A. PROGRAM SUMMARY

„ Development of Rural Communities through participatory knowledge transfer"

1. Program objectives

Overall objective:

Development of Rural Communities by facilitating the knowledge transfer in a participatory framework

Short-term objectives:

• The farmers increase their knowledge in household management
• The women to be involved more active in problem settlement at community level

2. Program activities

I. Study Circles (SC) selection – it will be carried out by launching a contest for the circles which are already involved in the project and by identifying the new potential groups.

II. Identifying the SC leaders' training needs and drafting the training program for them.

III. Setting up Leaders and Regional Consultants (RC) trainings according to the training program, including the aspects of evaluation the results acquired in the study process under SC.

IV. Study plans drafting– by the SC leaders and members (assisted by Regional Organization; RO).

V. Study materials drafting– by the RO consultants based on study plans and SC members' practical requests.

VI. Implementing the study plans and practices related to the studied subject. The activities will be chosen by each group and as to the farmers' SC, generally, refers to the following types: study visits/ experience exchanges, exhibiting fields, field trainings involving the scientific institutions, study sessions which will be attended by non-member-farmers, etc.

VII. The practice activities for the women SC are: community public places landscaping: wells, squares, parks (next to kindergartens, schools, town halls), trees planting, setting up specialized circles for young people, children and jobless people (wickerwork, handmade crockery , weaving, reviving and handing down the traditions, etc), experience transfer.

VIII. Assistance to RO, from the national staff, in setting up the practice activities on studied subjects, through contacts establishment and logistics.

IX. The project results promotion – by the PR specialists at national level through the newspaper AGRO Media inform and other mass-media as well as by regional organizations trough regional mass-media and other activities. The promotion will particularly be focused on presenting successful cases and project impact

X. Internal monitoring system elaboration and administration – by AGROinform management, project management and regional directors. The system includes the SC leaders' reports on performed activities, RO analytical and financial reports, project monthly financial reports (for funding organizations) and project analytical annual report. A national evaluation workshop will be organized for the beneficiaries and a report will be drafted.

3. Expected results:

For farmers Study Circles one project the following results:

1. 600 farmers to be involved in study process

2. 250 farmers to implement the acquired knowledge

3. 400 farmers non-member of SC, to be involved in activities.

For women's study Circles, the expected results are:

1. 30 community initiatives, with decision making impact, to be forwarded for discussion and approval to Local Councils.

2. 15 decisions, to be approved by Local Councils, as a result of the launched initiatives.

3. 35 activities, to be performed by mobilizing the community, in partnership with LPA and entrepreneurs.

4. 1500 community people, to be involved in social-economic activities

Project start date: January 2009

Project end date: 31 December 2009