Agricultural consultants: At 90.5 million euros the implementation of the sub-Measure

Common Agricultural Policy

In a series of actions to accelerate the implementation of sub-Metro 2.1 of the RDP 2014-2022, which reinforces Agricultural Advisory Bodies to provide advice to farmers of the country, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

The Farm Advisory System was designed and re-implemented during the period 2014/22, after several years of non-operation. Through the certification of natural persons and entities by ELGO-DIMITRA, more than 3,000 Agricultural Advisors were given the opportunity to support the Greek farmer in the management of his agricultural holding, providing advice in the certified subject areas, with objectivity and independence. With the announcement of sub-Measure 2.1 in 2022 and the joining of a total of 83 Agencies from May 2023 onwards, it became possible to provide advice without financial burden to farmers.

The total budget is 90,454,369 euros and is co-financed by European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Greek State in percentage 100%

50,000 farmers seek agricultural advice

According to the data of the information system of the sub-Metro, already over 50,000 farmers have concluded an agreement with Agencies to receive advice, and more than 40,000 of them have started the 1st consultation. To speed up the payments of the Agencies, which were given the possibility to submit payment applications from December 2023, today they become one series of actions and in particular:

  • Changes to the information system, regarding details to facilitate the process but also the control requirements.
  • Assistance of additional officers of the competent Special Service for the Implementation of Rural Development Interventions in the administrative control of payment requests.
  • Differentiation of the way payment requests are evaluated to minimize the time of their clearing in case of no findings.
  • Contractor company participation in the evaluation and settlement of payment requests.
  • Simplification of the institutional framework of the Sub-Measure regarding the process of granting and registering the Advice.

Providing expert advice to farmers and farmers of our country are an essential condition for the overall improvement of the competitiveness of Greek agriculture.

The above actions are aimed at accelerating the implementation of the Measure as well as the timely and rapid payment of Agricultural Advice Providers, for the benefit of Greek farmers, always within the framework of the Union Regulations and the national institutional framework of the Measure.