general assembly statutory meeting edgars linde, eufras ......- fundatia adept transilvania, rumania...

General Assembly Statutory meeting Edgars Linde, EUFRAS Vice-Chairman of the Board

EUFRAS General Assembly, 22.02.2017, Starossel, Bulgaria

European network and representative association of public and private rural and agricultural extension services which is aligned to the global representative body for advisory services GFRAS EUFRAS was officially founded on the 23rd of September 2013, but officially registered in Latvian Register of Enterprises on the 13th of January, 2014


Currently EUFRAS network represents 33 members from 24 countries – Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland.


In year 2016 admitted - Laboratory of Agricultural Extension, Rural System & Rural

Sociology, Department of Agricultural Economics & Rural Development, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece

- The Southern Agriculture and Horticulture Organization (ZLTO - Zuidelijke Land en Tuinbouw Organisatie), Netherlands

- The National Council of Agricultural Chambers from Poland (Krajowa Rada Izb Rolniczych)

Potential members, expressed interest from

- Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania, Rumania

- DGADR - General Directorate of Agriculture and Rural

Development, Portugal


Key activities in 2016

The foundation event and first meeting of EUFRAS-CECRA working group

Place: The premises of APCA, Paris, France

Date: 2nd of March, 2016

EUFRAS General Assembly 2016 during the agricultural fair “SIA”

Place: The premises of APCA, Paris, France

Date: March 3-4, 2016

IALB/EUFRAS conference ‘Innovation Support for a Diverse Agriculture’

Place: University of Limerick, Ireland

Date: 22 June, 2016

The 7th GFRAS Annual Meeting: The Role of Rural Advisory Services for Inclusive Agripreneurship

Place: Limbé, Cameroon

Date: October 3-6, 2016


General statements for EUFRAS capacity in Horizon 2020 and other project calls (1)

• EUFRAS aims to play a key role in bringing the members

together for a successful consortium. In return the members

are obliged to disseminate the project outcomes within the

membership

• EUFRAS capacities to participate in the projects as a full

partner are limited due to the limited staff capacities in the

Secretariat (one full-time employee)


General statements for EUFRAS capacity in Horizon 2020 and other project calls (2)

• EUFRAS can be involved in the calls as a linked third party for the dissemination

activities if the following conditions are fulfilled:

- One of its member organizations takes the role of a “caretaker” for the network and

facilitates the activities

- EUFRAS domain of intervention is dissemination of project-results or support for network-

management if it is in the interest of its members

- EUFRAS is willing to be the third-party-partner in calls only if it is interesting for its members

(rural advisory services) and has participated in the preparation of a proposal since its

beginning

- EUFRAS is interested to distribute surveys to its members as a task in the project only if it is

in the interest of its members

DISCUSSION BASED ON THE RESULTS OF EUFRAS MEMBERS` SURVEY



What does your organisation expect form EUFRAS network?

• Experience, information, good practice exchange. Master

classes. Ideas. Training. CECRA.

• Common projects in development of new tools

• Participation in projects (H2020)

• Representation at EU level


Define EUFRAS strenghts

• Broad, diversified network, covers most Europe, cross-

border contacts

• High motivation for cooperation

• Joint projects, shared experience, available knowledge

• Platform for creation of unified advisory work methods

• Openness, transparency...

• ...no idea.


Define EUFRAS weaknesses

• No networking, too little information, tools exchange

between members

• Too little staff capacities

• Member commitment and motivation to influence and

invest in the common work

• Multiple languages

• Lack of time to participate

• No well defined structures for cooperation, somewhat ad-

hoc type networking opportunity


What services/tools/trainings your organization would be willing to share and offer to other EUFRAS members?

• Methodologies

• Training

• Farm management tools

• Open donors for EUFRAS members to participate in all

workshops

• All Teagasc are available to share

• In most cases expected no additional costs for recepient

member


What services/tools/trainings your organization would be willing to receive from other EUFRAS members?

• Methodologies, Success stories, tools, training

• Cross-border events

• Network for creation project consortium

• Educational materials in English

• ... And many, many more


From your point of view, what should be done to strengthen the collaboration between members?

• Bring people together

• Workshops, joint trainings

• More joint projects

• Calendar of events

• Bilateral cooperation

• Detailed members information on website


What should be improved?

• Members information, their activities

• News, methodologies, success stories, videos

• Calendar of events

• Place for communication instead of e-mails, forum

• Message when new information appears

• Information on all (H2020?) members projects


What kind of collaboration opportunities do you foresee within EUFRAS?

• CECRA

• Horizon 2020

• Proposals from previous sections

general assembly statutory meeting edgars linde, eufras ......- fundatia adept transilvania, rumania...

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