Agricultural policy in the transition states of Central Eastern Europe is a very complex issue – ranging from privatisation of farm land, the establishment of agricultural markets to detailed questions of veterinary care, plant health and animal nutrition. Its main elements are the introduction of market liberalization, farm restructuring, privatisation, the reform of the sector and the creation of supporting market institutions and services.1 In this process central state agriculture administration plays a decisive role.<br><br> This paper is summing up the research of the author on Slovak agricultural administration between 2002 and 2004. This work was part of a DFG-funded research project on “Genesis, Organization and Efficiency of the central-state Ministerial Administration in Central and Eastern Europe”. The project was analysing the processes, results and efficiency of administrative structures at central-state level in Estonia, Poland and Slovakia with reference to public administration in the policy fields of agriculture and telecommunications. The paper is reflecting the situation in the sector and its administration at the beginning of 2004.<br><br> At first, an overview of the role of the agricultural sector in Slovak economy in the past and presence is provided (section I). Against this background, the development of the agricultural policy in the different periods since 1989 will be analysed, mainly what privatisation, accession to the EU and subsidy policy are concerned (section II). A detailed study of the developments in agricultural administration forms the next part of the paper (section III), i.e. the changes taking place in the ministry of agriculture and in the other institutions responsible for the implementation of agricultural policy. The role of interest groups in agriculture is briefly analysed (section IV). In the conclusions two different scenarios on the further development of Slovak agricultural administration will be deployed.

Due to the liberalization of the international trade, there is an increase in food imports to the Czech Republic. However, many producers are not able to face this competition and are forced to end up their business. This leads to the decrease in the production of agricultural commodities and foodstuffs which also reduces the food self-sufficiency of the Czech Republic. Therefore the Ministry of Agriculture (MA) runs activities in order to promote domestic food and the competition "Regionální potravina" is one of those activities. The related campaigns are aimed at both the producers and consumers. The aims of this thesis are to find out how producers perceive the competition Regionální potravina and activities of the MA and whether producers observe that competition and activities of MA have some positive effects. Another aim is to find out whether consumers know the competition Regionální potravina and activities of MA, whether they buy this food and whether they prefer to buy Czech food. The theoretical part concerns especially marketing and legislation related to the promotion of domestic food. The practical part is based on a survey among producers and consumers. Based on the results of this survey, the recommendations for the Ministry of Agriculture are set out.

The diploma thesis deals with education and communication of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic. The goal of this diploma thesis is to compare how both ministries educate their employees and how they communicate. The thesis will show if or what are the differences between the ministries in given areas. In the part that deals with the communication of the ministries attention will be paid to both, communication with the media and with the public. In the theoretical part methods and ways of education of employees that are used and theoretical bases will be generally given. In this part the thesis will also focus on regulations which the education of state employees should follow. In the practical part the expert interview method will be used to describe the system of education in both offices. In the area of communication the way, in which the ministries communicate with the media and with the public will be outlined and on the basis of media outputs in a certain interval a hypothesis that media are more interested in the Ministry of Finance topics will be verified. The thesis will compare both ministries in this way and make possible recommendations.

Le processus de modernisation des services territoriaux de l'État, et tout particulièrement son volet managérial, s'inscrit dans une histoire déjà ancienne, même si la dynamique et les modalités du changement varient selon les départements ministériels. Dans ces histoires, la période 2003-2007, avec l'introduction d'une approche budgétaire différente (la LOLF), d'une recomposition des services départementaux de l'État (la RéaTE), et d'une rénovation des modalités de gestion des emplois et des compétences, constitue un tournant qui peut être compris comme la diffusion des principes du new public management. La thèse repose sur une analyse du travail des directeurs départementaux des ministères évoqués dans la réorganisation dans ce contexte de modernisation tout particulièrement autour du volet RH. Cette analyse est préparée par une présentation des histoires différenciées de la réforme dans les ministères de l'équipement, de l'agriculture et de l'inspection du travail, et une présentation de la perception de ces transformations par les agents. Ces deux aspects constituent en effet les contraintes essentielles de l'activité de conduite du changement. Ils permettent de montrer que la fonction « ressources humaines » joue un rôle central dans les transformations propres à chaque ministère. Étudier le travail de ces cadres, restituer leurs secrets de fabrique, c'est à la fois éclairer l'activité de cadres dirigeants dans une administration, qui se trouve mise à découvert par le changement durant cette période, et mettre en évidence les enjeux de ce moment de la réforme. L'analyse des marges de manœuvre qui leur permettent de conduire le changement, révèle aussi combien se concentrent sur eux les tensions générées par les contradictions d'une réforme tous azimuts. La manière dont ils expriment leur inquiétude pose la question des risques d'un affaiblissement trop important de ces acteurs, seuls en mesure de mettre en cohérence des missions, des hommes et leurs compétences, et une organisation du travail / The process of modernization of the territorial services of the State, and quite particularly its manager part, is part of an already ancient story, even if the dynamics and the modalities of the change vary according to the ministerial departments. In this context, the period 2003-2007, with the introduction of a different budgetary approach (the LOLF), the reorganization of the departmental services of the State (RéaTE), and the renovation of the modalities of jobs and skills management, constitutes a turning point which can be seen as the application of the principles of the new public management. The thesis bases on a job analysis of the departmental managers of ministries evoked in the reorganization in this context of modernization, quite particularly around the human resources part. This analysis is prepared by a presentation of the stories of the reform in the ministries of equipment, of agriculture, and the factory inspectorate, and a display of the perception of these transformations by the agents. These two aspects indeed constitute the essential constraints of the activity of managing the change. They show that the "human resources" post plays a central role in the transformations specific to every ministry. To study the work of these executives, to give an account of their processes, is at the same time to shed light on executives' activity in an administration, that is put openly by the change during this period, and on the stakes in this moment of the reform. The analysis of the rooms to maneuver, which enable them to lead the change, reveals also how much the tensions, generated by the contradictions of a reform everywhere, concentrate on them. The way they express their anxiety puts the question of the risks of a too important decline of these actors, the only ones able to put in coherence the missions, the men and their skills, and a work organization

This thesis presents two studies that form the basis of the Samoan Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ (MAF) recent efforts to enhance its animal disease surveillance capacity. The first study investigated a method of enhancing the surveillance value of veterinary case data collected by the MAF’s Animal Health Service, which provides the only veterinary service for livestock in the country, through temporal analysis of cases and syndromes by species. Threshold levels generated from 3-monthly moving averages combined over 3 years of veterinary case data were used to identify unusually high numbers of cases and the cause of these unusual events were investigated. Further, the analysis of data in the system identified gaps in the coverage of the Animal Health Service which helped identify alternative methods for conducting surveillance in these areas using the Crops Division advisory officers. The objective of the second study was to identify if the veterinary case data collected by the Animal Health Service represented pig health problems in the general population. Reproduction and mortality patterns were compared on a group of 10 holdings that were regularly attended by the veterinary staff and 13 holdings that did not utilise the Animal Health Service. The performance of these holdings, measured in liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning and post-weaning mortality were compared given their status as client or non-client of the service and their exposure to various management factors like confinement, protein supplementation, frequency of feeding, management time per sow per day, the use of improved or exotic breeds, the extent of commercial activity and, in the case of piglets their season of birth (rainy or dry season). The mean number of sows per herd was 6, producing a mean litter size of 6.1 piglets with a mean interfarrowing interval of 235 days. The median pre-weaning mortality per litter was 0 and a median of 1 piglet per litter was used for productive purposes (consumed, gifted or sold) at a median age of 153 days. It was found that the greatest influence on productivity in these holdings was nutrition. Sow productivity (in terms of liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning survival) was best in the non-client, free range herds that did not provide protein supplementation (but whose feeding was unrestricted due to their freedom to roam and scavenge) and worst in client and non-client herds that were confined and not given protein supplementation (due to restricted and underfeeding). The mortality of pigs postweaning was significantly higher if they were free roaming, due to their loss to predation, theft and being hit by car. The study showed that the health status of pigs was better on holdings that did not use the Animal Health Service compared with those that did.

This thesis presents two studies that form the basis of the Samoan Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ (MAF) recent efforts to enhance its animal disease surveillance capacity. The first study investigated a method of enhancing the surveillance value of veterinary case data collected by the MAF’s Animal Health Service, which provides the only veterinary service for livestock in the country, through temporal analysis of cases and syndromes by species. Threshold levels generated from 3-monthly moving averages combined over 3 years of veterinary case data were used to identify unusually high numbers of cases and the cause of these unusual events were investigated. Further, the analysis of data in the system identified gaps in the coverage of the Animal Health Service which helped identify alternative methods for conducting surveillance in these areas using the Crops Division advisory officers. The objective of the second study was to identify if the veterinary case data collected by the Animal Health Service represented pig health problems in the general population. Reproduction and mortality patterns were compared on a group of 10 holdings that were regularly attended by the veterinary staff and 13 holdings that did not utilise the Animal Health Service. The performance of these holdings, measured in liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning and post-weaning mortality were compared given their status as client or non-client of the service and their exposure to various management factors like confinement, protein supplementation, frequency of feeding, management time per sow per day, the use of improved or exotic breeds, the extent of commercial activity and, in the case of piglets their season of birth (rainy or dry season). The mean number of sows per herd was 6, producing a mean litter size of 6.1 piglets with a mean interfarrowing interval of 235 days. The median pre-weaning mortality per litter was 0 and a median of 1 piglet per litter was used for productive purposes (consumed, gifted or sold) at a median age of 153 days. It was found that the greatest influence on productivity in these holdings was nutrition. Sow productivity (in terms of liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning survival) was best in the non-client, free range herds that did not provide protein supplementation (but whose feeding was unrestricted due to their freedom to roam and scavenge) and worst in client and non-client herds that were confined and not given protein supplementation (due to restricted and underfeeding). The mortality of pigs postweaning was significantly higher if they were free roaming, due to their loss to predation, theft and being hit by car. The study showed that the health status of pigs was better on holdings that did not use the Animal Health Service compared with those that did.

This thesis presents two studies that form the basis of the Samoan Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ (MAF) recent efforts to enhance its animal disease surveillance capacity. The first study investigated a method of enhancing the surveillance value of veterinary case data collected by the MAF’s Animal Health Service, which provides the only veterinary service for livestock in the country, through temporal analysis of cases and syndromes by species. Threshold levels generated from 3-monthly moving averages combined over 3 years of veterinary case data were used to identify unusually high numbers of cases and the cause of these unusual events were investigated. Further, the analysis of data in the system identified gaps in the coverage of the Animal Health Service which helped identify alternative methods for conducting surveillance in these areas using the Crops Division advisory officers. The objective of the second study was to identify if the veterinary case data collected by the Animal Health Service represented pig health problems in the general population. Reproduction and mortality patterns were compared on a group of 10 holdings that were regularly attended by the veterinary staff and 13 holdings that did not utilise the Animal Health Service. The performance of these holdings, measured in liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning and post-weaning mortality were compared given their status as client or non-client of the service and their exposure to various management factors like confinement, protein supplementation, frequency of feeding, management time per sow per day, the use of improved or exotic breeds, the extent of commercial activity and, in the case of piglets their season of birth (rainy or dry season). The mean number of sows per herd was 6, producing a mean litter size of 6.1 piglets with a mean interfarrowing interval of 235 days. The median pre-weaning mortality per litter was 0 and a median of 1 piglet per litter was used for productive purposes (consumed, gifted or sold) at a median age of 153 days. It was found that the greatest influence on productivity in these holdings was nutrition. Sow productivity (in terms of liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning survival) was best in the non-client, free range herds that did not provide protein supplementation (but whose feeding was unrestricted due to their freedom to roam and scavenge) and worst in client and non-client herds that were confined and not given protein supplementation (due to restricted and underfeeding). The mortality of pigs postweaning was significantly higher if they were free roaming, due to their loss to predation, theft and being hit by car. The study showed that the health status of pigs was better on holdings that did not use the Animal Health Service compared with those that did.

This thesis presents two studies that form the basis of the Samoan Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ (MAF) recent efforts to enhance its animal disease surveillance capacity. The first study investigated a method of enhancing the surveillance value of veterinary case data collected by the MAF’s Animal Health Service, which provides the only veterinary service for livestock in the country, through temporal analysis of cases and syndromes by species. Threshold levels generated from 3-monthly moving averages combined over 3 years of veterinary case data were used to identify unusually high numbers of cases and the cause of these unusual events were investigated. Further, the analysis of data in the system identified gaps in the coverage of the Animal Health Service which helped identify alternative methods for conducting surveillance in these areas using the Crops Division advisory officers. The objective of the second study was to identify if the veterinary case data collected by the Animal Health Service represented pig health problems in the general population. Reproduction and mortality patterns were compared on a group of 10 holdings that were regularly attended by the veterinary staff and 13 holdings that did not utilise the Animal Health Service. The performance of these holdings, measured in liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning and post-weaning mortality were compared given their status as client or non-client of the service and their exposure to various management factors like confinement, protein supplementation, frequency of feeding, management time per sow per day, the use of improved or exotic breeds, the extent of commercial activity and, in the case of piglets their season of birth (rainy or dry season). The mean number of sows per herd was 6, producing a mean litter size of 6.1 piglets with a mean interfarrowing interval of 235 days. The median pre-weaning mortality per litter was 0 and a median of 1 piglet per litter was used for productive purposes (consumed, gifted or sold) at a median age of 153 days. It was found that the greatest influence on productivity in these holdings was nutrition. Sow productivity (in terms of liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning survival) was best in the non-client, free range herds that did not provide protein supplementation (but whose feeding was unrestricted due to their freedom to roam and scavenge) and worst in client and non-client herds that were confined and not given protein supplementation (due to restricted and underfeeding). The mortality of pigs postweaning was significantly higher if they were free roaming, due to their loss to predation, theft and being hit by car. The study showed that the health status of pigs was better on holdings that did not use the Animal Health Service compared with those that did.

This thesis presents two studies that form the basis of the Samoan Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ (MAF) recent efforts to enhance its animal disease surveillance capacity. The first study investigated a method of enhancing the surveillance value of veterinary case data collected by the MAF’s Animal Health Service, which provides the only veterinary service for livestock in the country, through temporal analysis of cases and syndromes by species. Threshold levels generated from 3-monthly moving averages combined over 3 years of veterinary case data were used to identify unusually high numbers of cases and the cause of these unusual events were investigated. Further, the analysis of data in the system identified gaps in the coverage of the Animal Health Service which helped identify alternative methods for conducting surveillance in these areas using the Crops Division advisory officers. The objective of the second study was to identify if the veterinary case data collected by the Animal Health Service represented pig health problems in the general population. Reproduction and mortality patterns were compared on a group of 10 holdings that were regularly attended by the veterinary staff and 13 holdings that did not utilise the Animal Health Service. The performance of these holdings, measured in liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning and post-weaning mortality were compared given their status as client or non-client of the service and their exposure to various management factors like confinement, protein supplementation, frequency of feeding, management time per sow per day, the use of improved or exotic breeds, the extent of commercial activity and, in the case of piglets their season of birth (rainy or dry season). The mean number of sows per herd was 6, producing a mean litter size of 6.1 piglets with a mean interfarrowing interval of 235 days. The median pre-weaning mortality per litter was 0 and a median of 1 piglet per litter was used for productive purposes (consumed, gifted or sold) at a median age of 153 days. It was found that the greatest influence on productivity in these holdings was nutrition. Sow productivity (in terms of liveborn piglets per sow year and pre-weaning survival) was best in the non-client, free range herds that did not provide protein supplementation (but whose feeding was unrestricted due to their freedom to roam and scavenge) and worst in client and non-client herds that were confined and not given protein supplementation (due to restricted and underfeeding). The mortality of pigs postweaning was significantly higher if they were free roaming, due to their loss to predation, theft and being hit by car. The study showed that the health status of pigs was better on holdings that did not use the Animal Health Service compared with those that did.

The object of the work was to analyze the current status of advisory services supply and their assessment on the basis of demand from enterpreneurs in agriculture. Within the framework of the analysis investigation via questionnaire was conducted among enterpreneurs. The collected data then compared to find out whether the purpose of the advisory service has been fulfilled.