Extension services play a key role in supporting entrepreneurs and stakeholders in adopting innovative practices in bio-economy, agro-ecology, food safety, and animal welfare. The topic will explore how advisory systems can assist farmers and rural communities in transitioning to more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems while addressing emerging challenges like climate change and disaster management. Key issues to address under this topic include but are not limited to: 

• Strategies for entrepreneurship in advisory and training, such as agri-business, community-led entrepreneurship, start-up, or strategic combinations, help transition to a more resilient agri-food system.
• Adaptation of advisory systems and organizations to engage with different transition pathways, including technology startups, regenerative agriculture, and climate/carbon financing. This also highlights the role of advisors as effective intermediaries connecting these different pathways
• Multi-technology and multi-sector interactions—such as those in bio-economy, circular food systems, smart farming, smart cities, vertical farming, and alternative foods and proteins—are influencing advisory work. Relevant interactions that help shape the way different advisory systems collaborate and connect
• Extension and advisory initiatives that help farmers successfully adopt soil and plant health practices. Existing successes and challenges, especially in assisting farmers transition to different practices
• Extension and advisory initiatives that support farmers on animal welfare issues, and how do these facilitate transitions to more resilient systems, considering the different goals, expectations, and interpretations of welfare issues by various actors.
• Extension and advisory initiatives that build the capacity of farmers and relevant stakeholders to deal with emerging vector-borne diseases. Support services informed by a One Health approach and relevant initiatives that shape interactions between different actors related to One Health.
• Extension and advisory initiatives to facilitate the capacity building of farmers and interaction with other stakeholders to address food safety issues. Initiatives that address stakeholders’ concerns and competency challenges in relation to provincial, national, and global standards and regulations that facilitate or affect trade.