TAIEX Worskshop on Agricultural Extension Services in EU Sources of funding the activities of agricultural advisory services in EU Member States - Italy February 2016 Kiev-Ukraine Sonia Marongiu CREA – Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economics Analysis Rome Unit: Policy and Bioeconomy

G ENERAL F RAMEWORK In Italy, Extension and Advisory Services are a part of the Agricultural Knowledge Information System (AKIS) Agricultural Knowledge Information System Extension and Advisory Services Higher Education Research and Developm ent AKIS is supported mainly by public sources. The role of private sources is less relevant and difficult to assess because there are not official statistics. Higher Education: National responsibility  Financed by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) Research & Development: National and Regional responsibility  Financed by MIUR and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF). Some research activities are funded, managed and carried out also by other national Ministries that support studies on topics related to their core mission (i.e. food safety, human health, etc.): Ministry of Health, Ministry for Economic Development, Ministry of Environment and Land Protection.

G ENERAL F RAMEWORK THE NATIONAL RESEARCH BODIES ARE GROUPED IN THREE DIFFERENT STRUCTURES: University: funded and supervised by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) National Research Council (CNR): funded and supervised by MIUR. CNR carry out research on all fields of knowledge, included agriculture. It has also a role of research manager. The planning, coordination and control activities managed by the Agrifood Department of CNR are performed in 20 Institutes, spread over the territory, involving almost one thousand researchers. Public Research Insitute: funded by MIPAAF (CREA, ISMEA the most important one) The 19 Regions and 2 Autonomous Provinces (Bolzano and Trento) fund agricultural research either directly or indirectly. Some Regions have their own research structures (i.e. Piemonte, Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo, Sicilia and Sardegna); other have their own research programs implemented through national structures (Universities or other public institution) situated in their territory. Some examples of local research centers are: CRPA – Research Center for Animal Production, CRPV – Research Center for Vegetable Production (Emilia Romagna), Research Institute of San Michele all’Adige (Trento), Laimburg Research Center for Agriculture and forestry (Bolzano). In 2008 the agricultural research public funding has been equal to 103 millions of € from MIUR 279 millions of € from MIPAAF (excluding the ordinary financing covering the fixed cost of the Italian research system).

G ENERAL F RAMEWORK In Italy, Extension and Advisory Services are a part of the Agricultural Knowledge Information System (AKIS) Agricultural Knowledge Information System Extension and Advisory Services Higher Education Research and Developm ent Extension and Advisory Service: the service has a public and a private component. The public one is managed by the Regions since The consequence is that there are 21 different organizations. All the Regions have their own legislation and allocate funds to different organization, indipendently from each other. Funds: National, Regional but EU funds (especially for Advisors). In more recent years the extension and advisory policy has become more connected with the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), in particular with regard to cross-compliance, rural animation, diversification, environmental impact, farm competitiveness.

In Italy, the Farm Advisory System depends from different funding sources: 1.European funding (mainly EAFRD, European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development) 2.Regional or provincial funding (decentralization): as concern the global contribution (regional and european) to the public funding EARFD of RD plans, the contribution is equal to a minimum of 44% of public expenditure for the RD plans in the «competitiveness» regions and a minimum of 57% in the «convergence» regions. Then there are other fundings for regional bodies or entities. 3.Private fundings: other organizations or farmers The first important Regulation (Reg.(EEC) 270/79) was issued whithin the Mediterranean package: it sustained the development of agricultural advisory services in Italy thanks to 66 Million ECUs over 12 years. The funds was used to: general organization of CIDA training of advisors in CIFDA salaries for advisors (expert in specialized agriculture and diversification). During 90s: Farm Advisory System has been supported by the Multiregional Operating Programmes (Reg. (EEC) 2052/88) During the period : the European Commission cut down the funds generally assigned to the development services. Many Regions did not replace them with their own funds, assuring only the activities of the public structures and the basic services. As a consequence, services’ supply was drastically reduced. In this period the Regions invested 350 millions € globally in extension systems (half of the total invested in the previous 5 years). H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ?

H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD Basic package of advice: Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) and Good Agricultural and Evironmental Conditions (GAECs) Advanced package of advice: SMRs+GAECs+innovation, ICT, suppport for the trade of products, participation in quality systems and certification, landscape conservation, energy saving, energy production from renowable source, etc. Organization of advisory service Selection of beneficiaries: identification of priorities to access to the FAS Young or female farmers Organic farmers or farms in marginal or Nature 2000 areas Farms in Nitrogen Vulnerable Zones Environmental issues or animal pathologies Integration of M114 in a package dedicated to single farmer or in integrated partnership projects The institution of the Farm Advisory System (Reg. EC 1782/2003) and the implementation in the RD programming period (EARFD) gave new impetus to the use of advisory services (Measure 114) and to their setting up (Measure 115). Directly: Measure 114 (the most important tool used in Italy to finance FAS), M115 and M111 (vocational training) Indirectly: M124 (cooperation), M331 (training in rural areas)

FAS in Italy reflects the complexity of the regional organisation of agriculture advisory services. The regions are responsible for setting up the FAS and consequently there are 21 regional FAS (19 Regions and 2 Autonomous Provinces). Many Regions have used Measure 111 to complement M114 and M115 in order to reach different aims and beneficiaries 17+1 Regions (Valle d’Aosta started in 2010) funded their FAS through M114 regional FAS are funded through the use EAFRD measures (including Measure 114, 115 and 111) 3 regional FAS use different resources (regional/provincial or national funds): Trento, Bolzano, Friuli Venezia Giulia do not use RDPs funds for various reasons (they have regional advisory services and focus the RDP funds on a few measures to avoid bureaucracy or give advice for free). RegionsMeasures Abruzzo, Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Sardegna, Toscana, Veneto, Umbria, Basilicata, Puglia, Sicilia 114 and 111 PA Bolzano111 and 115 PA Trento, Friuli Venezia Giulia111 Lombardia, Piemonte, Calabria, Campania111, 114 and 115 Valle d’Aosta (in 2010)114 Measure 114 and 115  Farm Advisory Service (use and setting up) Many Regions used Measure 111 (vocational training) to complemento other measures to reach different beneficiaries. FAS advisors were entities and not individual people: the accreditation procedure was defined by the Region ont eh basis of competency and reliability. Measure 114 and 115  Farm Advisory Service (use and setting up) Many Regions used Measure 111 (vocational training) to complemento other measures to reach different beneficiaries. FAS advisors were entities and not individual people: the accreditation procedure was defined by the Region ont eh basis of competency and reliability. H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD

Financial resources for Measures 111, 114 and 115 in Italian RD plans (INEA Yearbook 2008) 111 (a) 114 (b) 115 (c ) % 114/ (a+b+c) Public fundingEAFRD Public fundingEAFRD other private funding Public fundingEAFRD other private funding Piemonte61,79527,190 24,77310,9006,193 1, Valle d'Aosta4,8152, Lombardia18,9088,093 15,5096,6383, P.A. Bolzano9,0203, P.A. Trento5,1791, Veneto65,90929,000 13,6366,0003, Friuli-Venezia Giulia10,6304, Liguria14,5145,080 1, Emilia-Romagna84,09137,000 11,6775,1382, Toscana45,00019,800 15,0006,6003, Umbria19,7478,689 9,4184,1442,355 7,9213,4851, Marche18,838,285 7,9503,4983, Lazio73,93132,530 18,4838,1324,621 1, Abruzzo41,26818,158 4,9522,1791, Molise6,0002,640 2, Campania24,99814,374 32,51318,6958,128 9,5145,4716, Puglia75,00043,125 35,00020,1258, Basilicata17,82210,248 15,0008,6253, Calabria41,00023,575 8,0004,6002,000 9,0005, Sicilia90,00039,456 11,5205,0502, Sardegna70,00030,800 15,0006,6007, Total779,627370, ,802118,28462,756 29,90015,5948, H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD

The planned expenditure for the Measures have been remodulated during the time because of the difficulties experencied by the Administration in the implementation: M114 (-73%) and M115 (-79%). M111 has changed for a smaller amount (-27%) The financial execution has increased in the last 2 year (2014 and 2015). At the end of programming period (2013) the financial execution of M114 was less then 50% while at the end the percentage reached more than 90%. Financial execution= declared expenditure/planned expenditure H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD

Advanced Report on Measure 114 in Italy (RD period ; October 2015, €) Financial PlanExpenditure declaration Financial execution (%) Public fundingEARFDPublic fundingEARFD Piemonte 9,772,7274,300,0009,225,5854,057, Valle d'Aosta 140,00061,60061,01926, Lombardia 13,7006,12413,7006, PA Bolzano PA Trento Veneto 13,636,3646,000,00013,626,4055,995, Friuli Venezia Giulia Liguria 424,124148,443419,624146, Emilia Romagna 6,652,9542,927,3006,614,1752,910, Toscana 25,933,71411,410,83423,912,77110,521, Umbria 218,43296,11018,4808, Marche 283,234124,623169,06874, Lazio 866,788388,495940,988422, Abruzzo 482,157220,539479,925219, Molise 1,999,875880, Campania 982,518602,087534,516327, Puglia 3,514,7832,021,0003,105,3061,785, Basilicata 40,00024, Calabria 102,58061,55761,05936, Sicilia 343,362152,246306,322135, Sardegna 850,000374,000323,339142, Measure ,257,31229,799,75859,812,28226,816, H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD M114: Use of Advisory Services The programming expenditure has been remodulated and the funds spent in period are lower than what was initially planned, especially in some Regions: Molise and Basilicata reset the funds Umbria (8.5%) Valle d’Aosta, Marche, Campania, Calabria, Sardegna between 38 and 60% Other Regions have reached more than 90% of financial execution

Advanced Report on Measure 111 in Italy (RD period ; October 2015, €) Financial PlanExpenditure declaration Financial execution (%) Public fundingEARFDPublic fundingEARFD Piemonte 47,361,36121,279,04044,310,79719,796, Valle d'Aosta Lombardia 7,244,1433,225,6146,692,9322,979, PA Bolzano 1,398,444616,000905,020398,460- PA Trento 3,322,0401,162,7143,321,7461,162,611- Veneto 17,068,1827,510,00015,537,2346,836, Friuli Venezia Giulia Liguria 2,020,053707,0191,532,873536, Emilia Romagna 14,000,6936,160,30613,950,6926,136, Toscana 3,800,0001,672,0001,800,252792, Umbria 11,650,8865,126,3909,984,0284,392, Marche 7,391,3053,252,1744,078,3351,794, Lazio 4,029,8781,806,1912,631,3361,180, Abruzzo 2,844,0011,300,8462,645,4121,209, Molise 210,98792,840162,00071, Campania 7,732,6374,738,5604,517,2222,768, Puglia 10,078,1235,794,9218,930,6865,135, Basilicata 1,883,6191,149,8531,371,843815, Calabria 5,524,5653,315,2094,021,1342,412, Sicilia 6,402,6062,838,9164,686,8622,078, Sardegna 1,637,740720,605184,41281, Measure ,601,26372,469,198131,264,81760,577, H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD M111-Vocational Training and information actions. The financial execution is more than 85% in Piemonte, Lombardia, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo, Umbria, Puglia. In Liguria, Lazio, Molise, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicilia is included between 60 and 85%. Lower in the other Regions and very lower in Sardegna.

Advanced Report on Measure 115 in Italy (RD period ; October 2015, €) Financial PlanExpenditure declaration Financial execution (%) Public fundingEARFDPublic fundingEARFD Piemonte Valle d'Aosta Lombardia 187,59382,241187,59382, PA Bolzano 400,065176,224342,023150, PA Trento Veneto Friuli Venezia Giulia Liguria Emilia Romagna Toscana Umbria Marche Lazio 82,69837,06527,31312, Abruzzo Molise Campania 1,679,4501,029,1671,480,167907, Puglia Basilicata Calabria 3,178,6191,907,4402,002,5771,201, Sicilia Sardegna Measure 115 5,528,4253,232,1374,039,6732,353, H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD Measure 115: Set up for advisory services has been applied only in 5 Regions and the financial execution has been, on average, equal to 73%.

The framework of Agricultural Knowledge System includes two other measures Measure 124: Cooperation for development of new products, processes and technologies in the agriculture and food sector (advisory has been supplied in the support of cooperation initiatives) Measure 331: Training and information for economic actors operating in rural areas (training activities). H OW FAS IS FUNDED IN I TALY ? RD PROGRAMMING PERIOD

In a National law (L. 499/1999) financed an Interregional Program regarding the agricultural development services with the aim to provide training for the agricultural extension technicians on the main topics dealing with the rural development policy test new models, methodologies and instruments improving the agricultural extension services (information, training and advisory in rural areas), following a multiregional approach for the different activities. The overall cost was 5 millions € and involved directly all the Regions. During the period , 11 Interregional Research Projects were realized covering 11 topics (vegetable proteins, seeds, fruit farming, organic animal husbandry, olive growing, horticulture, flower growing, grassland and animal husbandy, cereal farming, no food productions, wine growing). O THER FUNDS

F UNDS FOR FAS IN THE NEXT PROGRAMMING PERIOD In the next programming period the Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (Higher Education + Research + Development and Extension) will be organized in a more systematic way through the integration of different interventions: Support of human capital Measure 111: Vocational Training Measure 112: Setting up of young farmers Measure 331: Training and information in rural areas Farm Advisory Services Measure 114: Use of advisory services Measure 115: Setting up of Farm Advisory Services Cooperation for innovation (European Innovation Partnership – EIP) AKIS will be involved in all the rural development interventions, in particular in those carried out to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of agriculture and forestry. What does it means? The transfer of knowledge and the dissemination activities will be a cross-cutting issues. It implyes a reorganization of the AKIS and its integration in the research and innovation activities of agriculture and forestry sector. The aim is to implement a Knowledge System in rural areas going beyond the agricultural sector.

F UNDS FOR FAS IN THE NEXT PROGRAMMING PERIOD RDP period : planned resources in the Italian Regions for Advisory Services Higher amount than in the previous period (+16.6%) Almost 160,000 beneficiaries advised Only the Autonomous Province of Bolzano does not apply for Measure 2 Almost all the Italian Regions have destined more resources than in the previous programming period Basilicata and Campania have drastically reduced the funds for advisory services. Art Advisory Services, farm management and farm relief services (M2) RD programming period Nr. Beneficiaries advised Total public expenditure (2.1 to 2.3) M114+M115 ∆ (M114+M11 5) - M2 Abruzzo3,4235,150,0004,952, Basilicata1,6533,801,65215,000, Calabria13,59618,647,10017,000, Campania2,65514,000,00042,027, Emilia Romagna9,6188,436,80811,677, Friuli Venezia Giulia4,3306,900, Lazio1,50012,793,08219,715, Liguria1,4132,740,0002,057, Lombardia25,58545,000,00015,509, Marche2,5005,000,0007,950, Molise1,8668,000,0002,000, Piemonte22,00034,000,00026,000, Bolzanond 320,000- Trento8341,250, Puglia15,00033,000,00035,000, Sardegna8,79216,000,00015,000, Sicilia1,7287,200,00011,520, Toscana13,97038,000,00015,000, Umbria4,89019,300,00017,339, Valle d'Aosta396600, Veneto23,34636,873,84013,636, Total159,095316,692,482271,702, Italian Rural Development Plans

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