1. Study courses on building knowledge in organic agriculture for household farmers organized by extension workers.
Completion of the study courses leads to certificate and the right to receive subsidies. Organizer of the courses: Gatis Kaimiņš (phone: 3007557; 6484457; e-mail: gatis kaimins@llkc.lv).
Further education in Latvian Agricultural Advisory and Training Centre.
Education program for raising professional skills in organic agriculture has been elaborated and licensed in the Latvian Agricultural Advisory and Training Centre. The aim of the program is to give the idea of the organic agriculture system, existing legislation in the corresponding agriculture branch and the State support policies in organic agriculture and give basic knowledge on the following themes:
- conditions for `living` soil formation in organic agriculture and rational use of organic fertiliser,
- crop rotation peculiarities in organic agriculture and measures used for diseases, pests and weeds restriction,
- keeping of livestock and production of horticultural output according to required organic demands,
- optimum soil tillage system, farm mechanization and farmyard manure removal technologies,
- measures in agricultural environment provision as well as economic efficiency of organic agriculture.
In the course of teaching farmers have the opportunity of meeting the teaching staff of the Latvia University of Agriculture, extension workers from the Latvian Agricultural Advisory and Training Centre and Association of Latvian Organic Agriculture Organisations.
The extent of courses - 180 h, including theoretical 60 h, practical 22 h, self-dependent work 38 h and practical training in family farms 60 h. After completion of theoretical and practical courses self-dependent elaboration of the project for real farming on an organic basis or management during transition period to organic food production is provided. Such estimation of knowledge provides an opportunity to perform the production process or economic efficiency analysis in one¢s own household farm or practical training farm, put in order documentation needed for the certification process. Successful fulfilment of the program results in the State approved certificate, which is the evidence of the obtained professionaly improved education. Training in 2003 according to this program was realized in Riga district Kekava parish, Madliena Ogre district, Limbazi, Aizkraukle and Rezekne. In the process of training, exchange of significant information is going on between researchers, extension workers.
2. Training at the Latvia University of Agriculture.
The Faculty of Agriculture of the Latvia University of Agriculture, parallel to basic study program, offers elective professional study course “Organic agriculture”, theoretical extent 21 CP, practical training in Latvia or abroad – 3 CP. Completion of the elective course results in obtaining extra certificate about mastering theoretical and practical study course in organic agriculture.
Goals and targets of the study program:
- enable students mastering elective subject alongside with the basic study program and, in addition to diploma, obtain certificate in organic farming;
- strengthen the agricultural extension services and household farms with specialists in organic agriculture;
- promote development entrepreneurial activity forms using the newest technologies friendly to the environment;
- provide access to these elective agricultural training courses to the audience of further education in the Latvian Agricultural Advisory and Training Centre.
Students in the third course are provided opportunity to extend their knowledge in the principles of organic agriculture, biological pest management, certification and legislation of OA in the world and in Latvia corresponding to the required products quality demands, agricultural economy and marketing. In the fourth study year students continue studying specifics of crop production and horticulture, weed control techniques, production of seeds. Students are enabled to build knowledge in fundamentals of bee-keeping, peculiarities in rearing and feeding cattle, pigs, sheep, poultry and fish, in optimization of feed ration according to the environment demands. An educational excursion and at least two weeks long individual practical training is included in the study program. The completion of theoretical and practical courses leads to certification examination.
