Privatization of agricultural extension services in the EU: Towards a lack of adequate knowledge for small-scale farms?

• Published in: Food policy Vol. 38; pp. 240 - 252
• Main Authors: Labarthe, Pierre, Laurent, Catherine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: adverse effects; Advisors; Advisory services; Agricultural extension; Agricultural extension services; Agricultural sciences; Agriculture; Authority; Commodities; Comparative analysis of economic systems; Economics; Europe; European Union; Experiments; extension education; Farm households; Farming; Farms; Food supply; Foods; Households; Housing authorities; Information and knowledge; Institutional economics; Institutionalism; Knowledge; Life Sciences; Markets; Monitoring; Offices; Privatization; products and commodities; Rural economics; Services; Side effects; Small farms; Small scale; Small-scale farming; Europe; Institutional economics; Comparative analysis of economic systems; Information and knowledge; Farm households; Agricultural extension services; institutional economic; farm household; agricultural extention service
• ISSN: 0306-9192; 1873-5657
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2012.10.005

► The privatization of advisory services has unexpected adverse effects for small farms. ► Part of them result from the specificities of service economics. ► Breaking-up of coordination authorities has increased their invisibility as target group. ► Reduction of interactions with advisers result in less co-production of adequate knowledge. ► R&D activities are reorganized to the detriment of their interest. Small-scale farming involves millions of households in the EU and plays an important role in the rural economy. A significant percentage of these farms produce commodities for the market. This productive dimension is often overlooked, however, as is the technical support needed by these farms. The privatization of national farm advisory systems (NFAS) has an impact on small-scale farming that should be better assessed. This paper, which looks at the characteristics of intangible services, helps demonstrate how the privatization of advisory services may have unexpected adverse effects on small farms. The dismantling of coordinating authorities has made these farms less visible as a target client. Less direct interaction with advisors makes it more difficult to co-produce knowledge that is relevant to their needs. In addition, back office activities such as scientific monitoring, building and updating databases and scientific experiments have been restructured in a way which does not support their interests.