Plan of Action in Green Care Farming

Summary

The Norwegian agriculture represents resources beyond production of food and timber. Green care farming is a fast growing business and the demand after such services has increased over the past five years. Approximately 1 500 farms offer Care services and the number is anticipated to increase further.

Green care farming is a service within:

• schooling and education
• work training and rehabilitation of people on long-term sick leave
• healthcare

The farmers and the Norwegian authorities have developed a plan of action to develop “Green Care farming”. The plan was compiled on the results of the annual trade negotiations between the Norwegian farmers and the Authorities. The state owned innovation organization “Innovation Norway” and a panel consisting of representatives from the business have jointly developed the plan.

Five main areas are subject to the action plan:

1. Establishment of collaboration between the farmer and the public sector
2. Research and documentation
3. Quality standards for the service
4. Competence development
5. Network building

The list bellowed is not prioritized, but a list of actions necessary to develop the business. Several actors will take part in implementing these actions.

1. Establishment of Collaboration between the Farmer and the Public Sector

Description of action	Responsible
1.1 Arrange a meeting at political level with participants from the Ministry of Health and Care Services, Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Children and Equality, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. The meeting aims at establishing collaboration and foundation of the Green Care farming in the areas of research, evaluations etc.	The Ministry of Agriculture and Food
1.2 Update and revise the instruction book of “Development and Collaboration between Farmers and Public Services”. Development of templates of contract between supplier and buyer.	Innovation Norway/ Farmers Unions
1.3 Establish a national coordination function for the County Governor offices. The coordination function is seated by the County Governor.	The Social- and Health Directorate/ The Ministry of Agriculture and Food/ The County Governors
1.4 Publishing of examples of successful Green Care farming businesses	Innovation Norway/ The Royal Norwegian Society for Development
1.5 Publish lists of farmers that offer Green Care farming at the website www.innpaatunet.no. This list include specifications concerning locality, type of service/target group, among other things	Innovation Norway/ The Royal Norwegian Society for Development
1.6 Develop Norwegian Community of Practice and develop Norwegian participation in international collaboration about CoP Farming for health	University of Life Sciences

2. Research and Documentation

Description of action	Responsible
2.1 Compile a report on the need of research within the field of Green Care farming, with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and international research	The Research Council of Norway
2.2 Implement actions under point 1 in the Research Council of Norway’s programs and other relevant sources of research and development e.g. Health and rehabilitation and in the Annual Agreement of Agriculture commerce	The Research Council of Norway
2.3 Implement Green Care farming as a field of study in health-, education- and economical research programs	The Research Council of Norway/ The Ministry of Agriculture and Food and other ministries

3. Quality Standards

Description of action	Responsible
3.1 Develop national system of quality standardization. Key aspects: Risk-estimating, safety control, content of the service etc.	Farmers Union/ Innovation Norway/ The County Governors/ The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities
3.2 Achieve knowledge about the system of quality standardization which has been developed and implemented in the Netherlands.	Innovation Norway
3.3 Develop the system of quality standardization for Green Care farming from the standards in the Quality Strategi of Social and Health services: “Og bedre skal det bli…”. This implies that the services rendered are safe for the users.	The Social- and Health Directorate

4. Competence Development

Description of action	Responsible
4.1 Update the list of courses in Green Care farming and make them public	Innovation Norway/ Farmers Unions
4.2 Clarification of financials concerning user-payments at these courses	Innovation Norway
4.3 Arrange a National Conference in 2007 over the theme: Schooling and Education	The County Governors/ Farmers Unions
4.4 Offer courses in Green Care farming at college/university-level for the buyers of the services	University of Life Science

5. Network Building

Description of action	Responsible
5.1 Establish a report on national Green Care Farming organization/union	Farmers Unions/ Interim Board
5.2 Develop and expand the member pages at the website www.innpaatunet.no	The Royal Norwegian Society for Development

For further details about the plan of action, please contact the Ministry of Agriculture and Food at phone +47 22 24 90 90 or e-mail postmottak@lmd.dep.no

You may also contact Innovation Norway at phone +47 22 00 25 00 or e-mail post@innovasjonnorge.no