60th IALB | 10th EUFRAS | 7th SEASN Conference 2021

Life and agriculture in transition - accompanying change, supporting innovation, strengthening resilience

Advisory work in rural areas focuses on people. This applies to agricultural and home economics extension as well as to nutrition advice. "Life and agriculture in transition" stands for the advisory topics in rural advisory work where the pressure for change is particularly noticeable: the pressing environmental problems such as climate change and species extinction, the megatrends of healthy living and digitalisation affect agricultural business concepts just as much as the life of every individual. In crises, developments accelerate. The Covid19 pandemic has made it clear how important it is to be reslient and to become crisis-proof.

"Accompanying change, supporting innovation, strengthening resilience" are three starting points for advisory services to bring benefits within these change processes. Accompanying and supporting people through change has always been the self-image of counselling. As an innovation support agent, supporting innovations in advisory projects through interdisciplinary networking and thus promoting future perspectives in rural areas requires a good understanding of processes and skill in moderation. This is still associated with a change of role for many advisors.