About Us

Who we are

Under the project PHARE RO-9505-04-03 “Rural Development in Romania”, the Rural Observatory was set up, as an inter-institutional body – Institute of Agricultural Economics, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests and Bucharest University; the Rural Observatory purpose was to monitor the rural processes in the southern area of Romania, to conduct diagnosis studies and to design alternative strategies for rural modernization.

The scientific association “Virgil Madgearu” was established on November 3, 1998 through court decision no. 217, as a result of the Rural Observatory transformation into a non-profit organization. The purpose of the association, according to its statute, is to design and promote certain strategies aimed at the modernization and development of activities oriented towards the improvement of the mobilization of zonal resources, with direct impact upon the living standard in the rural area.

In the year 2003, the name of the association was changed into the Romanian Association of Rural and Agri-Food Economy “Virgil Madgearu”- authentication number 300/19.02.2003.

Our team

The Romanian Association of Rural and Agri-Food Economy “Virgil Madgearu” has specialists of national and international recognition in the following fields: economy, sociology, agri-food economy, agronomists, geographers, lawyers, philologists. These specialists participated to the elaboration of macro-economic, zonal studies, to the scientific substantiation of the rural area rehabilitation programs and to the design of sectoral policies and of policies targeting the local economies.

The association is managed by an administration board consisting of 5 persons, out of which 1 president, 1 vice-president, 1 secretary and 2 members. The board structure reflects the professional diversity of members.

What we want

The research teams consisting of the members of the Romanian Association of Rural and Agri-Food Economy “Virgil Madgearu” elaborate fundamental and empirical studies of the rural (economic, social, demographic, ecologic, sociologic) phenomena and processes, having in view a thorough scientific knowledge of the rural world in order to design the necessary strategies for its modernization and development.

What we are doing

The Romanian Association of Rural and Agri-Food Economy “Virgil Madgearu”:

• Elaborates studies and carries out activities in the field of economy, sociology and environment protection;
• Elaborates studies and carries out activities in the field of agri-food economy;
  
• Elaborates and implements regional and local development projects;
  
• Elaborates studies in the field of organic (ecological) agriculture and promotes the development of organic (ecological) agriculture;
  
• Promotes the integrated and sustainable development of rural communities, through the harmonization of existing socio-economic activities;
  
• Fosters the diversification of the economic and social activities, through a thorough study of existing resources with special potentiation values;
  
• Elaborates zonal projects for performant and diversified farming activities;
  
• Elaborates social intervention projects for the less-favoured rural communities;
  
• Elaborates agro-tourism projects;
  
• Elaborates multi-disciplinary projects;
  
• Provides scientific support to the initiatives meant to promote the modern organization of rural communities and supports their economic and social development, through projects funded by national and international bodies;
  
• Promotes the professional links between the association members and national and international organizations;
  
• Organizes training activities for the specialists in agriculture in collaboration with institutions, associations and other organizations from Romania and from foreign countries;
  
• Edits and prints over different publications;
  
• Organizes scientific events.
  

What we will do

The research teams consisting of the members of the Romanian Association of Rural and Agri-Food Economy “Virgil Madgearu” will have the following major scientific interests and concerns for the period 2013-2020:

• Expertise and rural innovation transfer
  
• Competitiveness growth factors
  
• Consolidation of agri-food chains and risk management in agriculture
  
• Study of general market disequilibria
  
• Rehabilitation, conservation and consolidation of eco-systems
  
• Promoting the efficient use of resources and transition to a low carbon emission economy
  
• Promoting social inclusion, poverty alleviation and economic development in the rural areas
  
• Creation and stabilization of producers’ groups
  
• Identification and implementation of the set of measures for setting up of young farmers in rural communities
  
• Creation and implementation of the institutional cooperation forms, for promoting new products inclusively
  
• Study and implementation of basic services in agreement with the population’s expectations
  
• Study of renewable energy specific opportunities
  
• Elaboration and socio-economic substantiation of LAG projects and strategies
  
• Promoting the flexibility of funds combination at local, zonal level