LLKC shifts focus: from paperwork to boosting farm competitiveness
Latvia's Rural Advisory and Training Centre has moved from administering support payments to providing comprehensive guidance for farm growth and competitiveness. The shift is tied to the EU's Common Agricultural Policy plan and growing digitalisation in farming.
For more than 30 years, the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LLKC) has been one of the main sources of knowledge and consulting for Latvia's agricultural sector. In recent years, the organisation has evolved from a technical support provider into a long-term partner for farms.
From paperwork to strategy
Aija Luse, head of LLKC's Agriculture Department, says that in the past, consultants mainly helped farmers prepare documents and secure state and EU support. Now the focus has shifted to overall farm competitiveness and economic growth.
Ieva Kamerāde-Sniedze, deputy head of the department, adds that over the past three years the organisation has adopted a comprehensive approach, treating each farm as a business rather than a recipient of isolated services. Every client is assigned a responsible office and a team of consultants who draw up an individual development plan and track its progress.
These changes are linked to the Common Agricultural Policy strategic plan for 2023–2027, approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and the European Commission, as well as Latvia's Agricultural Growth Plan for 2026–2036, which aims to raise productivity and improve soil fertility.
The role of technology
Farms are increasingly adopting digital management systems, sensors, weather stations, precision farming technologies and livestock robots. According to Luse, future competitiveness will depend on the ability to collect and analyse data to make more efficient use of land, resources and labour.
LLKC representatives stress that EU funding is meant to support development, not mere survival — the goal is a productive, competitive farm able to operate in the market even without support payments.
Among the key challenges ahead, they cite production costs, price fluctuations and generational change in rural areas. Kamerāde-Sniedze notes the importance of investment in technology, education and attracting young people to the sector, as many farms face the question of who will continue the work in the next generation.
