1. Farm Advisory System in Hungary
Imre Wayda senior counsellor A a
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Department for Rural Development
Unit for Agricultural Competitiveness and Restructuring

2. Contents Legal regulation of FAS Structure and operation of FAS
Training of advisors
Water issues in FAS
Work of advisors
Proposals

3. Legal basis of FAS 1782/2003/EC 1698/2005/EC National regulations
EU regulations
1782/2003/EC
1698/2005/EC
National regulations
90/ MARD reg. on licencing of advisors
73/ MARD reg. on the structure of FAS
52/2007. MARD reg. on subsidizing farmers using FAS services

4. Structure of FAS I. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
National Advisory Centre
Paying Agency
Regional Advisory Centres
(7)
Professional Centres
(research institutes)
Territorial Advisory
Centres (82)
(service providers)
Registered advisors (800)
Farmers (210,000) and forestholders (22,000)

5. National Advisory Centre and Territorial Advisory Centres (TACs)
Structure of FAS II.
National Advisory Centre and Territorial Advisory Centres (TACs)
Operative tasks
maintaining the List of Advisors and the List of Territorial Advisory Centres
organising the advisors’ further education and examination
monitoring of TACs
maintaning electronic information system of FAS

6. Structure of FAS III. Territorial Advisory Centres (82)
Private advisory bodies selected via tender
educational institutes
county organizations of Agricultural chamber
research institutes
advisory companies
professional organizations
consortiums of the above
They employ licensed advisors to cover at least all the CC issues, GAEC and work safety
For most of them advisory activity is not the main branch of business

7. Structure of FAS IV. Licenced advisors (800)
Lincencing is done by the National Advisory Centre
Advisors can choose from 22 professional fields (e.g. arable land farming, animal husbandry, plant protection, animal health, melioration and water management, food safety, work safety, farm management and economy, etc.)
Main requirements
University (MSc) or college (BSc) degree
3 years of practice
Exempt from commercial interest
No public administration work

8. Operation of FAS
Operation takes place according to our NHRDP measure 114.
Farmers and Territorial Advisory Centres (TAC’s) make advisory service contract for a duration of maximum 1 year at a time, and up to 3 times between 2007 and 2013
Advice is provided by licenced advisors employed by TAC’s
Advice must include the relevant issues of SMR’s, GAEC and work safety
Service is paid by farmer
Farmer applies for aid
Aid is paid to farmer

9. Financing FAS
Financing service providing
Public funds 80% (NHRDP measure) up to 700 € / contract and up to 1500 € / farmer for the duration of NHRDP
Private funds 20% (farmers’ contribution)
TACs determine their own advisory fee (HUF/hour), and it is their only source to finance their advisory activity
Financing the state tasks related to FAS and completed by MARD, National Advisory Centre and Regional Advisory Centres
NHRDP TA measure
national budget

10. Training of advisors Basic training and examination
Compulsory within 1 year after receiving advisory licence (exept for those completing university course on extension)
Subjects
Agricultural public administration
ICT
Methodology for advisors
Compulsory yearly further training and examination
Cross compliance
Agricultural subsidies
Optional training
Not regularly
Subjects are like electronic submission of area payment applications
No organized training on professional issues

11. Water issues in FAS
26 advisors are licenced for the professional field of melioration and water management
90 advisory service items are listed in MARD regulation on subsidizing farmers that use FAS services
Out of them the following are related directly to water issues
Ntc 1  Water management in arable crop production
Kec 11    Water management in horticulture
Tv 8        Advice on implementation of irrigation
Tv 10      Advice on water regulation
Proportion of the use of these items is very low (2% of the contracts)

12. Advisory tools in FAS and related knowledge transfer systems
Subsidized under 114. Use of advisory services measure:
FAS (advice tailored to a given farm)
One-to-one on farm
Main points of advice are in writing
Advisors keep a logbook
Subsidized under 111. Training and information measure:
Farmers’ information service (information of general type)
One-to-one in office
Group consultations
Farmers’ in-service training
187 courses
special course on irrigation and water management

13. Work of the advisors Promotion of the advisory service by
Managing Authority of NHRDP (leaflets, radio, TV, newspapers)
TACs and advisors (at meetings, exhibitions, personal contact, etc.)
How the information reaches the farmers?
One-to-one consultation on farm (typical)
Handing over written advice (major points of advice)
Telephone calls (occasionally when urgent need emerges)

14. Proposals
How to increase the number of farmers receiving advice on „drought mitigation”?
Working out advisory tools (e.g. the Handbook adapted to countries and regions) for providing overall advice on „drought mitigation”
Promoting this service among farmers
Amending the RDP
increasing the allowed frequency of use of subsidized FAS service
increasing the total amount of susidy
making „drought mitigation” a compulsory item of each service contract

15. Thank you for your kind attention