Counseling in Poland has a tradition of 40 years, though the organisational forms of counseling changed over time. On force of the Act on Agricultural Counseling Units from 1st of January 2005 the Agricultural Counseling Centre (CDR) in Brwinów has been created, as well as 16 voivodshipal Agricultural Counseling Centres (ODR), which are public organisational units with legal authority.

The aim of the Agricultural Counseling Centres is to improve the agricultural income levels and increase the competitiveness of farms. The Silesian Agricultural Counseling Centre (ŚODR) cooperates with various institutions working on rural development, particularly with agricultural research and scientific institutes, agricultural universities, the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture, the Agricultural Market Agency, the Agricultural Properties Agency and agricultural chambers. ŚODR is of the main institutions which educates farmers and rural areas citizens in the Silesian region. Through its advisors the counseling centre reaches farmers in an effective way with information and support. The organisation publishes its own magazine, special brochures and instructions with actual information and research results. ŚODR also participates in national and regional fairs and exhibitions popular among farmers and rural areas citizens, and contributes thus to the popularisation of the Silesian region and its tourist values.

ŚODR serves as a Regional Consultacy Bureau (RCB) covering the southern part of Poland in the Coach BioEnergy project.