Inspirational ideas: Advisors and AKIS in Slovenia

This inspirational idea is also available in a Slovak version. 

Translation courtesy of the National Rural Network Slovakia. Read more EIP-AGRI inspirational ideas in Slovak on the NRN website. 

New CAP ensures stronger AKIS connections for more competent advisors

Advisors play a key role in well-functioning Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), in which innovative solutions are co-created, widely shared and used by farmers, foresters, rural communities, researchers and other actors in the innovation ecosystem. In the Slovenian advisory service, trusted farm advisors successfully work with specialist advisors to maximise knowledge exchange and offer a broad and even more competent spectrum of advisory support.

In Slovenia, the agricultural advisory service is a public body under the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry. With 315 advisors, it supports all types of farmers across the country with a broad range of advice. Slovenian advisory support is divided into three levels: trusted field advisors, specialist advisors, and coordinating advisors. By working together, they make the most of the knowledge that is available, and help build more efficient knowledge and innovation flows.

Anton Jagodic, advisor at the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry, explains: “Our field advisors have already built up a good relationship with the farmers. Trust is an excellent basis for knowledge exchange. The advisors give their clients tailored advice to support them in their daily on-farm tasks and farm development, including information on soil improvement, organic farming, pest management or agri-environmental measures.

When the field advisors need more in-depth knowledge, they can call on specialist advisors who are well-connected to researchers, national CAP networks, experts from public services, and other advisors. These specialist advisors manage expert groups where researchers, relevant experts and other advisors meet. They also organise training for the field advisors and prepare educational materials for producers. Coordinating advisors bring together specialist advisors around a specific theme, such as vineyards, hops, organic farming, or Rural Development Programmes, to coordinate the advice on that theme.

The cooperation between advisors helps them cover a broad spectrum of knowledge, and strengthens their connections with farmers, rural communities and innovative projects. All Slovenian EIP-AGRI Operational Group projects must include an advisor, to bring partners together, help prepare and implement the project, promote project results and organise networking events with other Operational Groups to exchange knowledge.   

The collaboration with specialist advisors does not exist in many countries yet, but it can be a great help to farmers in their decision making. “Our approach has proven its value”, Anton says. “To further improve our AKIS system, we are now working to strengthen and improve the ties with researchers and education programmes, and organise more and broader training and on-farm demonstration activities.

In the new Common Agricultural Policy (2023-2027), the role of advisors will receive more attention and become much broader. Advisors will need to offer tailored advice on economic, environmental and social dimensions, and stay updated on technological and scientific information to help foster innovation. EU Member States will actively need to support the competences of advisors and their connections with others in national Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems. Member States can improve the opportunities for advisors to network, share knowledge, receive training, and work in synergy with farmers, researchers, CAP networks and other advisors, to upscale their competences, strengthen knowledge and innovation flows, and help make agriculture, forestry and rural areas smarter, more sustainable and more competitive.

Further information

• Contact: Anton Jagodic – anton.jagodic@kgzs.si
• Anton Jagodic presented the Slovenian advisory structure at the EIP-AGRI Seminar ‘CAP Strategic Plans: the key role of AKIS in Member States’. Download the presentation or watch the presentation video
• Read or download the final report
• More information on the website of the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia