Consultancy and extension services in agriculture under the new cap

Abstract

From the perspective of the new agricultural policy, investment in extension services are potentially important tools for improving product agricultural productivity and increase farmers' income. Advisory and extension services in agriculture are a real engine in promoting agricultural development and therefore the 2008 World Development Report (WDR), Agriculture for Development, focuses on the role of extension in agriculture and its effective development challenges in the coming decades. Terms advisory services and agricultural extension covers the entire set of organizations to support and facilitate problem solving people involved in agricultural production and obtaining information, skills and technologies that improve their lives. Under the new agricultural policy, Member States may, in accordance with objective and criteria priority categories of farms with access to agricultural advisory systems Advisory systems should provide advice to farmers at least the regulatory requirements management requirements and good agricultural and environmental conditions, participation in FAS is voluntary. In this context, Chapter 3, Articles 12-13 of Regulation (EC) no. 73/2009 requires all EU Member States to implement an advisory system to assist farmers to understand the rules on cross compliance and help meet the standards.