Best reccomended strategies for Local Action Groups within organic sector

Strategy for the Local Action Groups within organic sector Aims: Development of the ecological awareness of the local citizens Development of organic farming in the area (county / group of the communes)

Multifunctionality / increase the economy of the area via different actions connected with organic farming Development of eco-tourism, biodiversity, on-farm processing, direct sale, craft, folklore, culinary arts Increase of sell / consumption of the organic products Increase of diversity and quality of the organic / regional products.

Tools of the strategy: In case of groups of beginners – start with organic round tables on possibilities of production and market, good co-operation of all stakeholder Advice to generate power via a bottom-up approach Establish informal group and selecting the leader – a person with appropriate skills and personally interested in organic farming Contact local authorities and other stakeholders of the region, including local media.

Organizing the common meetings with the existing local action groups in the surrounding – exchange of experience Supporting establishing of the association of local stakeholders (different actors) that can effectively promote organic farming and products or the producers’ group or the cluster Formal or informal group must be connected by strong common interest, for example common sell of products. Tools of the strategy:

Establish the aims of the group, rules of the proceeding, selection of the formal leader/s and steering group Fundraising: project applications prepared with the help of the experts, employing professional fundriser The group should be supported by all possible available mesures and programms Tools of the strategy:

Reccomendations for the formal and informal groups interested in the development of organic farming the group should start by SWOT analysis or other method of situation analysis the aims must be realistic - by the project planning the group should be visible on the local and national level the group should look for the connections with groups existing in the region the group should look for political support on the local level it is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the project – should be continued after the project ends.

* Meetings of stakeholders (farmers, processors, traders, advisors, local authorities) inviting scientists to present the results of relevant research * Transferring knowledge of what is “organic” has to be done to customers and children (basic trainings) * Distinguishing different target groups (small children, pregnant women, schools, restaurants, parents, teachers, nurses, medical doctors, etc…)! Different activities supported by the experts:

* Advanced trainings on production problems, marketing, sale, quality of products, animal husbandry * Newsletters in electronic version – news on PPPs, new methods of technics of cultivation, innovations * Communication: direct meetings, internet, website (with the help of experts) e.g. databases and website connecting the producers, sellers and customers.

* Organising educational farms (inviting children as well) * Local workshops on selected topics * Organizing local market places i.e. 1 day in a week, in each town ( the place where different actors meet each other and debates taking place).

* Examples on how to organize alternative food chains, like CSAs, on-farm sales (maybe with distribution points) * Implementing short marketing chain model (as in example of Spain) * Inviting famous persons to increase the attractiveness of the local events (artists, writers, cooks, politicians etc.).

* Open days/fair (culinary attractions with good organic food & drinks, distributing interesting recipes) * Supporting organic restaurants, guesthouses, school canteens, etc. * Supporting organic agro-touristic farms.

Multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas - several examples

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE RURAL AREAS BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE MEANS: Local processing of food (household production of cheese, meat, pasta, fruit and vegetable processed products) Farm gate sales Local, small restaurants and guest houses offering organic food

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE RURAL AREAS BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE Local ecological events: harvest home festivals, open days, apple tree days Restitution of regional culture: paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, blacksmiths, other crafts, performance on musical instruments, dance, song

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE RURAL AREAS BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE Groups of producers Local markets and organic fairs

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE MEANS: Local ecological events: harvest home festivals, open days, apple tree days Restitution of regional culture: paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, blacksmiths, other crafts, performance on musical instruments, dance, song.

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE Attractive agricultural landscape based on small and medium organic farms

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE RURAL AREAS BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE Regional food Biodiversity of plants through the restitution of old trees and fruit shrub cultivars Biodiversity of animals through the restitution of old animal breeds (cows, horses, pigs, geese, ducks, hens)

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE RURAL AREAS BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE Open, demonstration farms Agri-tourist farms

Sustainable Tourism can result very important for the Sustainable Development of rural areas Fabio Piccioli

Guests’ expectation about Bio Hotel Healthy food Organic food Nature Peaceful place Natural products Sport offer Health Natural wood furniture Wellness Recreation Fabio Piccioli

How to develop organic market? Supermarkets Organic shops, fairs and markets Organic typical quality products Organic restaurants and agritourism Open farms and didactic farms Organic school’s canteens Organic Days. Fabio Piccioli

Organic School’s Canteen Organic Day Fabio Piccioli

Importance of the human resources Education of the citizens (secondary and high schools) Ecological education Enterprise development Networking = creation of the groups, associations, cooperation networks, companies, producer groups, etc. Important role of local leaders!!!

Networking

Training, network and exchange of experiences are important, for organic farmers, and for all the local actors Fabio Piccioli

Promotion of development by involving all the local inhabitants in order to provide understanding about the identity of their own area Information of the citizens about advantages and opportunities deriving from integrated strategies for development and promotion of the area. Role of local community in the promotion of multifunctional development

Spreading of information and knowledge of common interest to all the local operators is an key element in starting up new processes of local development. Role of information activities

Creating Eco-regions in co- operation with local authorities Organic Food Valley Poland – Lubelskie voivodship

Creating Eco-regions in co-operation with local authorities Organic Food Valley in Poland – Lubelskie voivodship The main aim of the project is to create a platform to develop and promote organic food products in Eastern Poland. Detailed aims: to support development of the Organic Food Valley Cluster to enhance the cluster cooperation between the scientific institutions, innovation entities and entrepreneurs involved in the production, processing and distribution of the organic products to raise the competitiveness and innovation of the cluster participants.

Organic Food Valley Detailed aims: to increase organic production and the employment in the sector of organic products to improve the access of the cluster participants to the complex information and knowledge on production, processing and marketing of organic products to increase the demand for organic products.

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF THE COUNTRY BASED ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE MEANS: improvement of economics in the region diversified and higher income of people living in rural areas flow of native and foreign tourists high quality food preserving clean environment and agricultural landscape lively, active agricultural region preserving cultural traditions of the region diversified tourist offer increased export of goods and services

Thanks for your attention!