1. National Extension Agency in Republic of Macedonia
Igor Zlatkov, MSc
General manager

2. Legal setup of NEA
National Extension Agency (NEA was established by the Law for establishing the National Extension Agency (Official Gazette of RM no. 3/98 of )
According to the Law for Establishment and Low for Organization and Work of the State Administration, NEA is defined as a Body of state government, with legal entity and it’s independent in its work
According to the Law on Civil Servants, NEA staff from have the status of civil servants

3. Organizational structure

4. Human resources in NEA
NEA has a total of 124 employees of which 90 are university graduates mostly engineers agronomists
NEA has 86 field advisors
NEA works in the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, with offices in 30 cities, grouped into six regions with Headquarters in Bitola and 44 dispersed offices in rural areas

5. Territorial distribution

6. NEA advisory activities
In order to adjust the Macedonian agriculture to standards for agricultural production within the EU, NEA is providing direct assistance to farmers for applying appropriate measures:
in crop production, viticulture and fruit production: the introduction of new technologies in farming, proper use of fertilizers, selection of species and varieties, raising and breeding of crops, setting up demonstration trials with new varieties and technologies and variety trials and
In livestock production: introduction and reference to the application of new technologies and measures to improve production features, providing proper nutrition for better quality products (milk, meat, wool, eggs, etc.);

7. NEA advisory activities
Assistance in organizing farmers in producers groups and further cooperation with organizations of farmers;
Directing farmers to produce crops and products according to market needs (high value agricultural products);
Transfer of technical knowledge to the farmers and scientifically applied achievements in agricultural production;
Instruction, demonstration of modern procedures for storage and processing of agricultural products (vegetable and animal) and preparation for market;
Professional training of farmers through maintenance of counseling, seminars, courses, etc.;
Establishment and use of information systems in agricultural production;
Preparation of information and advertising magazines, brochures, pamphlets, manuals covered with novelties by domestic and foreign sources of information in the field of agriculture

8. NEA activities as support of Government programs
In the implementation of measures promoted by the government in the development and adaptation of Macedonian agriculture, NEA is providing direct assistance to farmers in:
Support in implementation of the Program for financial support in agriculture (direct payments),
Support in implementation of the Program for financial support in rural development (popularly called 50:50 program),
Support in implementation of the IPARD program,
Support in implementation of other government measures:
Good agricultural practice,
Proper use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture,
Insurance in agriculture,
LPIS,
Legalization of farm buildings and machinery,
Registration of farmers,
LEADER approach,
Organic production,
Agro-environmental payments

9. Methodology of providing the services
Information,
Education,
Direct support in application (business plan, investment program, filling the application forms…)
Through:
Individual approach
Group approach
Meetings,
Trainings,
Practical activities
Teaching/learning process
Mass-media
Written materials (brochures, pamphlets, manuals …)

10. Thank you for your attention