Government Resolution No. HG486/2012 validating the Development Strategy of rural extension services in 2012-2022.

The system of rural extension services strives to comply with the principles of a modern system of providing consulting services. The two most important principles of a modern rural extension services network are: on the one hand, a value chain that ensures the flow of knowledge and information at all levels, from producers to the market, and on the other hand, demand and commercial orientation of the services provided. As a result, the system must be interactive, that is, it must provide the client with new knowledge and at the same time responding to his requests.
Availability of a system of rural extension services in rural areas that can provide agricultural producers, as well as rural residents, the necessary support for obtaining funds and providing more professional services (registration of peasant farms, application of principles of accounting, preparation services, etc.), is important for the development of the agricultural sector.
The objectives of the current network of rural extension services in rural areas are: (a) providing support services to producers in the agri-food sector and information on planning transactions and attracting investments, as well as areas of sectoral legislation, including forms of organization, marketing and financial management; (b) familiarize producers with the most advanced production practices; (c) facilitating producers’ access to advanced technologies and markets by providing information about service providers, buyers and sellers of various goods and services; (d) facilitating access to information by organizing various seminars, training courses, field trips and various demonstration events, through collection, systematization and dissemination of necessary information; (e) identifying specific problems faced by agricultural manufacturers, with their subsequent approval at local, regional or national level; and (f) cooperation with all structures involved in the rural extension services in rural areas.
General tasks of the Strategy are developing the rural economy and increasing agricultural productivity; promoting the competitiveness of the agro-industrial sector by providing rural extension services in rural areas. Special tasks of the Strategy are: expansion of the network of advisory services in rural areas from 40% in 2011 up to 65% in 2022; increase in the number of clients by 20% until 2022; increasing the income of users of advisory services in rural areas approximately 15% per year.
Rural extension services in rural areas shall provide services either free of charge or charged services. Services provided free of charge to households that provide livelihood, and also to private commercial farms, will include services in the field of agriculture and horticulture, in the technological field, and will focus on the principles of implementation of agricultural activities, as well as services in the field of economics, law and marketing, including socially useful services (food security, hygiene, environmental protection), in order to increase the profitability of farms that provide livelihoods. Charged technological services will be provided to private commercial farms on new technologies and management, as well as services in the field of economics, law and marketing that are related to this field, including all aspects of modern farm management, issues of business plans and investments, accounting and auditing, aspects related to marketing of the production process.