TAIEX Worskshop on Agricultural Extension Services in EU

1. TAIEX Worskshop on Agricultural Extension Services in EU Organisationalstructure and practiceactivities of agriculturaladvisoryservices in EU MemberStates- Italy 25-26 February 2016 Kiev-Ukraine Sonia Marongiu CREA – Council for AgriculturalResearch and AgriculturalEconomics Analysis Rome Unit: Politics and Bioeconomy

2. The Organization of Farm Advisory System in Italy The Italian FAS ischaracterized by threecomponents: • Private: consists of private experts, private firmsproducing input for agriculture (fertilizers, cropprotectionsystems, etc.), animalfeeding, etc. • Public: connected with national and regionalinstitutions for agriculture, having more general economic policy aims. • Farmerbasedorganizations Objective: keep/expandtheir market share Medium-large farms Objective: promote the development of agriculture in ruralterritories Medium-small farms Historically, the development of Italianagriculturehasbeendeterminedmainly by the private producer of inputsthanks to which the agriculturalfarmshaveexperienced the modernmechanization, the innovation and the mostadvancedagronomictechniques(since the postwarperioduntilnow). The advisory service coming from the public sectorcontributes more to the promotion of the technic and economicknowledge in the small and medium farmsand helpsfarmers in the implementation of the new Europeanagriculturalpolicies.

3. The Organization of Farm Advisory System in Italy Delivering of advisoryservices in Italy • Methods: • Information activities (informative materials, conferences, seminars) • Technical meetings, laboratorytests, fieldvisits • Advice for small groups or individualadvices

4. The Private Farm Advisory System in Italy The private Farm Advisory Services are provided by: Upstreamindustries Downstream industries Experts and professionaladvisors Information system 1. Varietalinnovations, fertilizers and cropprotectionsytems, mechanicinnovations, management of livestocksystems, etc.. The AS iscarried out by agronomists, biologists, engineers and veterinariesthatoffertheirtechnicalassistence and training in agriculturalfarms and for retailers 2. The foodindustriessign commercial agreements with farms (contractfarming) definingquantity and quality of the production. The farmerreceives training, advisoryservices and technicalassistence from the foodindustry (i.e. in Italy: granivore farms-meatindustry; beetproducers-sugar industry, etc.). 3. Mainlyagronomists and veterinaries: theyoffertheirassistence in the preparation of specificprojects (irrigations, greenhouses, etc) or administrativedocuments to apply for European or National aids. Many of them are involved in the contractfarming and operate on behalf of foodindustries. 4. Farmers are informed by magazines (edited by private companies or researchbodies, professionalorganizations, etc.) or by national and internationalfairs and exhibitions(mechanicalsector, irrigation, fruit, vineyards, etc.).

5. The Private Farm Advisory System in Italy: UpstreamIndustry The upstreamindustryincludes the producers of seed, fertiliser, pesticide, veterinarymedicines, machinery, irrigation and animalfeed. Theyhave an importantrole in the diffusion on innovation to farmers and are alsoinvolved in R&D activities with high potential market returns. The upstreamindustriesoperates with a network of retail and wholesalestores and techniciansworking on the grounddirectly with farmers, givingthemtechnicalsupport. Almost 5,000 advisors work in upstreamindustries (est. 2008). In Italy the suppliers of thesekind of advisory are notconcentratedbutgeographically spread in all the Regions. Some examples UNIMA - National Union of AgriculturalMechanisation Companies Farm Machinery: the advisoryservicesare provided by the sellers and the companies processing under contract (i.e. UNIMA the, represent more than 85% of agro-mechanical companies). COMPAG - National Federation of AgriculturalProductsTraders Itis an association of private traders companies involved in the supply of pesticides, fertilizers, seeds, animalfeed, cerealtrade etc. Advisoryactivities: support the companies in the organization of training for farmers, in the realization of information system on the sustainable use of pesticides, etc..

6. The Private Farm Advisory System in Italy: Downstream industry • The downstream industryprovidesadvisoryservices to the farmers under contractfarming (the foodindustriessign commercial agreements with farms) with the aim to enabletem to meetspecificquantity and qualitystandards set by the purchaser. • 39,249 farmsunderscontractfarming with industrial companies • 97,980 farms under contractfarming with commercial companies • 734 advisors work in the downstream industry (poultry, pig, meat, fruits and vegetable, sugar beet, etc.) • The farmer benefits from technicaladvice, managerial expertise and access to technologicaladvantagesprovided by the contractors. Some examples Barilla engaged a project «High qualitydurumwheat» promoted by Emilia Romagna and involving the entiresupplychain. Producer Organizations and Consorzi Agrari signcontractualagreement with farmersprovidingtechnicalassistance and advisoryservices for the enhancement of durumwheatquality, following the plan of Barilla. Aim: improving the quality of production

7. The Private Farm Advisory System in Italy: Private Professional Advisers • In Italy, the system of private consultants and advisorsincludesagronomists and veterinariansthat must be registered with a professionalorder. In Italy (2010) • 53,379 peopleenrolled in the agriculturalprofessionalorder (agronomy and agro-technics) • 27,891 in the Veterinaryprofessionalorder Usually medium and large farmshave a private advisor to rely for specificactivities: soilpreparation, sowing, fertilising, disease and pest control. In some sectors, suchaswine production, even the smallest companies has an enologist. In recentyearsthe demands of advisoryconcerning the application procedure to obtain EU funds isincreasing. The private advisors work individually or in companies. In the last programmingperiod, the participation to RD calls for advisoryserviceshasbeenextended to entities and notindivididualpeople. Because of this, the number of professionalassociations are increased in Italy. One of themis FONDAGRI (Foundation for agriculturaladvisoryservices), a network of advisorsworking in all the Regions with the mainobjective of partecipating in the FAS measures of RDPs.

8. The Public Farm Advisory System in Italy (1) • In Italy, the only public institutioninvolved in the promotion and management of the Farm Advisory Services is the Region. • EveryItalianRegion: • hasitsspecific law • decidesaboutcompetences, rolesand involvedsubjects • defines the procedure to assign public funds • hasits production sector and territorial farm typologies • Italydoesnothave a «national» systembutitispossible to highlight some common pointsamong the 21 Regions. • EveryRegionregulates the FAS inside a widersystemthat include alsoresearch and training (Extension Services: Agricultural Knowledge and Information System – AKIS) • EveryRegionadopts a decentralizedorganizative model, entrusting the advisoryservices to third parties (publics and privates)

9. The Public Farm Advisory System in Italy (2) Regions Role of direction and coordination (Management Authoriti of RDP) • Province or otherlocalgovernmentstructures • Agencies of agriculturalservices: metereological networks, chemicallaboratories, multimedia initiatives, etc. • Oftentheymanage public funds to realize the call for tender and choose the advisors to supply the service to the farmers Public bodies (direct) Private advisors (selection) The RegionalDepartment of Agricultureemanates a call or an assignment of funds and the private advisors must submit a project to obtain public funds. • Farmersprofessionalassociations (tradeunions or agriculturalproducersassociations): the mostactives are fruit/vegetables and breederassociations • Agronomists, veterinaries and specialists • Public resources: 33% technicalservices; 32% basicservices; 14% specialisticservices; 6% information

10. Farmerbasedorganisations Three types: farmers’ unions, farmers’ cooperatives and producersorganizations • Farmersunions: Coldiretti, CIA and Confagricolurarepresent the economic, social and civilinterests of farmers. Historically the adhesionreflected a specificpoliticalaffiliationbutactuallythisisnotrelevant. • Coldiretti and CIA: small and medium sizefarms • Confagricoltura: largestfarms • The FarmersUnionsprovideseveralservices to the farmers: • Fiscal assistance (CAFs, taxassistance centers) • Technical assistance (CAA, agricultural service centers): management of EU subsidies, legalservices, administrations • They are partlyfunded by public money and partly by the farmersthroughtheirannualfee and paying the cost for services. Sometimestheyofferservices free of charge.

11. Farmerbasedorganisations FarmersCooperatives: in Italythereis an importantfarmers’ cooperative tradition, especially in north and centre of the country. In Italythere are almost 5,900 agriculturalcooperativesincluding 993,400 farmermembers with approximately 94,000 employees and more than 35 billion of revenues. The service cooperatives are 1,827 with 246,500 membersgeneratingabout 6 billions of revenues. FarmersCooperativesprovidevariousservices to theirmembers: supply of farm inputs, storage, sellingproducts, research (analysis, experimentation, etc), technicaladvisory, etc.. Historically a special kind of farmersCooperatives, Consorzi Agrari, played a veryimportantroleasconsultants, especiallyasregardchemicalfertilizers and agriculturalmachinery. Actuallythey are federated in ASSOCAP whichprovidedagriculturaladvicethrough a network of 1,200 agencies spread allaroundItaly.

12. Farmerbasedorganisations Producer Organisations: in Italythere are 195 non-fruit and vegetableproducersorganisations and 297 fruit and vegetables producer organisations. Oftenthey are farmers’ cooperatives. Theyadoptactions to improve the production quality and safety (suchasdisciplinary, traceability, certifications, etc.) and offerexpertadviceto farmers. The POsrole in innovation and knowledge transfer processcould be crucialbutitishighlyvariabledepending on the sector and geographical area.

13. Italy: Extension Services classification First levelservices(target: farms and localterritories) Information Technical magazines Fairs and exhibitions Conferences and seminars Others Basic and localservices Cultural services Basic farm advice Technical advice Marketing advice Customeradvice Other Product specializedservices Test Technical advice Marketing advice Farm advice Other Advanced levelsupportservices Network of environmentalmonitoring Specializedsupports Marketing promotions Networks, database and multimedia Other Managerialservices Accounting Managerial and financialadvices Support to implement policy Other Second levelservices (target: technicalorganizations) Planning and management advices Analysis of innovationdemand Other

14. Case Study: Farm Advisory System in Trentino The Autonomous Province of Trento islocated in the North of Italy. Itis a mountainous area. The agricultural economy isbased on permanentcultivations (apples and wine), berriesand livestock. 60% of territoryisoccupied by forests: woodisanotherimportant source of income. Characteristic: a strong cooperative system in everyproductivesector.

15. Case Study: Farm Advisory System in Trentino • The FAS in Trentino isbased on • Chain approach • Integration betweenadvisory and training services • Sustainable management of the territory Whatkind of model? Research and innovation system Agricultural system • The model of Agricultural Knowledge and Information System in Trentino gives an importantrole to the research and innovation, consideredasinstruments for the development of farm and territorialcompetitiveness. • The research and innovationsystemiscloselyintegrated with the agriculturalproductivesystem with the aim to foster the innovation and technology transfer process.

16. Case Study: Farm Advisory System in Trentino The Provincial Law 14/2005 regulatesall the systemof advisory and training development. • The Edmund Mach Foundation is the mostimportantinstitution in the field of research and testing in agriculture, training, farm technicalassistance and advisoryservices. • Activities • Second level • High vocational training in agriculture, environment and forestry (graduate and post-graduate) • Disseminationactivities • Advisoryservices National Park of Stelvio Funded by the Province + RDP Funds (in 2007-2013) + other funds (collaborationswith companies and otherinstitutions)

17. Edmund Mach Foundation • The Edmund Mach Foundation was an agriculturalinstitute. Itislocated in San Michele all’Adige, 20 km far from Trento. The Autonomous Province of Trento carried out itsadvisory service systementrusting the management of all the activitiesto the EMF. • Itisdivided in three Centre • Education and training • Research and innovation • Technological transfer Farm Advisory Services Testingactivities in agriculture, environment and forest The Centre of Technological Transfer fosters the knowledgedissemination and the technological transfer with the aim to improve the agricultural and forestrysystemfollowing a sustainable management of the territory. The Advisoryactivityiscarried out following a chainapproach=involvingall the actors on cross-cuttingissuesinvolvingall the productivesectors: • Integrated production and certifications • Soilanalysis • Effects of agriculture on the environment • Sustainable management of the territory (agriculture in mountain areas)

18. Edmund Mach Foundation In thissystem, the link betweeneducation and training and advisoryservicesisconsideredcrucial, and veryimportant for the development of knowledge and human capital. FAS isrealizedmainlythroughthe EMF with twokind of activities: • Vocational training: • Vocational training for youngfarmers • Training for operators in agriculture and forestrysector • Training activities for operators of agrifood and environmentalsector • Information • Information activites for operators in agriculture and forestrysector • Workshop for operators in agriculture and forestrysector • At the beginning of RD programmingperiod 2007-2013 the Education and Training Centre, in collaboration with the TechnologicalTranfers Centre hasconcentrateditsactivitiesmostly on the cross compliance and safetyconditionsat work. • Training and information activities financed by RD funds (Measure 111: vocational training and information). Measure 114 and 115 havebeennotapplied in Trentino. • Cross compliance: advisors and consultants in all the province were the beneficiaries • Safetyat work: in a first time only for technicians, then for all the farms (5,500 farmswereinvolved (27% of the total)

19. The localapplechain and the role of consultants

20. Thanks for yourattention Sonia Marongiu – CREA sonia.marongiu@crea.gov.it