V Jihomoravském kraji a kraji Vysočina vzniká síť informačních center zaměřených na vzdělávání a osvětu v oblasti agroenvironmentálně orientovaných programů Ministerstva zemědělství a Ministerstva životního prostředí. Projekt byl podpořen z Evropského sociálního fondu v programu Rozvoj lidských zdrojů, jejichž poskytovatelem je Ministerstvo životního prostředí ČR.
Projekt realizuje EPOS Spolek poradců v ekologickém zemědělství ČR, společně s dalšími 15 partnerskými organizacemi. Partnery v projektu jsou mimo jiné i Krajské úřady Jihomoravského kraje a kraje Vysočina.
Hlavní náplní vzniklé sítě je předávat zemědělským podnikatelům a pracovníkům veřejné správy informace o agroenvironmentálně orientovaných programech MZe a MŽP a radit, jak těchto programů využívat. Dále informovat a vzdělávat o možnostech nakládání s biologicky rozložitelnými odpady a o ekologickém zemědělství.

PROJEKT BYL ÚSPĚŠNĚ UKONČEN V R. 2008. AKTUÁLNÍ INFORMACE A PORADENSTVÍ NAJDETE NA WWW.EPOSCR.EU.

„INFORMATION CENTERS NETWORK FOR AGRO-ENVI PROGRAMS IN SOUTH MORAVIA AND VYSOCINA REGIONS“

Project administrator: EPOS, Association of organic farming advisors in the Czech Republic
Address: Kotlarska 53, CZ 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Telephone: ++ 420 549 213 563
Contact person: Klara Hermanova
E-mail: epos@eposcr.eu
www: http://www.eposcr.eu/

Project budget: EUR 0.5 mil

Project duration: 2 years (March.2006 - February.2008)

Targeted region: NUTS II. Southeast – South Moravian and Vysocina regions

Target audience:
1. Agricultural entrepreneurs, farms management and employees
2. Public administration employees and elected representatives of local and regional administrations
3. School teachers
4. NGOs
5. General pubic

Project goals:
Primary goal of the project is to offer the target audience a complex information and advice on the agro-environmental programs of the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment. Secondary goal is through pilot projects raise demand for products of sustainable agricultural systems and thus help to expand these systems.

Key project activities:

1: Establishment and operation of an information centre network
Goal: Creation of Information Centres and Information Places network in both regions.
Activity: Education of the network members, afterwards the network offers information, consulting, educational and promotional services in the agro-envi schemes topic.
Tools: Creation of two Information Centres in each region, which manage three Information Places.

2: Training of network members
Goal: Guarantee functioning of the network on high professional level through education of and information dissemination to the network members.
Tools: Educational courses and seminars led by expert lecturers. Creation of teaching and instructional manuals for everyday work.

3: Training of NGOs, entrepreneurs, civil servants and local action network members in the aspects of agro-envi schemes, organic agriculture and biological waste treatment.
Goal: Inform and educate target groups in details of the agro-evni schemes, principles of organic agriculture and principles and procedures of biological waste treatment, among others also in protected and Natura 2000 areas, and offer specific consulting services in these topics.

4: Improvement of Information technologies utilization in agricultural
Goal: Increase the use of information technologies among agricultural entrepreneurs, including use of specific agronomic software.
Tools: One day courses

5: Support of local initiatives in sustainable development activities
Goal: Connect local authorities, NGOs and entrepreneurs in order to tackle specific local needs in sustainable development and sustainable food production.
Tools: „Round table“ discussions with stakeholders
a) Creation of Instruction manual: How to create and manage Local food initiative.
b) Regional address books
c) Educational seminars
d) Cooking classes
e) Initiation of Local products manufacturers association

6: Pilot project – Creating educational tools about sustainable food production education
Goal: The pilot project will create a set of education tools for teachers at elementary schoold about sustainable food production methods.
Tools: creation of methodological tools, workshops and seminars for teachers and educators

7: Pilot project – Demonstration farms network
Goal: Create a “Network of demonstration farms” as a tool for education, training and promotion of agro-envi scheme and organic farming.
Tools: Set up of a network by selecting the best examples, creation of instruction manual for demonstration farm management, training of farmers, support by information materials, web page, excursions.

8: Pilot project – Biological waste management in a micro-region
Goal: Create a „System of separation, collection and treatment of biological waste in a specific micro-region”. Tools: Instruction manuals, technology specification, economics of the project. Dissemination of the pilot project results to other regions.

9: Pilot project – Organic food for schools
Goal: Develop a „Instruction manual for organic food introduction into school kitchens“ and its evaluation on two to three schools.
Methodology:
a) Round tables discussions with organic farmers, local initiatives, kitchen staff
b) Instruction manual
c) Information material for school kitchens
d) Web presentation of the outcome
e) Cooking book
f) Cooking Workshop for kitchen staff