V Rural Advisory Monitoring and Evaluation System linked to Precision Learning (RAMONES-PL)

Small and family farmers provide the bulk of food production in Europe (and the world) and their activities are critical to achieving sustainable rural transformation. However, rural entrepreneurs cannot survive without careful and targeted support and relevant advice, where raising the quality of Rural Advisory Services (RAS) to effectively address modern challenges plays a crucial role. For successful farming practices, the adoption of innovative technologies, and the fulfilment of market-related and administrative challenges, advisory networks have an indispensable role to play.

The term precision is not unknown in agriculture, however, we will demonstrate that – besides production technology – it can also be relevant and successfully applied in knowledge transfer, for the sake of service providers and their clients. The learning activities aim to develop competencies in specific areas where our primary focus group, the rural advisors lack or miss adequate capacity, while, by the results of the learning programme, we expect that the quality of work performance will be increased, upon which the certification scheme is to be introduced.

We plan to adopt a novel method of using a state-of-the-art (digital, online) service tracking and monitoring system besides traditional data acquisition techniques, to support the collection of more detailed information with regards to increased data quantity and quality, right from the field level (where the service actually takes place).

During the carrying out of the project activities, the partnership will develop six outputs, which are to be built upon each other. The first product will be a Competence Dictionary to identify main business processes, competences, categories, indicators, and data sources specific to the advisory activity. The Methodologies of RAMONES-PL will describe the process flow and related components of service tracking, monitoring, evaluation, and precision learning. In the third step, we will set up the information system of data management. In the next stage, the Learning Programme will be implemented in a work-based setting, with the participation of 24 rural advisors and nearly 300 service clients. Parallel will run the activities related to certification, which contain the development of a proprietary market-oriented quality assurance scheme according to the project concept, and the preparation for international standard certification. All results necessary and suitable for effective dissemination in the project countries and EU wide will be summarized and published in the RAMONES Guidebook.

The methodology of the project follows the latest professional guidelines and policy recommendations developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and the Global Forum of Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), as well as several research findings and methods in the subject area. The innovative elements are related to the work-based, precision, personalized approach, and the advanced use of ICTs, by the digital platform and other tools.

Expected performance of service delivery and reputation of advisors will be increased from the employer and the client’s side, by higher satisfaction based on the better service. Improved knowledge, skills, increased specific and cross-functional competences of the advisors will lead to enhanced confidence, validated by carrying a well-recognizable “badge”, which the industry and the clients accept and honour. Advisors will have the opportunity to expand and deepen their farmer contacts.

For the partner organizations, the project will provide a better understanding of the used innovative approaches. Improved efficiency of the service provision, knowledge base maintenance, and training implementation within the organization will be ensured, as well as of taking end-users’ perspective into account more systematically, using feedback loops for service development. The use of the QA scheme ensures enhanced professional image and positive recognition of the service provider as well.