Aim of this report is to analyse intellectual property and technology transfer markets in Latvia. The paper approaches local technology transfer policy, describes efficiency of R and D policy and IPR system of Latvia. Today, Latvia is not yet a knowledge economy, but developing a knowledge economy has become the objective of the Latvian government, in a situation when country Latvia is more heavily reliant on labour intensive and low - tech industries, having little need for new knowledge.

The author gives a broad overview on history of wheat breeding in Latvia (Priekuli Plant Breeding Station and State Stende Institute of Cereal Breeding) in some times (1923-1939, 1940-1945, 1945-1990). The aims of wheat breeding were: (1) to grow wheat varieties suitable to conditions of Latvia; (2) to evaluate and to characterize foreign variety usefulness to conditions of Latvia. The main directions of wheat breeding: (1) testing and evaluation of the foreign varieties in conditions of Latvia; (2) investigation of local material collected from different regions of Latvia; (3) breeding (random) work with wheat material; (4) crossings. Data on winter wheat varieties comparison, crop yield and quality, and established varieties are given in tables.

Scientific concern and interests of the academic staff of Faculty of Economics of Latvia University of Agriculture have formed and developed in relation to crucial political, economic and social changes occurring in Latvia since Latvia regained independence in 1991. The first stage of the Agrarian reform was characterised by the elaboration of the concept (project) for the State strategy in agriculture, draft law “On Agriculture”, and the system of economic mechanisms for the implementation of conceptual strategy in Latvia. During the second stage the academic staff of Faculty took a governing part in the elaboration of the programme “Scientific Fundamentals for Agricultural Development in Latvia” that was published as a monograph. Later the leading researchers of Faculty participated in the research programme “Risk Factors, Assessment of Risk Factors and Risk Management in Latvia Agriculture” and consequently also in the second phase of the mentioned programme “Management Systems of Risks and Crises in Latvia Agriculture”. The research results were compiled in two scientific monographs. The broad and multiform themes of postgraduate students also comprehensively characterise the diversity of research activities undertaken in the Faculty. The study of agricultural and rural diversification problems and solutions is an outstanding and long-term research course for Latvia in the structure of the European Union. The scientists and postgraduate students belonging to different departments of the Faculty also deal with other topical aspects in macroeconomics, microeconomics, regional development, finances and crediting, marketing and other spheres.

In year 2007 felling volume in Latvia was reached level of 13.87-14.37 millions m**3. In the same period in Latvia 8.78 m m**3 were processed by wood industry (sawmills, plywood mills) and 2.35 m m**3 were exported. Energy wood - production residues, fuel wood, tops and branches - volume available in Latvia was about 7.53-8.02 m m**3. In 2007 Latvia exported 1.9 m m**3 energy wood, mostly in pellet form. Local consumption of energy wood in Latvia in year 2007 was 5.47-5.97 m m**3, about 60% or 3.1-3.6 m m**3 were used in private houses. Rest of energy wood was burned in mills and central heating systems for heat production (without cogeneration). Cogeneration plants like Riga TEC-1 and TEC-2 now for cogeneration mainly are using natural gas. In Latvia economically reasonable is placing of biomass cogenerations plants in large regional cities, of course not making additional competition for existing natural gas cogeneration plants and modern heat plants like TEC-1 and TEC-2.

This articles deals with the issues of potato starch production, trade and its uses in non-food industry in Latvia, USA, Chine and Europe. Production of organic potato starch at the enterprise Aloja Starkelsen (Latvia) is shortly described. Researches on organic production of potato varieties at the State Priekuli Institute of Field Crops Breeding (Latvia) and Jogeva Plant Breeding Institute (Estonia) are viewed. Data about yield of potato tubers and starch of the eight varieties at Priekuli and Jogeva in 2009 are given in the table.

The article deals with sweet cherries as valuable wood resource cultivation traditions from ancient times till nowadays in Europe and Latvia. Research work for determination the sweet cherry forest stand production perspectives in Latvia has been started in 1995. Then in the framework of EU Phare project "Institutional Support for the Development of Private Forest", the first sweet cherry plantations have been established in Liepaja, Kuldiga, Dobele, Madona, Ogre and Gulbene region. At present sweet cherry plantations have been established by the private forest owners almost in all territory of Latvia from Daugavpils to Liepaja. Scientists at Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava evaluated several sweet cherry plantations in Latvia from 2001 till 2008. Observations at this plantations and proposals for sweet cherry successful cultivation are given in this article.

This article overviewed the contribution of Latvian agriculture scientists in the foundation and activities of the Academy of Sciences of Latvia and the Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science of Latvia.

Veterinary pathology as a discipline in Latvia emerged concurrently with the establishment of the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1919. The College was located in Riga, and existed as one of the colleges in the newly established higher education institution of Latvia. In 1920 Ernsts Paukuls established the Department of General Pathology which was the first academic home for a pathologist and later dean Rūdolfs Grapmanis. There are several names that have dominated in the research of veterinary pathology in Latvia: R. Grapmanis, Milda Salmiņa-Skudiņa, and Oļģerts Parčinskis. Each of them has devoted their entire life to veterinary pathology: R. Grapmanis from 1920-1949; M. Skudiņa from 1926-1960, and O. Parčinskis from 1957-2009. O. Parčinskis worked together with M. Skudiņa and later provided continuity in many aspects of veterinary pathology. Much of his research was devoted to study bovine enzootic leukaemia which was a rare disease in Latvia until 1960 when its prevalence started to increase consequently reaching the peak in the 1980s when ~76% of cows in Latvia were seropositive. Examples of O. Parčinskis research include a thorough description of gross and microscopic lesions characteristic of bovine enzootic leukaemia, and recommendations for elimination of this disease from dairy herds. Research in veterinary pathology in Latvia in the past 20 years has produced numerous student publications, and Master’s level scientific studies (47 publications between 1993 and 1999); although none of these has been published in peer-reviewed international veterinary journals.

The Ph. D. paper objective is to define the role of clusters in the growth of region competitiveness and to give suggestions how to conduct cluster support policy in Latvia. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the work has the following tasks: to analyze the notion of region and its competitiveness in economics; to scientifically conceptualize the notion of cluster and to empirically define the role of clusters in the growth of region competitiveness; to study the cluster formation and support policy in Latvia and Europe; to probate cluster identification methodology in Latvia, to define its development stage and role in the growth of competitiveness of Latvian regions.

The influence of higher education on the state and regional development has been researched widely in the USA, the European Union countries as well as in Australia. Latvia has a shortage of such kind research. GDP per capita in cities with higher education establishments is higher as in other cities of the country in the Republic of Latvia. All study programmes and higher education establishments in the Republic of Latvia have to be accredited: the possible periods are six years or two years. In regional higher education establishments of the Republic of Latvia most of the study programmes are accredited for the maximum period – six years. Regional higher education establishments with bigger experience in higher education are more active in developing new study programmes and closing old – fashioned study programmes. Recently established regional higher education establishments are active in development of new study programmes.