Overall Goal
Improved sustainability of livestock based agriculture in the Romanian Carpathian Mountains by means of integrating traditional activities in the modern economic system.
Outcome 1: The production factors of the traditional production system are strengthened
Output 1.1) Pasture management improving measures are realized
Activities 1.1:
- Elaboration of 6 technical documentations by FAMD and AGROM-RO (analysis of documents, floral structure analysis, surface measurements, topography measurements, assessment of water sources)
- Cleaning of the pasture from stones etc. (FAMD, AGROM-RO)
- Water resources management (FAMD, AGROM-RO)
- Flattening the pasture area (Heifer Romania)
- Elaboration of a grazing planning and monitoring (FAMD, AGROM-RO)
- Floral structure improvement (Heifer Romania)
- Technical assistance, guidance and monitoring (Heifer Romania, ROMONTANA)
Output 1.2) Six modern sheepshelter models built and operational in the test areas
Activities: 1.2
- Elaboration of 6 technical documentations: project, authorizations (FAMD 6)
- Building of sheep shelters target groups (FAMD 4, AGROM2, local Partners)
- Giving technical assistance (FAMD)
Output 1.3) Six modern sheepfold models built and operational in the test areas
Activities: 1.3
- Elaboration of 6 technical documentations: project, authorizations (FAMD)
- Building 6 model sheepfolds – the processing units (FAMD 4, AGROM 2, Local Partners) conform to DSVSA requirements
- Giving technical assistance (FAMD)
- Preparatory community meetings (AGROM-RO, ROMONTANA) on introduction of the project, procedures, animation, continued with training to improve and strengthen farmers organizations (see output 3.1)
Outcome 2: The market opportunities of traditional products are improved.
Output 2.1) Product specification and technical assistance for 3 clusters of products are finalized.
Activities 2.1
- Analysis of recipes and ways of manufacturing cheese in six representative areas of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains (documentary study, HEIFER)
- Elaboration of a standardized recipe which will allow some deviation from producer to producer – e.g. percentage of goat and cow milk in order to assure diversity and creativity. The project will provide a general framework for the recipe; the final recipe will be developed in close cooperation with the local farmer associations. A standardised recipe facilitates production (hygiene, quality controlling, economies of scale, common purchase of production factors etc.) and marketing aspects (packaging, labeling, traceability etc.) and is therefore a prerequisite for the processing flow (s. also figure 4). The elaboration of the recipe will also include a technical file of production including the manufacturing sheet, production flow steps and the logistical information, traceability, utilisation of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Concept (HACCP). (HEIFER)
- Making available the recipe and the product specifications (HEIFER)
- Preparation of the files for the traditional products obtained in the sheepfolds, for certifying and promoting the production (HEIFER)
- Assistance of farmers groups in officially registering the products (field information has to be collected in order to prove that the proposed product was made in the targeted area for a long time). (HEIFER)
Output 2.2: Marketing study is developed
Activities 2.2:
- Coordination of a marketing study through which a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data will be developed (information about the target market, competition, and general environment). (HEIFER, SAB)
Output 2.3) Branding kit for mountain products developed and implemented.
Activities 2.3:
- Creation of an appropriate brand name and logo and making that is available for all mountain farmers who respect the standard and are ready to join the initial groups. The brand will be designed by Heifer and registered by the farmer associations and a standard of the products will be developed at the beginning of the project. The brand will be available to all sheep farmers respecting the product standard. FAMD will supervise and check the products and sanctions will be established by the farmer associations in case of non conformity. SAB will contribute its knowledge with regard to Swiss Mountain Products (HEIFER, FAMD, SAB)
- Packaging and labelling system established. (HEIFER)
Output 2.4) Local, regional and national events to promote traditional products are realized
Activities 2.4:
- RoMontana will organize fairs, festivals and exhibitions (in total 6) where products will be tasted, sold and promoted. FAMD and AGROM will support this activity by mobilizing participants. (RoMontana)
- RoMontana will organize 3 regional events, aiming at higher attendance compared with the local fairs. FAMD and AGROM will support this activity by mobilizing participants. (RoMontana)
- 1 national event (HEIFER).
Output 2.5) Campaign for local products consumption is realised towards different target groups
Activities 2.5:
- Traditional products will be promoted through media campaigns, prints, outdoor and other related events. Coordination of design and printing of flyers and other publicity materials. Those will be distributed by all partners. (HEIFER)
Outcome 3: The competences of producers to diversify and modernize their production are improved
Output 3.1) New Curricula for shepherds, sheepfoldmasters and farmer organisations developed and implemented. Farmers associations are strengthened.
Activities 3.1:
- Development of a new vocational training package for shepherds and sheepfold master (150 hours): need assessment, elaborate curricula, tranining on milk processing with new facilities etc. in all 6 project locations. (AGROM-RO)
- Organize shepherd/sheepfoldmasters vocational trainings in all 6 project’s locations. (AGROM-RO)
- AGROM-RO specialists will put together a training handbook that will be available for all participants. (AGROM-RO)
- Training to improve and strengthen farmers organizations: organizational development, registration, accounting and business plans, access to national (eg. Measure 142 NRDP recognition as a producer group) and EU funding, agricultural payments in all 6 project locations. (AGROM-RO, Romontana).
Output 3.2) Exchange visits with Swiss partners to Switzerland and where appropriate to France and Spain are carried out.
Activities 3.2:
- Organisation of exchange visit (HEIFER and SAB)
Outcome 4: Models and best practices are promoted and disseminated on a regional and national scale
Output 4.1) Best practices guide is elaborated
Activities 4.1: All experiences and achievements will be recorded. This information will be checked, processed and structured by a committee led by FAMD and RoMontana. As a result, a best practices guide (including pasture management, livestock wellbeing, cheese making facility (sheepfold), product specification, marketing strategy, farmer association formalisation) will be developed and made acessible, in digital (on project partners website) and paper form, to all interested persons and institutions.
- Editing the best practices guide (ROMONTANA)
- Printing the best practices guide brochure (Heifer)
- Distribution of the best practices guide (Romontana)
Output 4.2) Assuring sustainability of results and dissemination of models
Activities 4.2:
- Through specific methods, projects’ achievements will be made known to other mountains farmers who could adopt the model. Information about the best practices guide will be disseminated through various channels (MARD, Sanitary Veterinary Directions, Agricultural Universities, local authorities, other NGO’s, producers associations and all other interested factors). (Heifer Romania)
- Information & Public Relations activities: A) Media channels (TV, radio, written press, Internet) will be fed continuously with information regarding project progress and achievements. To accomplish this activity a Public Relation person will collect process and release information to specific channels: periodic press releases, interviews, reportages, press conferences, press monitoring and feedback B) An internet Platform will make the model and best practices available to all interested parties. Heifer Romania will coordinate the development and update of a web page dedicated exclusively to the project. (Heifer Romania)
- Integration of a MARD representative in PSC board
- Searching ways of possible integration of project results into strategies and programmes such as NRDP 2014-2020 development process etc. and to influence legislative processes related to agriculture and regional development. The project partners already created a consortium of organizations, most of them Euromontana members, focusing on mountain areas, and started to advocate for and NRDP sub-program dedicated to the mountain areas. (all partners)
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