1. THE FRUITS OF TRADITIONS IN ODORHEI Acronym: FRUTRAD Priority sector : Facilitating sustainable production Odorheiu Secuiesc, Romania

2. Where the project would be located? - 23 communes - 3 cities integrating totally 127 settlements. The subregion's total population is around 120,000 inhabitants, from which 55% lives in traditional rural areas

3. Actual socio-economic situation Dominant rural economic sectors: Dominant rural economic sectors: – Animal husbandry – Fruit growing Rural areas = buffering space of social problems Rural areas = buffering space of social problems Ageing farmers Ageing farmers

4. Actual socio-economic situation (Under) subzistence farming system (Under) subzistence farming system Reduced access to market opportunities and technological know-how Reduced access to market opportunities and technological know-how Imminent need for professional assistance and implementation of good model example projects Imminent need for professional assistance and implementation of good model example projects

5. Objectives Primary objective: increase the economic revenue of the rural enterprises by sustainable and enhanced use of natural endowments, especially the traditional varieties of fruit and wild forest species. Secondary objectives : (1)information dissemination and training of local communities on the economic and genetic value of traditional orchards and wild natural species available within and surroundings of the villages, (2)improvement of processing level of local products by supporting the know-how and technological transfer into the subregion, (3)developing and adopting special marketing key features in order to promote the access to the market of traditionally made products.

6. Project Partners Norway Royal Society for Development Norway Royal Society for Development Agora Foundation Agora Foundation Modern Business Sciences College Modern Business Sciences College Academic Society of Targu Mures Academic Society of Targu Mures Hungarian Farmers Association of Odorhei Region Hungarian Farmers Association of Odorhei Region

7. Dimensions of the project activities: Biodiversity conservation

8. Dimensions of the project activities: Preservation of Traditions Multiplication, preservation of traditional local fruit varieties Multiplication, preservation of traditional local fruit varieties Use of traditional orchard management practices (extensive land use) Use of traditional orchard management practices (extensive land use) Revealing marketable traditional knowledge of different methods suitable to produce high quality local products Revealing marketable traditional knowledge of different methods suitable to produce high quality local products

9. Dimensions of the project activities: Community mobilization Community meetings for in-depth information collecting of traditional knowledge on fruit varieties Community meetings for in-depth information collecting of traditional knowledge on fruit varieties Trainings for youth by involving experienced older farmers and university professors Trainings for youth by involving experienced older farmers and university professors Organizing and implementing special local events (Traditional Fruit Days' Festival at subregional level) Organizing and implementing special local events (Traditional Fruit Days' Festival at subregional level)

10. Dimensions of the project activities: Assisting the Local Economy Developing and offering a sustainable Rural Economic Development Model Developing and offering a sustainable Rural Economic Development Model Providing accredited training for improving the skills on traditional practices, food processing, marketing, entrepreneurial management Providing accredited training for improving the skills on traditional practices, food processing, marketing, entrepreneurial management Bio-certification of most important local orchards Bio-certification of most important local orchards Preparation and certification of local trademark Preparation and certification of local trademark Establishing and maintenance of RADC Establishing and maintenance of RADC

11. Dimensions of the project activities: Consolidated networking Experience exchanges within subregion and abroad (community members, project partners) Experience exchanges within subregion and abroad (community members, project partners) Integration of innovative intervention of local NGOs (publicity intervention) Integration of innovative intervention of local NGOs (publicity intervention) Permanent professional assistance for local communities and SMEs Permanent professional assistance for local communities and SMEs

12. Publicity Project web page Project web page Leaflets and informative posters Leaflets and informative posters Organizing and implementing the 'Traditional Fruit Days' Festival in Odorhei subregion Organizing and implementing the 'Traditional Fruit Days' Festival in Odorhei subregion Publicity spots and news in local media Publicity spots and news in local media Exercise booklets for pupils Exercise booklets for pupils Publicity booklets and catalogue of labeled traditionally made products Publicity booklets and catalogue of labeled traditionally made products Innovative involvement of third partners in the promotional activities Innovative involvement of third partners in the promotional activities Participation at one international and three national fairs Participation at one international and three national fairs Permanent communication with local communities Permanent communication with local communities

13. Project activities: Collecting of local information and knowledge traditional cultivation and use of local natural values traditional cultivation and use of local natural values farmers' perception on the most important characteristics of local varieties farmers' perception on the most important characteristics of local varieties territorial spread of the relevant varieties within community territory territorial spread of the relevant varieties within community territory

14. Project activities: Enhancement of community active participation and information dissemination activities trainings for farmers trainings for farmers experiences exchanges experiences exchanges publicity in printed and electronic format publicity in printed and electronic format periodical meetings with local people periodical meetings with local people using the local knowledge in the skill development of pupils using the local knowledge in the skill development of pupils

15. Project activities: Supporting the local economic initiatives of SMEs providing permanent consultancy providing permanent consultancy establishing a Rural Assistance and Demonstrative Centre (RADC) establishing a Rural Assistance and Demonstrative Centre (RADC) professional marketing assistance to local economic initiatives professional marketing assistance to local economic initiatives market promotion of local products market promotion of local products implementing community events to raise awareness implementing community events to raise awareness providing information on the real status of the market for potential fruit made products providing information on the real status of the market for potential fruit made products permanent access to RADC facilities and assistance in order to improve the skills on suitable product development and management permanent access to RADC facilities and assistance in order to improve the skills on suitable product development and management

16. Interrelation of activities Business Concept Package Traditional knowledge Development Model Product Market evaluation, feasibility studies Rural communities and SMEs Training Professional Assistance Publicity Best practices, networking

17. Results increasing the economic revenue of at least 200 families within the targeted communities increasing the economic revenue of at least 200 families within the targeted communities at least 300 community members will acquire directly and 30,000 people indirectly new structured knowledge on the genetic and economic value of local orchards and wild forest species at least 300 community members will acquire directly and 30,000 people indirectly new structured knowledge on the genetic and economic value of local orchards and wild forest species at least 150 local pupils will be directly involved in the safeguarding activities of these values at least 150 local pupils will be directly involved in the safeguarding activities of these values the number of traditional fruit varieties will increase by at least 1,500 trees the number of traditional fruit varieties will increase by at least 1,500 trees

18. Results at least 15 new local products will enter onto the market at least 15 new local products will enter onto the market the amount of collected and processed wild forest species will increase by 20% the amount of collected and processed wild forest species will increase by 20% the land size managed under low input (organic) conditions will increase up to 40 hectares the land size managed under low input (organic) conditions will increase up to 40 hectares a demonstration investment at subregional level will promote investments in small scale fruit processing systems of at least 20 newly formed SMEs a demonstration investment at subregional level will promote investments in small scale fruit processing systems of at least 20 newly formed SMEs

19. Sustainability Project objectives = Foundation’s goals Project objectives = Foundation’s goals Fruit plantations are of national interest Fruit plantations are of national interest Complementary financial resources Complementary financial resources Trainings Trainings SME investments SME investments Product promotion Product promotion Land use by fruit trees plantation Land use by fruit trees plantation Transferable Economic Development Model to other regions and/or other local products (for e.g. milk, honey, medicinal plants) Transferable Economic Development Model to other regions and/or other local products (for e.g. milk, honey, medicinal plants)

20. Thank you for your kind attention ! Istv á n M á r Project Manager Civitas Foundation for Civil Society – Odorheiu Secuiesc Address: Odorheiu Secuiesc, Bethlen Gabor street, nr. 43, postal code: 535 6 00 Tel/fax: + 40-2 6 2 18481 Mobil: + 40-754-6 5718 6 E-mail: istvanmar @ civitas.roistvanmar @ civitas.ro W eb: www.civitas.rowww.civitas.ro