The advisors’ view on the privatized extension system in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany

Publication Type

Book chapter

Authors

Knuth, U., Knierim, A.

Year of publication

2012

Published in

Producing and reproducing farming systems : new modes of organisation for sustainable food systems of tomorrow

Page (from - to)

1-8

Conference name

10th European IFSA Symposium

Conference location

Dänemark

Conference date

1-4Juli 2012

n the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany, provision of agricultural extension has been privatised in the early nineties. Since then, public financial support was reduced continuously until full deletion in 2001. In 1996, a first evaluation of Brandenburg's extension system (Bokelmann et al. 1996) had been undertaken revealing the view of the advisors and farmers on the privatized system at that time. Since 2006, several studies were carried out, that explore specific segments of the Brandenburg agricultural knowledge system. The paper assembles selected results that characterise the advisors' perspective (Knuth 2008; Knierim et al. 2011) and sets them into relation with the first study from 1996.The privatisation process resulted in concentration and diminution of advisory services, and cooperation between advisory companies was clearly reduced: Contentwise advisory services in Brandenburg tend to concentrate on economic topics, especially investment planning often combined with subsidy questions. Cross Compliance (CC) topics are seldom addressed explicitly but combined with other requests by the farmers. Farm Management Systems (FMS) as a main instrument for CC advice in Germany are sparsely used in Brandenburg, as the implementation of FMS and the supply of CC advice were not co-funded by the state unlike in other German states. Compared to the situation in 1996 the intensity of advisory services to the single farmer is reduced.Qualitative appraisals of the privatized system by the advisors are presented and discussed. Conclusions are drawn with regard to possible