Institutional changes in Latvian rural development and agriculture in the pre-accession period

1. Institutional changes in Latvian rural development and agriculture in the pre-accession period Kaspars Zurins

2. Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) • Minister of Agricultural - Janis Duklavs Management • State Secretary - Dace Lucaua • Head of Minister Bureau • Assistant to the State Secretary • Division of Internal Audit • Division of Press and Public Relations

3. Ministry of Agriculture (2) Agricultural Department • Division of Animal Production and Pedigree Breeding • Division of Crop Production • Division of Agricultural Resources

4. Ministry of Agriculture (3) Forest Department • Division of Forestry Strategy • Division of Forest Management and Hunting • Division of Forest Sector Support • Division of Land Sustainable Management

5. Ministry of Agriculture (4) Fishery Department • Division of Fishing Management and Fish Resources • Division of Fishery Strategy • Division of Fishery Support

6. Ministry of Agriculture (5) Veterinary and Food Processing Department • Division of Food Processing • Division of Food Safety • Division of Animal Health and Veterinary Drug • Division of Animal Trade, Welfare and Nutritive • Division of Biotechnology and Quality

7. Ministry of Agriculture (6) International Affairs and Strategy Analysis Department • Division of European Union Affairs • Division of International Affairs • Division of Strategy Analysis

8. Ministry of Agriculture (7) Legal Department • Division of Legal Supervision • Division of Legal Acts • Division of Personnel

9. Ministry of Agriculture (8) Budget and Finance Department • Division of Budget Planning and Financing • Division of Finance Controls, Accounts and State Property • Division of Financial Management of European Union Funds • Division of Administrative Resources and Information Technology Management • Division of Office Works

10. Ministry of Agriculture (9) Rural Development Support Department • Division of Rural Development Support Funds • Division of National Support • Division of Funds Monitoring and Information Coordination

11. Ministry of Agriculture (10) Market and Direct Support Department • Division of Direct Payment • Division of Sector Economy • Division of Common Market Organization

12. Institutions • Rural Support Service • Food and Veterinary Service • State Plant Protection Service • State Forest Service • National Board of Fisheries • Latvia University of Agriculture • Agricultural Data Centre • Latvia's State Forests • Latvian Fish Resources Agency • Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre

13. Rural Support Service (1) The Rural Support Service (RSS) – Latvia’s paying agency is a governmental institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture.

14. Rural Support Service (2) RSS was established in January, 2000 with the purpose to implement administrative, financial and technical management system in respect of the State support and the EU support – SAPARD. RSS administrates the State support and the EU support to rural areas, agriculture, forestry and fisheries – accepts and assesses support applications (projects), makes a decision on allocation or rejection of the funding, makes a decision on payment or rejection of the support and keeps records of the executed payments and their utilization control.

15. Food and Veterinary Service (1) • The Food and Veterinary Service is a state administrative institution supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture. • FVS ensures unified state surveillance and control over the food circulation and the sector of veterinary medicine.

16. Food and Veterinary Service (2) Within the framework of food surveillance concept „from the field till the table” which is the most effective way how to protect the consumer right to receive safe and harmless food in January 1, 2002 the Food and Veterinary Service (FVS) started operating under the Ministry of Agriculture.

17. State Plant Protection Service (1) The Service performs official control and surveillance in the field of free movement of plant protection products, fertilizers, plants and plant products, plant varieties, seed and planting material, as well as collaborates with international organizations and provides the exchange of information with other countries on issues of plant protection, plant quarantine, movement of seeds and variety protection rights.

18. State Plant Protection Service (2) State Plant Protection Service has been established pursuant to Plant Protection Law adopted by Parliament (Saeima) 17 December 1988 as a state institution supervised by Ministry of Agriculture.

19. Agricultural Data Centre (1) State Agency "Agricultural Data Centre" according to the Pedigree law and other laws and regulations provides: • Animal and herd registration; • Holding registration; • Maintaining data base of animal and herd and holging register; • Maintaining milk recording results and processing of information; • Sending the results of milk recording to herd owners; • Maintaining data base of milk producers register; • Maintaining data base of milk quota register and transaction registration; • Preparing of pedigree information;

20. Agricultural Data Centre (2) Initially established as State Animal Breeding Information and Data Processing Centre (VCIDAC) under supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture that was established in 1997 to aggregate, process and analyze zootechnical, veterinarian and agricultural information in Latvian Republic with goal to create whole state animal and herd register, pedigree information system in compliance with international requirements.

21. Introduction in the development of farmers NGO’s in Latvia

22. Farmers NGO’s in Latvia According to COPA/COGECA : • 50 – 95% of agricultural producers are involved in farmers NGO’s in “old” EU member states • for the “new” member states this number is 10 – 50% • in Latvia it is estimated that the number of members in different agricultural NGO’s is slightly above 3500...

23. Farmers non-gevernmental organizations advisory board Established in September, 2009. Members: • Latvian Agricultural Organization Cooperation Council • Farmers Parliament • Association of Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives • Association of Agriculture Statutory Companies • Latvian Federation of Food Enterprises • Association of Latvian Organic Agriculture

24. Latvian Agricultural Organization Cooperation Council LAOCC: • Established in 2001 • Permanent representative person in Brussels since 2002 • Registeder as organization in 2004

25. LAOCC (2) Membership: • A national level agricultural or rural development promotional non-government organizations can apply to become a member of the organization • Represents 39 member organizations Cooperation with other organizations: • LAOCC has 8 associated member organizations - Latvian Rural Women Association, Society of Land Amelioration, the Latvian Fishermen Federation, Latvian Agronomists Union, Latvian Bakers Union, Latvian Grocery Enterprises Federation, Latvian Union of Cooperative Savings and Loan Association, Association “Slow food” • At the moment LAOCC has cooperation agreements with 18 regional agricultural organizations

26. LAOCC main tasks (1) • To represent the voice of organized agricultural and rural civil society in governmental an EU institutions • Involve agricultural NGOs in decision making process for preparation and realization of agricultural development policy • Supporting of agricultural producers to provide sustainable development of agriculture in future • Rural development issues • To involve agricultural producers in decision making process concerning agro-political issues

27. LAOCC main tasks (2) • To ensure information exchange between: • Agricultural NGOs; • Producers of agricultural products; • Ministry of Agriculture; • State institutions; • Other NGOs; • Foreign cooperation partners. • Cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and other state and EU institutions: • NGO represents the voice of the organized civil society • Different NGO can have different opinions • But “roof” NGO must formulate their own common official opinion to represent at institutions

28. LAOCC activities(2) • Exchange of information between: • Producer – LAOCC – producer • Ministry of Agriculture – LAOCC – producer • Producer – LAOCC – Ministry of Agriculture • Regular conversations with rural and agricultural society through our member organizations • Regular and intensive working meetings and brainstorms between member organizations • Involving people from rural areas and agriculture sector in decision making process through LAOCC resolutions • Organization communication with society • Explanationary work • Regular and intensive working with involved ministries

29. Farmers Parliament (1) • Non-governmental organization • Membership - 819 farms and agricultural businesses - a large part of Latvian commercial farmers • All kinds of rural production • Mostly family farms • Cultivate approximately 243 000 ha • Of the total Latvian production they produce • 46 % of grain • 54% of rapeseed • 37% of members - in animal husbandry • Members employ 2873 people • Member of the Marketing Council of Latvia – officially responsible for promoting local food produce development and marketing

30. Farmers Parliament (2) One of the most influential farmers lobbies in Latvia, who say that they are: • working on all the issues concerning commercial farms, including legal and regulatory framework and support mechanisms, educationand niche products production • in year 2006 Farmers Parliament lobbying activities resulted in 116,4 million Ls in total (EUR 165,6 million) • participates in most agriculture policy decision making working groups in Latvia • participates in European Commission agricultural decision making process • participates in the development of Latvian agricultural education qualification system

31. Farmers Parliament (3) Information exchange and training programs for members: • Training events for farmers and their staff • Consultancy for farmers • Up-market consultancy for farmers - the most knowledgeable consultants in the sector • Exchange office of agriculture consultants • A newsletter for members with most up to date information on regulations and financial support instruments • Practical and theoretical training on new equipment for farm workers • Training programs and consultations on project development, financial support instruments and regulations

32. Association of Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives (1) Brief history: Association of Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives (ALAC) was founded in 2002. ALAC is a society uniting agricultural service cooperatives registered in the Register of Enterprises providing services to their members – producers of agricultural product and who do not produce agricultural products themselves. ALAC unites 63 member cooperatives.

33. Association of Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives (2) Aims of ALAC: • creating favourable environment for the development of agricultural production in Latvia; • farm stability, modernization and successful integration into EU; • development of farmers and general populations understanding on the necessity for cooperation and its advantages in agriculture.

34. Association of Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives (3) Main activities of ALAC: • representing and lobbying of the members interests in state institutions; • promotion of cooperation idea among farmers; • informing general public on the development of cooperation; • providing consultations to members; • Organizing trainings and informative events to members; • Organizing experience exchange visits; • cooperation and providing of recommendations for state and municipal organizations, political parties and other institutions • one of the main cooperation partners for Ministry of Agriculture for solving the problems in the area of farmers cooperatives.

35. Association of Agriculture Statutory Companies Aim: To coordinate mutual cooperation of agriculture statutory companies for defending common interests and representing them in state and municipal institutions. Tasks: • Organize trainings and educational activities for farm managers and employees, seminars on EU support programmes. • Regular analyses of economical production factors. • To develop and submit recommendations for necessary changes in legal acts.

36. Latvian Federation of Food Enterprises (1) • Latvian Federation of Food Enterprises (LFFE) is the only food-processing multi-branch nongovernmental organization, bringing together entrepreneurs and professional associations, promoting producers interests in all stages of the food production process, supporting and representing food producers in relations with state and nongovernmental organizations, bringing over food producers suggestions and opinion to the legislators and providing informative support to the members of LFFE.

37. Latvian Federation of Food Enterprises (2) LPUF mission • To support cost-effective development of the food processing industry in Latvia and competitiveness abroad, ensure favourable market regulation and good economic environment, procure direct support for the industry, promote Latvian food products in the local consumer market and protect the interests of Latvia's food enterprises in export markets.

38. Association of Latvian Organic Agriculture (1) • Founded in April 7, 1995. • It is a professional organisation in the framework of which people producing, processing and selling organic agriculture products as well as people supporting organic movement have been united. • Cooperates with the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment and specialists of other ministries, organizations and mass media to promote sustainable living and production. • Provides research on the use of agricultural methods in organic agriculture.

39. Association of LatvianOrganic Agriculture (2) Unite organic agriculture organisations in order to: • Together look for production improvement opportunities; • Develop market policy and find marketing opportunities for organic output; • Establish educational system and improve educational and training opportunities for organic farmers; • Inform the society about the role of natural products in the maintenance of health; • Farm and promote the use of sustainable agricultural methods friendly to the environment; • Involve in Association people from different fields of activities interested in organic agriculture; • Facilitate quality food production.

40. Association of LatvianOrganic Agriculture (3) Tasks: 1. Facilitate organic products supply to consumers 2. Inform and educate society about organic agriculture and its perspectives, environmental problems, the role of organically produced food, thus securing health of the society in the world and in Latvia 3. Moving proposals in institutions for developing legislation with regard to the improvement of organic agriculture 4. Ensure participation of the representatives of Association in the work of State authority and administration

41. Association of LatvianOrganic Agriculture (4) Tasks: 5. Promote cooperation between the members of Association and NGOs’ in Latvia and abroad 6. Every member must assume responsibility for keeping prestige of the Association avoiding dishonest way of farming and lessened belief of society in organically produced food 7. Provide training opportunities for Latvia's farmers and food producers to build their knowledge in organic food production collaborating with educational institutions in Latvia 8. Encourage elaboration and realization of various projects connected with organic agriculture

42. Latvian Farmers Federation One of the oldest farmers NGOs in Latvia – established in 1990. Since 1997 owns 1% of the shares of Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre. Aim: To unite Latvian farmers and to protect their interests. Tasks: • To gather information on problems related to farming; • To collect the farmers opinions and to involve them in finding solutions; • To activate the members in participating in training and information activities and learning from experience in latvia and abroad; • To explain the future perspectives of farming, especially among young persons.

43. Role of the state • State created/controled system; • Market driven system; • Organisational structure; • Flexible or defined salary and motivation system; • Competition