The agricultural advisory system
The agricultural advisory system offers guidance to people working in agriculture and supports them in the rapidly changing agricultural, economic and social environment. It helps them broaden their vocational qualifications and promotes the further development of their technical and business management skills.
Organisation of agricultural advisory affairs in Switzerland
Advisory affairs in agriculture and rural home economics are part of the agricultural innovation and knowledge system (LIWIS), which is organised on two levels in Switzerland.
On one level, there is direct advice provided locally for farming families by the cantonal advisory services. Depending on the canton, these services are offered by the education and advisory centre, the agricultural office or a cantonal farmers' association. The heads of the advisory services are members of the Swiss advisory forum.
On the other level, the Swiss-wide advisory centre AGRIDEA is an association supported by all cantons and around 50 agricultural organisations and institutions, which supports the advisory services of the cantons and organisations.
Agricultural organisations also offer advisory services which can step in for specific areas of knowledge generally not covered by the cantons of AGRIDEA. In addition, Agroscope, the universities of applied sciences, FiBL, associations and the private sector also provide advisory services and support the exchange of information.
Tasks of agricultural advisory services
Objectives of advisory services
Agricultural advisory services promote:
- Further vocational training and personal development
- The dissemination of information with a broad impact
- The exchange of knowledge between research and practice as well as within the agriculture and the farming sector
- Cooperation between agriculture and other sectors in the context of rural development, food safety and the conservation of natural resources
Advisory services provided by cantons and organisations
The agricultural advisory services of the cantons and organisations offer farming families a basis for decision-making and continuing education and training opportunities. These include:
- Information and documentation on agricultural policy and legal innovations and requirements
- Continuing education and training and information events
- Individual advice on all technical and economic concerns of farm management
- Support in the implementation of innovative projects and processes in agriculture.
The Centre for Agricultural Advisory and Extension Services AGRIDEA
AGRIDEA provides the following agricultural advisory services:
- It develops and evaluates methods for advisory services and continuing education and training, and provides guidelines and data.
- It provides training and continuing education and training courses for advisors.
- It processes information and findings from research, practice, public administration, markets and organisations, produces application-oriented documentation and aids and disseminates them.
- It supports the advisory services of the cantons and organisations as well as other organisations in their organisational development and team building and in innovative projects.
- It promotes cooperation between research, education, advisory services and agricultural and food industry practice through networking.
Promotion of the agricultural advisory system by the federal government
The FOAG provides financial assistance to the AGRIDEA advisory centre and to the advisory services of other organisations. In addition, the federal government uses financial assistance to promote agricultural advisory projects and preliminary clarifications for innovative projects in the agriculture and food sector.
Financial assistance for the agricultural advisory activities of organisations and for projects are awarded on a competitive basis. This should firstly lead to better comparability of costs, and secondly, provide more room for manoeuvre and innovation in LIWIS. Competitive awarding allows both new and established players to adopt new ideas and approaches and prove their effectiveness and efficiency. This should create flexibility in the system and thus room for innovation.
Further information
The FOAG provides a reduced English-language version of its website that does not include all further information such as documents, legislation or links. These can be found on the pages in the three official languages (German, French and Italian).
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Related topics
Support for agricultural advisory activities of organisations
Innovative Swiss agriculture requires effective and efficient measures for the utilisation and exchange of knowledge. The FOAG can provide financial assistance to organisations that perform these tasks in specialist areas of agricultural advisory services.
Support for agricultural advisory projects
The FOAG may, on request, grant financial assistance support on request for advisory projects that help to develop new advisory contents or methods.
Contact for questions
Research, Consulting and Innovation
Schwarzenburgstrasse 165
Switzerland - 3003 Bern