What has been happening with Agroplan in Bulgaria?





• On 22nd - 23rd April 2005 in Sofia a Trainer of Trainers workshop was conducted in Sofia as part of the Agroplan project. This workshop was very successful and highly appreciated by participants - mainly representatives of the most active and well known professional organizations of agricultural producers in the country (Association of the Agricultural Producers in Bulgaria, National Association of Milk Producers, Bulgarian national Horticulture Union, National Agricultural Advisory Service)
During the workshop the vocational training manual, developed through the AgroPlan Project, was presented to participants, as well as the training approaches to be adopted. Information on the project and its aims and an announcement of activities was published in the news section of the Association of the Agricultural Producers in Bulgaria website.


• Based on discussions with potential trainers, two places were selected for conducting pilot farmers workshops. These workshops took place in Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo on 17th and 19th May 2005. Both events were very successful. Participants were very satisfied with both the topics and the training approach. The two topics considered as most relevant by the Bulgarian farmers were “diversification” and “producers’ groups”.


• On the 13th April in Pleven a working meeting was conducted with the National Information Campaign of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and covering “Registration of Agricultural Producers – Opportunities, Conditions and Benefits”. The Deputy Minister Boyko Boev proposed at this meeting that, “agricultural producers of various sectors should be united in professional sector organizations in view of elaborating programmes and strategies to protect their interests and to be prepared for the practical absorption of EU funds after 1 January 2007”. He added that, “farmers in Bulgaria have to show a personal interest, and develop initiatives, that will enable them to utilize three types of financial support that are currently available to support these areas” The attendance of over 500 agricultural producers, sector organizations and representatives of agri-businesses from the regions of Pleven, Vidin, Montana, Vratza, Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo and Lovetch was an indicator of the interest and the necessity for wide ranging discussions in these areas.

• Additional funds of BGN 15,000,000 (€7,500,000) will be allocated under the Technical Programme of State Fund Agriculture (SFA). 16 investment credits amounting to BGN 5,051,190 (€2,500,000) shall be allocated by SFA under this programme and for purchasing of agricultural machinery. Agricultural producers will be supported to buy tractors, seed-drills and combine harvesters. 4 investment credits totalling amount BGN 3,823,180 (€1,900,000) will also be provided through the SFA under the plant growing programme aimed at planting new vineyards in the country.


• The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (Nihat Kabil) and the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation in Bulgaria (H.Exc. Rudolf Knoblauch) signed an amendment to the memorandum of understanding between both Governments to the rare indigenous breeds programme. The main aim of this programme is the conservation of rare indigenous breeds in Bulgaria, and specifically rearing breeds of economic benefit to farmers. The programme is being supported both by the state and the private sector. The Bulgarian Gray Cattle, the Rhodopy Shorthorn Cattle and the Copper Red Shumen Sheep are the endogenous breeds, covered by the project.

What has been happening with Agroplan in Cyprus?

In April a team of seven trainers attended a training workshop and including:

• Agronomists working in the extension service of the Department of Agriculture
• Research and extension officers working at the Agricultural Research Institute
• Agronomists working as consultants in the private sector.

The areas of expertise for these agronomists ranged widely and including (among others): plant pathology, producers organizations, inspecting incoming and outgoing agricultural produce, quality assurance, handling of agricultural produce and managing greenhouse operations. Overall, the training material proved a useful body of reference material for trainers. The method employed to deliver the material also seemed very effective and particularly as it focused on case studies.

Greatest interest was expressed amongst particpants as farm diversification, producer groups and case studies and the least interesting as farm business planning and marketing

What has been happening with Agroplan in Greece?

Workshops were organised with the aim of providing the necessary management and entrepreneurship skills to trainers, consultants and farmers across various regions of Greece. In April 2005 a training of trainers workshop was conducted in Athens. This workshop involved the participation of directors of continuous vocational training centres and trainers experienced in the training of farmers and covered farm business planning, marketing of agricultural products, agri- environment and sustainability, farm diversification and producer group initiatives.

On completion of the workshop, and following a discussion with participants, the following remarks regarding farm management and entrepreneurship in Greece are worthy of note:

• The general lack of familiarity with the concept of entrepreneurship in the farming sector and to downstream integration into the secondary sector (processing) and tertiary sector (trading)
  
  
• The need for Government and State support to restructuring and upgrading marketing and distribution channels across Greece
  
  
• The need for farmers to realise what customers want and adapt to their needs
  
  
• Changing the mentality and attitudes of farmers, consultants and trainers towards farm entrepreneurship and farm management
  
  
• Structural problems in Greek agriculture (small sizes of agricultural businesses, aging owners, low overall educational levels, large percentage of the national workforce employed in agriculture (18%)
  
  
• A lack of agencies and national/ regional institutes that actively promote and support exports and the distribution and marketing of local production
  
  
• The failure of many efforts at farmer cooperation and mainly due to a lack of cooperative spirit
  
  
• The small size of Greek agribusiness providing diversification and vertical integration possibilities due to better control of the production process
  
  
• Further development of case studies from Greek farm businesses
  
  
• Further standardisation, proper labelling and promotion of Greek agricultural products

A series of workshops to disseminate project results and to deliver training to specific target groups across the farming population will be organised during summer 2005. This will include:

• Training of young farmers, and potential young farmers in the area of Central Macedonia
  
  
• Training of producers and members of KEOSOE (3rd level wine and grapes cooperative) in Nemea, Peloponnesus and the wider Attica region
  
  
• Training of Women cooperatives members in the islands of the North Aegean region
  
  The interest expressed so far in Agroplan by target groups (farmers and trainers) indicates a need to further expand and deliver training activities and provide support initiatives that will contribute to the development of the necessary management skills and encouragement of an entrepreneurial spirit in the farming population across Greece, and so increase the competitiveness and sustainability of rural areas.

Farm innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe…

On 10th May a forum comprising of European Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries was held in Luxembourg. The topic covered, “Agriculture of tomorrow – a challenge to young farmers”. The access of young farmers to agricultural activities, training and exchange of experience, as well as the instruments of the Common Agriculture Policy were discussed.


What has been happening with Agroplan in Italy?



The structure of the Italian agricultural sector is characterised by small family holdings and with a relatively low level of technical expertise and access to financial, technical or educational resources that will allow farmers to increase their competitiveness in European and international markets. Despite the Italian agricultural sector being divided into distinct regions of product specialisation, (for example the Lomellina and Pianura Padana regions for rice production, Lazio for vegetable production and Sicily for citrus fruits), its structure remains dominated by small and medium sized family farms. Their competitive development is hindered not only through cultural and social factors, but also due to a lack of access or an awareness of the possibilities offered by the European Union and by local and regional agricultural extension offices. The potential for increased added value along the agricultural production chain will remain relatively untapped until structural, administrative and social constraints are removed.

The first Agroplan workshop in Italy was held on the 20th April in Abruzzo in the region of Avezzano in Central Italy. 7 Key trainers were selected for the workshop and an additional 8 participants acted observers. The workshop proved an overall success and the need for training in farm management was clearly expressed and reflected in the high number of participants.

Two groups of key trainers were chosen to implement training courses for final beneficiaries. Both courses are taking place at the end of June in southern and central Italy and where the strongest interest and need for training has been expressed. The collaboration of three key trainers and an observer, has been established to meet this demand and to reach as many final beneficiaries in central and southern regions of Italy and to have as high impact and profile as possible in these regions. It is expected that a total of approximately 100 final beneficiaries will attend the training sessions and these will be evaluated by an external assessor against criteria specified by the European Commission and to assess the quality of the training manual and the method of training.

What has been happening with Agroplan in the United Kingdom?


UK interest in Agroplan was further aroused by the introduction of the new single payment scheme (SPS) for European Union farmers. Six key UK trainers were trained in Agroplan training materials delivery on the 17th March at Symmonds Farm, Great Saxham, Bury St. Edmunds by Peter Bentley and Neil Ridley of Otley College. Trainers were selected as they are all work in agricultural training for farm diversification and through the Agricultural Development in the Eastern Region (ADER). This is a project funded by the Regional Development Agency EEDA (East of England Development Agency) and which is helping farmers to adjust to the UK Government policy as set out in the SSFF (strategy for sustainable farming and food.).
The training was well recieved and in particular information on how training in agricultural innovation and change is adressed in other European countries. Detailed discussions were held on how materials can be further developed to allow interactive and computerised and further participatory learning approaches to be adopted. Trainers concluded that the real challenge was to how to tempt farmers to attend events and Agroplan was fortunate in obtaining support from the East Midlands region of Defra in this respect.

In March 2005, Agroplan organised and delivered 5 one day workshops on farm diversification, across the East Midlands and one in each county of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire. 60 farmers in total attended these pilot events and delivered by key trainers Tina Heathcote and Neil Ridley. The training was based around a farm visit and the Agroplan training manual, with a particular emphasis on farm diversification. The training was well receieved and Defra are keen to develop further events of this kind throughout the UK.

For Defra there is a particular interest intraining andprogrammes that:

• Add value to farm commodities
  
• Encourage CAP reform and the challenge of decoupling subsidies
  
• Helping farmers to identify what markets want – the emergence of the”agripreneur”
  
• Encouraging new entrants to farming – and so bring in additional capital and new innovation
  

The next step Contact us...

- A review of farm management and planning approaches and the extent of use of software packages

- An assessment of current thinking and future opportunities for encouraging greater innovation, entrepreneurship and use of ICT in Agriculture.

- The development and dissemination of new training packages, case studies and examples of good practice

The further development of partner networks and pan-European links between farm advisers, advisory organisations and farmers associations.

- Training of Country Trainers and specialist Agricultural advisers on farm management, production, planning, entrepreneurship and innovation and the use of ICT.

- Working closely with software providers and manufacturers of enabling technologies, to assist in the development and dissemination of information in the Agricultural sector.

- Encouraging greater certification of materials and courses among European Training Providers, in order to further improve farm management, production, planning, entrepreneurship and innovation.