What are the links between Fert and French Professional Agricultural Organisations?

- Fert was created in 1981 chiefly at the initiative of professional agricultural leaders from the “Céréaliers de France” group (Cereal Farmers of France): AGPB, ITCF (nowadays ARVALIS) and UNIGRAINS.

- Fert benefits from the financial support of UNIGRAINS.

- Fert makes use of the experience and savoir-faire of the French agricultural milieu and mobilises the most adapted skills to support realisations in the field and as a basis for training and exchange of experience for local partners.

- Fert is at work at the side of players of the development of agricultural economies of developing or emergent countries, endeavouring to create the bases for a lasting economical partnership between French and foreign professional organisations.


What distinguishes Fert from a developmental NGO?

- Fert, governed under the French law’s 1901 act, is an association of international cooperation for rural development and is therefore entitled to be called an NGO.

- However it differs from a classical developmental NGO through:

• Its ties with French Professional Agricultural Organisations
• An approach that aims at promoting organisations of specialised producers at providing a lasting and steady accompaniment towards autonomy.

What is the extent of Fert’s autonomy?

- Although it was created at the initiative of the “Céréaliers de France” Group and still enjoying its support, Fert responds to solicitations coming from farmers from developing or emerging countries and from all agricultural lines (stockbreeding, large-scale cultivation, market gardening, fruit-growing…)

- Thanks to its private funding (47% of mobilised resources in 2006), Fert is able to commit itself to lasting action at the side of its partners in developing or emerging countries, well beyond the usually very short duration of projects led under public co-financing.


What is the difference between Fert and FERTILE?

- Fert is the Association in custody of the cooperation approach and of the carrying out of actions of cooperation for rural development.

- FERTILE SAS, chief subsidiary of Fert, is a common service organisation entrusted by Fert for the administration of the projects it sets up ; FERTILE SAS is thus Fert’s operational tool.


Is Fert hiring personnel?

- Whenever Fert seeks to hire someone, it posts an ad for the position on the website of Coordination Sud, APECITA, UNIAGRO, etc.