Summary

There is a need to gradually reduce the dependence of Czech farms on area-based payments as a safeguard against unexpected events and market collapses. Improving understanding, amongst farmers, of the root causes of risk is an essential step towards encouraging better mitigation and management practices.

The Institute of Education in Agriculture launched a series of 11 regional educational seminars on this issue under measure M01 of the RDP. They offered training opportunities and information regarding income risks in agriculture, as well as advice on the effective mitigation of such risks - with a focus on farmers taking independent action. The seminar series also sought to address the lack of agricultural commodity market-related information and analysis available to farmers.

Results

The first five seminars were organised in the autumn of 2018 and the next six will be held in spring 2019.

Each seminar was attended by 15 - 20 people. All of whom are either the heads of farms, or senior management within farming companies.

The presentations were followed by lively discussions and participants appreciated the well-structured overview of agricultural risks and appropriate actions to reduce them.