NARRATIVE REPORT on the implementation of the project "Good practice in using the potential of countries in Central and Eastern Europe in organic products
Basically it is a program of internationalization of the project "Promoting culture technologies with low environmental impact and a greater economic efficiency of production achieved", a project developed by the Organic Farmers Association of Romania and established partners, with the support of the World Bank and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
It is organize an exchange of experience between the complex team for the project implementation and delegates of some associations and similar organizations of 6 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, with the objectives:
• Bioterra Association sharing the experience gained in the 11 years of activity, especially the promotion of organic farming, inspection and certification, of environmentally technologies and marketing of organic agricultural products;
• achievement of a feed-back from specialists from abroad concerning the implementation of the first phase of the project, using this during the intermediary evaluation;
• through joint contribution, development of optimized practices in the environmental technologies, the marketing of organic products, for the purpose of increasing the practice of ecological agriculture in these countries;
• Development of cooperation between countries and agro-environmental companies.
Duration of Project: Oct. 25-31;
Funding: Open Society Foundation - Romania;
Participants in the project
A) The Bioterra team: Albert Imre - project manager, Cornel Man, Bodis Andrei, Albert Emilia, Miklos Nagy;
B) County Office of Agricultural Advisory Cluj: engineer Hicea Silvia;
E) University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj Napoca: Prof. Cornel Man, Prof. Dr. Gh. Mihai, conf.dr.Sima Nicusor, Prof. Mark Nicholas;
F) Guests from visited places and farms: the mayors and deputy mayor, rural tourism agents, Rimetea - Alba, Cefa - Bihor, farmers: Albert Imre, Miklos Nagy, Poputa George Ioan Ratiu, Stefan Moritz, Gherman Nicholas;
G) Participants from abroad - Moldova: Iurie Senic, Vasile Ciobanu;
- Latvia: Livija ZARINA, Siim Iaanus
- Bulgaria: Andrey Kurtenkov
- Armenia: Davtyan Vardges
- Serbia: Nicoleta Oprea
- Turkey: Kilinc Gökhan
Activities carried out under the project and its impact on participants:
In the internationalization program were planned and carried out the following activities:
1) The participation of foreign guests at the International Organic Farmers Conference, organized by the Bioterra Association
Conference held in October 25-26, with 220 participants from Romania and another 8 European countries took the following themes: “Quality of agricultural food products and environmental factors influence". For the participants in the project, the Conference has been an excellent opportunity to see live Bioterra activities - cooperation with MADR, ANCA, ASAS, Resorts Scientific Research, Agriculture Universities, the training of farmers, their concerns and problems that faces. Invitations were aware of the organic products market in Romania and the relationship agro tourism - organic farming.
All foreign guests appreciated the exceptional organizational strength of Bioterra Association, its position in the FNAE, the Association role in developing ecological agriculture in Romania, the methodology and practices applied in the pursuit of the goals proposed.
The exhibition of organic food products held during the conference enabled the participants to the project to know directly and to taste the main organic products that are obtained in Romania: milk and dairy products (sheep and cattle), honey bees and apiculture products, wine, eggs, vegetables, fruit, flour and pasta.
The participants were able to chat with producers and have a useful exchange of experience.
2.) Organization of round tables on the project theme and objectives of the project proposed in the locations visited.
There have been organized round tables very successful, with presentations and interactive discussions appreciated by the participants, with the following locations:
2.1 USAMV Cluj-Napoca, on 27 October 2008
Themes: Presentation of the participants;
Progress and current situation of organic agriculture in Romania - Cornel Man;
Bioterra Association - 11 years of activity - Albert Imre;
Inspection and Certification of organic agriculture in Romania - Lorincz Piroska;
Presentation of the project and all its components - Cornel Man.
Subsequent the discussions were set the following priorities:
- Must intensified campaign for the transmission of information about organic agriculture and healthy food, by exploiting all possible publicity, and by all means of verbal and visual communication – electronic, publishing brochures, documentaries, flyers, etc.. For these activities will have to submit projects to donors who deal with rural issues. It will seek projects in partnership with neighbouring countries or any partner who is willing to cooperation;
- The organise and the establishment of demonstration plots in the area in which there is interest in organic farming, because the recommended technologies to be able to be see "live" and be able to browse all the links technology;
- Must put more emphasis on informing and educating consumers, because the requirement to increase over healthy food, good quality, which, in turn, increases the number of organic farmers;
- Awareness of the decision bodies on the need for organic farming should be considered national priority, such subsidy to be safe and tangible. Measures proposed: drawing up a proposal for subsidy to be made after consulting all organizations and associations in the country, the associations should represent the interests of producers and processors;
- Civil organizations to facilitate the participation of producers and processors to national and international fairs;
- To put a big importance on the renewal of good agricultural practices, patterns of agricultural habits.
2.2 Sãlard, 28 October 2008
Themes: Livestock in the ecological system;
Waste management and organic waste, composting mechanized.
Moderator: Prof. Dr Cornel Man, president of the Association Bioterra.
Observations, conclusions:
- Establishment of the urine basins is required in each animal farm for many points of view: protecting the environment - particularly water - providing cheap and efficiently fertilizer. In the current situation many farmers in conventional production renounce to the use of chemical fertilizers due to increased prices, and like, execute the minimum works and investment for the establishment of cultures. Such, attention is turning to fertilizer materials best economic: the use of liquid dejection, scrap plant composting (stopping burning them), green fertilizer application etc..
- Use liquid dejections have significant advantages over the use in a solid form of the manure: it is easier to administer, reducing costs, there is a chance to use them during vegetation, provides production raise and increase efficiency;
- To administer dejections is a need to procure vidanjera by a group of householders in a small household while depreciation is too long;
- The need to adopt a technology in which all of the used wastes to be in liquid form, the application is in diluted form, the ratio of 1:7 or 1:10, depending on the destination: the vegetation or work base;
- Fertilization with liquid wastes does not exclude, but may even require the use of other methods of fertilization, from which is very important green manure. Nagy farm use facelia yearly, a special honey-bearing plant after which is harvested a production of hay. As green manure participants recommended other plants and methods: borceaguri, rye, red clovers broadcaster in the stubble after harvesting and the introduction of vegetative mass in soil in the fall with ploughing base;
- As regards secondary products compotation and various organic waste has concluded that it needed to be centralized, with mechanical means and with appropriate skill required. With the current practice of composting can not get good compost, not aerobic fermentation occurs, the seeds of weeds do not lose germination and the need for heavy physical work. It would be necessary for each locality to make a platform for composting, to procure the necessary tools and work to be provided by a producer for the whole town;
- Noted the possibility of using some fertilisation and combat materials: Biofertil, Azotofertil, Biomit, Biomit Plus, NeemAzal etc., substances allowed in organic farming and used in farms with success and presented in the demonstration plots. The participants noted the need to popularize these substances, especially among farmers who do not have animals. It is necessary to establish demonstration plots in several areas for producers to convince the usefulness of these products.
The sequent method of fertilization with the diluted urine presented is known only in Serbia, the rest of the countries fattening in organic farming is done in the usual way, with manure. Representatives of other countries have appreciated the results obtained with this method, wanting to popularize in their country. It was a novelty the use of certain admitted fertilizers.
2.3 Cefa–Tulca, 29 October 2008
Themes: Agro technical methods for weeds control, Biodiversity conservation, marketing of organic products
Moderators: engineer Andrew Bodis, Prof. Dr. Cornel Man, Popuţe Gheorghe.
In the round table of Cefa on how to control the weed with agro technical methods have take the following conclusions:
- In crop rotation the perennial forage plants should be maintained in culture at least 3 years, but is recommended even 4 years, depending on the composition of flora plants. With as fodder plants remain several years in culture, the weeds control becomes more effective. The outcome in respect of controlling the weed depends on the number of mows, and the number of harvesting;
- Noted the need of uniform arise of culture, as a result of a germination bed properly, as well as land roller. Following the application of this method culture struggling with more success against weeds;
- The importance of electing the best time for completion of work with weeds curry comb. Immediately after arise, or even after weeds seeds germination must be run first crossing. The work should be repeated several times, depending on the emergence of weed, and may continue until at the height of 15-20 cm. In the case plants which has to be plough work with curry comb is intercalate with the mechanical weeding, respectively rows billons.
- Noted the importance of executing the work at optimum moisture - in this sense is not admissible any rebate because it compromises the work and where humidity too high, and when the ground is too dry, distorting the soil.
In the second part of the day there were held discussions at Tulca, at Popuţe Gheorghe’s (member of the Bioterra Association’s board) farm about organic meat processing and valorisation. Conclusions and recommendations:
- Realization of slaughterhouses certified bio is first emergency. Currently in any of the participating countries there is no organic slaughterhouse. Their absence makes hard the selling of meat as a product bio. Organic meat is sold at conventional price leading to a huge loss, or sell live to export, which also means a loss for the manufacturer.
2.4 Rimetea, 30 October 2008
Themes: Processing and sell of products from sheep and goats;
Rural tourism - solutions and perspective.
Moderator: Lõrincz Atilla, director of the Agricultural Directorate of Cluj.
Round table was organized at the guesthouse of Coltesti. From the debate resulted:
- agro tourism should be combined with healthy foods production, organic, thus increasing the attractiveness;
- Require the combination of pension holders, to organize programs to renew old habits - festivals, folk holidays, but also the production of food specific to the area - in order to attract a large number of visitors from the country, but also from abroad, the association of receiving tourists to pay the responsible for coordinating the activities which are undertaken;
- Is important editing and distributing catalogues, leaf sheets or other forms of advertising for the city / region;
- Need for local associations to be part of a national organization (ANTREC) to represent their interests, but also to be able to target a wider market.
2.5 Cluj-Napoca, USAMV, 31 October 2008
Theme: conclusions and evaluation project
During the last round table were drawn final conclusions of the program, of which include:
- Have been chosen and discussed issues of great importance for the movement of organic farming in the participating countries;
- Production units visited have provided good examples of technologies and modern farming methods in organic agriculture;
- Have been initiated / perfected collaborations and partnerships from several countries for the achievement of common objectives;
- Is very important organization of conferences, forums, round tables or exchanging of experience with international participation, each country can offer their own solutions so that it can implement anywhere, adapting to local conditions. These events have a positive echo, are disseminated (daily publications, specialty, radio, tv. etc.) and thus get a good support to the organic movement.
3. Visits to model farms and demonstration plots
In these activities were presented the stages of the project, recall what some have expired, using the illustration of the growing data and results of production compared, etc..
3.1 Model farm and demonstration plots Sãlard (Bihor)
Objectives viewed and discussed:
• Accommodation for dairy cows with free stabulation and its annexes;
• Basin of urine;
• Platform for mechanized composting (part);
• Corn lot fertilize with diluted Purin;
• Point of milk collection and for production of pasta
• The first rural school of organic farming;
Household is a mixed farm, with an area of 150 ha of land where grown cereals (wheat, spelt), sunflower, corn, fodder (in the rotation by 6 years), and livestock farming section, the head of 20 cattle, kept in the barn with free stabulation.
Organic school began work this year, with two classes. Agricultural practice of students is within the Nagy farm, travelling all places, and the phases of work: the cultivation of plants, Animal Husbandry, processing products.
At the demonstration plots presented fertilization with diluted urine in two fenophasas and yields obtained in contrast with witness plot where the amount of 40 t urine was used only once before seeding. The difference in production was very high, 33% against a witness, which requires the extension of this method, not only in sunflower but also to other crops.
3.2 Farms and demonstration plots Cefa, Tulca (Bihor)
• Sunflower demonstration plot, which have fought weeds to curry comb;
• Slaughterhouse lines of meat with traditional methods
• Fishery, protection of biodiversity in the area.
Ratiu Ioan farmer (Cefa) is a specialist in the machinery, having frequently presentations in his own household of different ways to combat the weed with mechanical means, in particular weeds curry comb - the farm being visited annually by 50-60 farmers. Most participants visit in October saw the first time a curry comb, in their country this tool do not exist.
In the second part of the day was visiting the slaughterhouse Poputa Gheorghe family, in the Tulca village, Bihor County. The unit has a daily capacity of two tons, but with possibilities for expansion. The slaughterhouse is supplying with raw material from the peasant households from the region and, if from these sources can not buy meat, from high-profile units or imported. Most of the meat is selling as carcass, but started the processing with traditional methods, for these products the requirement is growing.
3.3 Model Farm Rimetea (Alba)
• Animal breeding and goats;
• Ecological Products processed at the farm;
• The organic products selling.
3.4 Agro tourist Pension Rimetea (Alba)
• Hospitality and organic farming in Remetea;
• Agro tourist aims in the area.
Remetea village of county Alba is part of World Patrimony. Due to construction with a special valuable and very beautiful landscape, agricultural developed rapidly over the past two years. The village is a member of ANTREC and annually receives 2500-3000 tourists - visitors from many foreign countries but also from the country.
For the visitors are organize various cultural programs and visits to places of great attraction, although in the village there is also a museum of the port and traditional works. Visitors are host also by families, but there are already several pensions.
4. Develop a brochure that includes synthesis of themes treated in the project
5. Self-evaluation of the project by participants
6. Related activities carried out:
In addition to the objectives and activities included in the project, in the running program was initiated other related activities, including:
- Exhibition organic food, with tasting;
- Meeting with senior local: mayors, deputy mayor, merchants;
-Discussion with specialists from UASVM Cluj, DADR, OJCA, researchers, processors, farmers;
The internationalization project about the concerns of the Bioterra Association regarding promotion of agricultural technology-friendly environment and producing healthy foods was formed in a genuine success.
It held a fruitful exchange of experience from which the foreign guests could appreciate and retain at least the following aspects:
- The organizational way of a National Organic Farmers Conference, factors involved and the high level of discussions;
- Meetings and exchange of ideas with farmers, processors, traders, specialists, inspectors;
- Steps made for the project implementation with rigorous and complete explanation of the results achieved through implementation of technologies for organic farming: the use of manure fertilization, curry comb in combating the weed, composting organic waste, basins-model Purin, model farms, etc..
On the other hand the presence of guests of the 6 countries gave importance to the concerns of the Association Bioterra in the territory, farmers, but especially the local decision bodies being stimulated in support of organic farming.
Guests have shared their experience and together have been realized the elaboration of some optimized conduits to continue our project.
All guests have expressed interest in the model of the project implementation and confirmed in writing their feedback to teachings that they have learned, successful actions, saying that they bring in their countries an extraordinary experience.
Prof.dr Cornel Man, Andrei Bodis
Category: Narative - Last updated on 27-11-2008 at 10:02
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