ORGANIC FOOD - Final Version

8/8/2019 ORGANIC FOOD - Final Version

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INTERREG IIIC - overall

It allowed regions without joint borders to work together in common projects anddevelop networks of co-operation.

The program gave access to experience of other participants involved in regionaldevelopment policy and created synergies between them.

The overall aim was to improve the effectiveness of regional development policiesand instruments through large-scale information exchange and sharing ofexperience.

INTERREG IIIC is an EU-funded program that helps Europes regions form partnerships to

work together on common projects.

By sharing knowledge and experience, these partnerships enable the regions involved to

develop new solutions to economic, social and environmental challenges.


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INTERREG IIIC - details

Launching: March 2005

Duration: 2 years

Participants: Estonia, Sweden, EnglandGoals:

develop and promote local and organic food among EU

share experience and skills across regions (opportunity to exchange experiences and co-operate with people and business from other countries )


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LOF (local and organic food) project

Objectives of the LOF project included:

developing the small-scale processing of local andorganic food by farmers and other enterprises

improving the direct marketing and increasingthe purchasing of local and organic food

maintaining and enhancing traditional local foodculture (including local speciality products, use offresh seasonal produce, traditional foodpreservation techniques and the collection ofwild foods)


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LOF (local and organic food) project

Positive and long-lasting benefits for all partner

countries:

networks of contacts Inspiration , strength and encouragement

Improvement and diversity of products

Cooperating instead of competing


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Ecology in agriculture

What is organic agriculture?

defined as an ecological production managementsystem that promotes and enhances biodiversity,

biological cycles, and soil biological activity

using organic and mineral fertilizers instead ofsynthetic and pesticides inputs

based management practices that restore,maintain, or enhance ecological harmony

primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimizethe health and productivity of interdependent

communities of soil life, plants, animals and

people


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Ecology in agriculture

Why do we need organic agriculture?

3 main concerns:

our present agricultural practices arehaving a negative impact on

environmental quality, and on resource

availability;

these practices are contributing to aworsening in human health;

the economic situation for producerscontinues to decline.


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The negative environmental impacts of

current agricultural practices include:

soil degradation, water depletion and contamination, inefficient energy use, loss of plant and animal genetic diversity, destruction of non-agricultural habitat, many food additives - addition of salt,

certain food processing techniques - such asremoval of fibre from grains, refined sugar,boiling in fat or oli,

declining nutritional value in foods.


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Solutions to these problems is ecological agriculture

Ecological production systems reduce erosion,surface and groundwater contamination.

The use of toxic materials in production is verylow in comparison to conventional systems, so

the environmental and health problemsassociated with their use do not occur.

Energy use in sustainable systems may bereduced by up to 60%, depending on the region

and production system.

Diversified crop production systems,windbreaks, and the more diversified landscape

associated with sustainable agriculture systems

often contribute to improved and varied

wildlife habitat.


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Ecological agriculture is worth investing because of:

Profitability of ecological agriculture

Organic methods of production require more labor -providing jobs for rural areas ( decrease of

unemployment in the country)

Growth in demand on ecological ,high quality andhelathy food - higher prices increase profits for

ecological producers

Eksport of ecological food on EUs markets


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Ecological agriculture in Poland

Amount of ecological producers in Poland from 2004 2009

The increasing number of eco-

food producers points to the fact that the

eco farming in Poland continues to

develop, the recent data shows.


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Barriers to the development of eco-

farming sector in Poland:

Main barriers of the development of eco farming in Poland are connectedwith;

- Lack of cost-effectiveness: Too little amount of products to process; noecomony of scale

- Lack of cooperation of the producers

- Difficulty with obtaining big amount of products equal in shape


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Continuation of the project:

Poland-Estonia Aims of the project:- establishment of organic food farmers

organization (to cut costs of production, tobe able to intensify production and benefitfrom the economy of scale)

- to share experience across regions

- to exchange recepies- to launch new products- to establish new business partners


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Forms of cooperation- workshops:

Novelty Research: Workshop on traditionalorganic food in the two countries

Reaching the Market: Workshop on marketing

and distribution Good practice learning: Workshop on how to

cooperate and make more money Inspiration workshop: how to motivate and

encourage to improve production in bothcountries Workshops in food laboratories


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Funds:

The European Regional DevelopmentFund (ERDF): 350 000 euro

The European Social Fund (ESF): 150 000euro

The government input: 100 000 euro

Total: 600 000 euro


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Cooperation across regions:

Poland:- Mazowieckie

- Wielkopolskie- Lubelskie

- witokrzyskie

Estonia:- Saarema

- Hiiuma- Estonian mainland


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Karolina Gricner

Sabina Wjtowicz

Ewa Sowik Ewa Pucyska

Magdalena obodziec

Documents

ORGANIC FOOD - Final Version