Prof. Pal Hajas Dr. PhD/CSc is one of the founders and shareholder of Euragro, and its Director since 2001. Agricultural and Rural Development Expert, with over 30 years experience in agriculture, livestock production systems, communication (agricultural journalism, printed and electronic), governance, rural development and LEADER formation and coordination of LAG in particular. He is member of the Board of the Hungarian LEADER Association, a bottom-up rural CSO in the national LEADER movement, member of the Organizing Committee of the 1^st Hungarian LEADER Expo in 2007, and Vice-President of the Cserhatalja Rural Development Community, a pre-cursor consortium for the new RD and LEADER cycle. Twenty years international experience in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Near East with FAO of the UN and six years experience in EU type RD and rural tourism in particular. Beside RD activity, he is the founder of the Agroservice Group, a farming and area development enterprise in North Hungary, including oilseed, grain and fruit growing, indigenous pig breeding and rural tourism services. Mr. Hajas has experience in forming, promoting and managing rural NGOs and CSOs focusing village rehabilitation, ecological tourism, wildlife management and biodiversity. Since 2003, he is an active member of various EU Leonardo transnational projects in rural tourism, setting up tourism learning areas, biodiversity and ecolabel training.  He has nearly forty years experience in agriculture as farmer, He is Board member of the Rural Tourism International, (Amsterdam), SAVE Foundation (St.Gallen, Switzerland), Green Holidays Foundation and Bezma Wildlife Management Association (Kozard, Hungary). Contact: hajas(at)euragro.hu

Istvan Feher Dr is university full professor at St. Stephan University, Godollo, Hungary, with frequent lecturer activity in France. Senior agricultural and rural development expert with 30 years private and public sector experience gained in Hungary, EU15, the states which acceded in 2004 and other accession and transition countries; including work for EU-Phare, EBRD, World Bank, FAO and USAID. Extensive high level policy advisory experience developing strategies for agriculture, rural development and EU Accession in Hungary and other (former) EU candidate countries. Advice covers EU integration, institutional development (including public service development) domestic & export marketing management, extension, training and research development. Sound knowledge of the Aquis Communautaire as it relates to agriculture and rural development (including CMO’s and the ‘second pillar’ of the CAP) and of the legal approximation process. Knowledge of the financial operation of the CAP (EAGGF). Senior financial and personnel management experience gained in both public and private sector organizations. In-depth knowledge of agriculture and rural sectors in transition and agro-food organisations and structures including public institutions, quality development. Experienced in lecturing, research and extension, organising training seminars, conferences, workshops and study tours.Fully computer literate.

Janos Juhasz Dr , is one of the founders and Development Director of Euragro since 2002. He has long term experience in rural development, European and international cooperation movement and international (FAO) rural development activities. He was the Director of the Cooperative Research Institute in Hungary. He is an active Rural Institutions specialist, responsible for programme and project development for EurAgro in the fields of agricultural and rural development, non-formal education, international training and rural tourism. Participation in the organization and conduct of training courses for national and foreign trainees and in the implementation of the company’s agricultural and rural development projects. Provision of technical expertise in institution building, organization and management with particular reference to rural membership-based organizations

Peter Pal Hajas MSc., Agricultural Economist (EU studies), Agricultural Engineer, Wildlife Management and Biology Postgraduate Engineer. Experienced rural development specialist with practical knowledge in preservation of wildlife genetic resources, habitat development, hunting ground management. Director of 5000 ha hunting range in North Hungary. Supervisor of the Hungarian Grey partridge repatriation programme. He is also capable manager in networking, and teaching various level of professional personnel in wildlife and hunting management, nature protections etc. His particular interest is the Axes 2 issues in the rural development policy.

Krisztina André MSc., Horticulture Engineer, Plant Protection Specialist, with new emphasis on international cooperation in rural development and rural tourism. Member of Kozard Eurocitizens Team. She is a successful manager of the Kozard Apple Valley fruit orchards since 2003.  She is also working as Team Member in the Value Added Fruit Processing Research and Development Programme in the region. Contact: krisztina(at)euragro.hu

Arunas Svitojus Dr. Agriculture, agribusiness and rural development specialist with long-term international experience, including FAO, the European Association for Animal Production, Heifer International etc. He served as Agricultural State Secretary of Lithuania.

Andrzej Halasiewitz Dr., a Rural economist with rich and active experience in rural development and LEADER in particular. He is working in the fields of agriculture and rural development and in particular over 9 years of experience in managing Rural Development projects, as National Coordinator or Project Director on various international funded projects, as EU PHARE and TEMPUS, World Bank, FAO or UNDP development projects. As a Manager of the LEADER Implementing Body he facilitated creation of about 200 Local Action Groups in Poland. He organised and supervised the LAG management systems. Extensive knowledge in regional and rural development, rural sociology and economics, institution building in regional administration, development of local government units, project management, team management, and participatory approach in development planning and implementation. During his work at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Poland, where he was responsible for pre-accession programmes and preparation for Structural Funds, he prepared a strategy for rural and agricultural development in Poland for EU pre- and post-accession. He also supervised the preparation of the SAPARD Operational Programme for Poland. He was in charge of programme definition and identification including objectives prioritisation and hierarchisation, financial allocation forecast, adaptation of measures, and timeframe elaboration. He coordinated governmental institutional support to the programme implementation including institutions capacities assessment and drafting of institution building activities. As an experienced academic researcher, has a sound knowledge of analytical and logical tools used in case studies, impact assessment, reviews, socio-economic analysis of rural areas and agriculture production. More recent work includes being the Vice-Chairman and Coordinator of the Rural Development Programme Committee at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This involves supervision of the new programming period preparation for rural development and coordination with structural policy instruments. Mr Halasiewicz has gained experience in the assistance, planning and management of the implementation of various programmes as well as their monitoring and evaluation. He has also gained exposure to transnational cooperation and a good knowledge of EU rural development programmes. As responsible for management and coordination of technical assistance projects in the framework of Poland-EU integration process in the field of Common Agricultural Policy and Regional Development, he gained in-depth knowledge of EC procurement regulation and tender procedures as well as EU PCM based project designing and management. Mr Halasiewicz has proved planning and management skills as since 1988 he has been playing a role of director and senior staff member in various private, academic and public institutions. He has broad experience in dealing with governmental bodies of all ranks, from the central to regional level in the field of rural development and EU funds management and allocation.

Selected Web references:

www.euragro.hu

www.cserhatalja.eu

www.agroservice.hu 

www.cciu.com

www.ecotrans.org/learning-areas/htm/spa/spa_en_part.htm

www.ruraltourisminternational.org

www.eu-border.net/boss/network/

www.traintoecolabel.org/

www.marketingmegoldasok.hu/

http://nol.hu/cikk/425192/

http://nol.hu/cikk/402318/

http://www.nkth.gov.hu/main.php?folderID=486&articleID=4443&ctag=articlelist&iid=1

www.fejlesztespolitika.gov.hu/

http://www.ceinet.org/memberList.php?coutry=Hungary

http://agrowebcee.net/subnetwork/awsee/Expert_consultation_FAOSEUR_19-21July2006_V03b.pdf

http://www.ecotrans.org/learning-areas/htm/spa/spa_en_bg.htm

http://www.fao.org/regional/seur/events/transfer/docs/LoP.pdf

www.vivreurope.org/client/projet/fichiers/E22/178/E22_186.pdf

http://okoturizmus.hu/hu/node/242

http://www.invent-tourismus.de/pdf/Broschuere_deutsch.pdf

http://www.iapso.org/pdf/ASR_2005.pdf

http://www.magyarradio.hu/read/217275

http://www.chronica.it/content/gusto/200606/gusto200606_06.php

http://leaderplus.cec.eu.int/cpdb/public/lag/LagDataFS.aspx?objectId=%7B029CCDAB-93D1-4A5D-9F0A-A60DE3AFE711%7D

http://www.kezdet.hu/cgi-bin/kezdet.cgi?view=projekt&ID=12667&szID=3057&regioID=8&session=