Directorate of Professional Agricultural Organizations and Support for Agricultural Holdings (DOPA)

(1) Placed under the authority of a Director, the Directorate of Professional Agricultural Organizations and Support for Agricultural Holdings is responsible for:
– the development, implementation and monitoring of the extension policy, in conjunction with the relevant administrations and organizations;
– the supervision of farmers and agricultural extension;
– the dissemination of advice to farmers and agricultural operators;
– the development of the agricultural calendar;
– the coherence of all agricultural extension actions;
– the development of the program of activities of the agricultural extension services;
– the determination of methods for disseminating agricultural extension themes;
– the monitoring of the application of government policy on support for agricultural operators;
– support for medium and large agricultural holdings, in conjunction with the relevant administrations;
– the development and implementation of the reference framework for the promotion of agricultural holdings;
– the development and implementation of crop development programs;
– support for farm mechanization projects;
– management of agricultural research-extension relations;
– monitoring of private organizations of medium and large farms;
– promoting the emergence and development of grassroots organizations ;
– setting up and regularly updating the database on professional organizations;
– regular production of information on professional organizations;
– analysis of the evolution of professional organizations and proposals for measures to strengthen them;
– development and monitoring of the implementation of agricultural mechanization programs;
– promotion of the use of agricultural materials and equipment;
– definition of standards for the approval and use of agricultural machinery, in conjunction with the relevant administrations; – control and monitoring of the proper application of these standards; –
development and monitoring of the implementation of the cold chain policy for the preservation of agricultural and food products;
– the promotion of techniques and equipment for the conservation and processing of agricultural and food products, in conjunction with the relevant departments;
– the processing of approval files for agricultural machinery;
– the promotion and monitoring of professional agricultural and cooperative organizations;
– the development of consultation frameworks between professional organizations and development partners;
– the promotion of grassroots producer organizations;
– the management of contractual relationships with private partners;
– the facilitation of business linkages between producer associations and service providers.
(2) It includes:
– the Sub-Directorate of Agricultural Extension;
– the Sub-Directorate of Support for Medium and Large Farms;
– the Sub-Directorate of Professional Agricultural Organizations and Cooperative Action;
– the Sub-Directorate of Agricultural Mechanization