To be recognized as the leading reference organisation for rural advisors in Europe, promoting innovation, sustainability and quality of the agricultural advisory service, and contributing to the continuous improvement of the competitiveness and profitability of European farmers. EUFRAS seeks to be a reference in terms of training, capacity building and professional development, and to be recognized as an important advocate to European and international institutions, as well as with society in general, in the promotion of sustainable agriculture and food security. Through the strengthening and stimulation of effective Regional Advisory Services and AKIS networks, EUFRAS strives to enhance the accessibility and quality of agricultural advisory services for European farmers, while contributing to the overall sustainability, competitiveness, and profitability of the agricultural sector in Europe.

Foundation Process of EUFRAS

In autumn 2013, agricutural and rural advisory services from 20 European countries founded EUFRAS, the European Forum for Agricultural and Rural Advisory Services, in Berlin on Monday, September 23.

The founding members were the International Academy for Agriculture and Home Economics Advisors (IALB – GER, AU, CH, IT), the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Center , TEAGASC (Ireland ), AGRIDEA (CH), EkoConnect e.V. (GER), the Knowledge Center of Agriculture (DK), MEDSOFTORG Ltd. (HU), Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slowenia, Agro Information Center of Azerbeijan, National Agricultural Advisory Service of Bulgaria, die University of Western Hungary – Institute for Consultancy and Training and the Association for farmers‘ rights defense (Georgia ).

In the founding meeting following persons were elected to the board: Pablo Asensio (IALB), Eva Gleerup (Knowledge Center of Agriculture Denmark), Edgars Linde (Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Center), Michael Kügler (Association of the German Agricultural Chambers) und Dr. Tom Kelly (TEAGASC Ireland). As chairman of EUFRAS the board elected Dr. Tom Kelly, Director of Knowledge Transfer at TEGEASC. Vice chairman is Edgars Linde from the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Center.

EUFRAS is part of the global network of advisory services, the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services, GFRAS. Founding EUFRAS took place as side event during the global annual meeting of GFRAS 22.-26.9.2013 in Berlin. Agenda and decisions taken.

The foundation of EUFRAS was prepared in a workshop in Wroclaw, Poland, 25th – 26th Feb 2013. The meeting was initiated and organised by the German extensionists’ network IALB and inspired by the EU projects RENE and ProAkis, both dealing with rural extension.

In Wroclaw, it was agreed to formulate EUFRAS as a European Association open to members of public and private advisory/extension service providers. Representatives of European rural advisory institutions were invited to participate in the founding process and a second preparatory meeting in Dublin (letter of common interest).