness of the national agricultural sector by analyzing risks, productivity, and policy options, particularly under internal and external crisis conditions.
The Program’s forest research component aims to improve the long-term efficiency and sustainability of forest resource use, positioning forestry as a cornerstone of the national bioeconomy and climate strategy. Research priorities include enhancing forest ecosystem resilience, advancing sustainable forest management practices, monitoring biodiversity indicators in line with EU nature restoration goals, and increasing the sector’s contribution to climate change mitigation through substitution effects and circular bioeconomy solutions. Cross-cutting objectives include strengthening interdisciplinary research teams, promoting international cooperation, ensuring open access to research results following FAIR data principles, supporting policy-making through evidence-based recommendations, and integrating research outcomes into education, especially at the doctoral level.
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Date of text
Repealed
No
Source language
English
Legislation Amendment
No
Original title
Ministru kabineta rīkojums Nr. 789 Rīgā 2025. gada 2. decembrī (prot. Nr. 50 22. §) Par valsts pētījumu programmu "Lauksaimniecības un meža resursu izpēte drošas un noturīgas Latvijas attīstībai" 2026.–2028. gadam.
Implements