Evaluation of continued training and consulting of agriculturists and other rural residents of Lithuania

The paper focuses on the analysis of peculiarities of continued training and consulting of agriculturists and other rural residents carried out under the Single Programming Document (SPD) financial programme in Lithuania in 2004-2006. With a view to particu-lar methodology of adult education, attention was paid to evaluation of a match between consulting and training services and the educational needs of the farmers. Other aspects of continued training and consulting, such as course quality and intensity, teaching methods and lecturers’ activity, learning barriers and application of knowledge obtained were examined in the survey as well. It was concluded that training topics were in line with learners’ interests and farming type while they promoted traditional ways of farming; although the needs of personal development prevailed over farming effectiveness needs. Indetermination arises in evaluation of the course quality (teachers’ activity) and knowledge application due to an inability to assess such factors or due to some „cultural“ pecu-liarities of the farmersVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij