Rural development Development of rural areas throughout the EU is attracting increased attention as the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The revision of the CAP paves the way for changes in the support to agriculture, bringing increased support for rural development and nature and environmental protection. At the same time, agriculture and food processing face new challenges: Food quality and safety, consumer demands, environmental considerations, working safety and animal welfare are key areas that are being combined with more traditional requirements to production such as food provision, profits and employment. Agriculture, fisheries and rural development are all areas that are developing rapidly with a high level of complexity.
Orbicon carries out technical assistance and analytic assignments as well as evaluations within the fields of rural development, agriculture, fisheries and food processing including food safety. The interfaces and interdependencies between rural development, agriculture and fisheries on the one hand and environmental and nature protection issues on the other, consisting of knowledge on sustainable farming and sustainable development of rural areas, are central in the reference portfolio of the company. Moreover, the company assists a number of authorities in Central and Eastern European countries (new member states and accession countries) through capacity development, advisory services, land consolidation processes and training in relation to EU approximation and in preparation and programming of rural development strategies and programmes.
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