estonian approach on fas - marswiki.jrc.ec.europa.eu · diana laur ministry of agriculture research...
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Estonian approach on FAS
Diana Laur Ministry of Agriculture
Research and Development Department
Extension Service
• Advisory activities take place since 1989 • Decentralised system with 15 local advisory centres,
mostly related to producers or farmers unions• Since January 2010 the coordinator - Rural
Development Foundation• 207 advisors in total (animal husbandry, crop
production, finance, forestry, bee-keeping etc)
• Setting legal and financial frames for the advisory system.• Setting up conditions and selection of the adisory centres.• Managing measures of the Estonian Rural Development
Plan 2007-2013 for advisory support and training activities.• Working out the framework of advisory services and tools
on Cross Compliance and Occupational Safety issues• Carrying out studies on the FAS.
Extension Services:
the roles of the Ministry
Coordinating Centre• Responsibilities:
• developing the Farm Advisory System and Service• collecting and analyzing feedback• communicating with the research institutions• training and in-service training for advisers• developing of advisory tools (programs, risk analyses
etc)• updating the portal www.pikk.ee for agricultural
and rural information
Responsibilities of the advisory centres
• Guarantee the access to individual advisory service and information distribution in the area.
• Directing farmers to specialized advisors, according to theneeds of the producer.
• Organise informational events – training days.• Collect feedback from the producers and forward it
through Coordinating Centre to politicians, ministry, researchers, etc.
• Teamwork to develop the whole advisory system.
Marketing conception ofthe FAS
• Promotion of FAS so far - distributing informationalbooklets, updating and spreading the lists of the advisorycentres and advisors etc.
• These activities have not been effective enough in thepromotion of the Advisory Service.
• To improve the promotion, in the end of 2010 a marketing conception was developed by a marketing agency(organised by the Rural Development Foundation).
• The aim of the marketing conception is to inform certain target groups and the general public of the Advisory Service, its activities and possibilities, thus enabling the Advisory Service to fulfill its goals, vision and mission.
Client surveyTo work out the marketing conception, a client surveywas carried out among agricultural producers.In the survey the following facts were established:
Only 8% of those who replied did not know what theAdvisory Centre is. Farmers generally have knowledgeabout the advisory system.Knowledge of specific services is not very good.About 66% have used advisory service at least once, 29% have used it more than 3 times.61% have had positive experience with the service.
Usage of the AdvisoryService
How many times in a year have farmers usedthe advisory service?Never1-2 times3-5 timesMore than 5 times
Recommendations bythe marketing agency:
Unified visuals for the Advisory Service – logo, slogan, materials (letter-heads etc), clothes, ID-cards etc. Increasing the external communication – press releasesabout improvements/developments in the system, morespecific info materials and bigger promotion for events.Improving internal communication (mailing lists foradvisors, etc).Small things make the difference, but big changes shouldalso be considered –like changing the name of the wholeservice.
Qualification system for advisors
• Agricultural advisor can apply for professional qualification level V and VI
• Level V• Higher education and 3 years practice• Vocational training and 5 years practice
• Level VI• Higher education, 3 years practice as adviser
• Professional certificate is valid 3-5 years• Professional skills, knowledge and experience are
evaluated, trainings are considered
Cross-Compliance
• Trainings for advisors & for farmers• Advisory tool - Check-list for advisors• Written information
– Handbook– Web-page www.pikk.ee/nouetelevastavus– Booklet
Trainings for advisers• 42-hour-training for all standards and requirements
(SMR&GAEC)– theory– practical training in farms– amendments in regulations
• Only advisers with CC training certificate can provide theadvisory service in the field of cross compliance.
• 56 certified advisors• Follow-up trainings for the certified advisors• Trainings for advisors in the field of agri-environmental
protection organized by Coordinating Centre
Advisory service in the field of CC
• Advisory service in field of CC includes all SMR&GAEC requirements
• 2009- cross compliance - 42 applications- applications in total - 955 • 2010- cross compliance - 74 applications- applications in total - 747
By whom are the checkscarried out?
• Advisory and control institutions are separated• Administrative checks:- Estonian Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB)• On-the-Spot checks:- ARIB- Environmental Inspectorate- Veterinary and Food Board- Plant Production Inspectorate• The control institutions participate in information days for
the advisors, where the conducted control-visits and foundviolations are discussed
