Local Food: Formation of local food market

In recent years we have witnessed the emergence of alternative food supply chains and markets due to important changes in consumer perceptions of food and farming. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) can act as a driver of change and a method to increase sustainability, trust, equality and growth in agricultural and food sectors, but also more generally benefit business development in rural areas, as well as have positive social and health related outcomes. SFSCs include different practices such as farmers’ markets, on-farm sales, consumer cooperatives, direct internet sales, etc.

The project aims at strengthening cooperation and building knowledge on local food market formation across actors from the Baltic Sea Region working with rural development issues. Good practices on how alternative food networks and markets can be built, shaped, reproduced and promoted over time and space and their potential to contribute to rural development objectives in the Baltic Sea Region will be shared. (source: www.nordregio.se)

Lead partner: Nordregio - Nordic Centre for Spatial Development

Partners: Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics, Centre for programme Leader, University of Latvia, Kekava municipality, The Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, LAG “Zielone Sąsiedztwo”, Institute of System Research in Agroindustrial Complex, BY, Ministry of Agriculture, BY

Funding: Swedish Institute, SEED programme

The first in a series of planned seminars held in September in Malmö, Sweden. The meeting was to determine the conditions for the development of local food systems in countries in the Baltic Sea Region. It was also an opportunity to get acquainted with SFSCs initiatives in Sweden. IAFE-NRI was represented by dr Paweł Chmieliński and dr Joanna Pawłowska-Tyszko. Poland was represented also by the representatives of the Local Action Group Zielone Sąsiedztwo (Green Neighbourhood) Anna Lukasiewicz and Karolina Likhtarovich.

The second seminar was held in Poland (Warsaw and Podkowa Leśna) on 27-28 October 2016. The meeting was attended by consortium members representing: Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics and the Centre for Programme LEADER of the Republic of Lithuania (Lithuania), University of Latvia (Latvia), Nordic Centre for Spatial Development - Nordregio (Sweden), Institute of System Research in Agroindustrial Complex (Belarus), the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Food Economy, Local Action Group "Green neighborhood" and invited entrepreneurs and representatives of non-governmental organizations from Poland.

On the first day of the meeting, in Warsaw, during a day-long session of the seminar, participants presented good practices and different models of SFSCs. These issues were widely discussed during the "brainstorming" session. On this day they were presented two Polish initiative: Warsaw Food Cooperative and project LokalnyRolnik.pl, which have been met with great interest.

The second day is a study visit in Podkowa Lesna, organized by the Local Action Group "Green Neighborhood". By noon the guests - participants of the project are familiar with local initiatives in the area of the LAG and other parts of the country. Start Foundation Pro Milanówka presented its activities, especially Fair Good Taste and program Purchases of commands. A representative of the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów presented the good examples of entrepreneurship in rural areas and the winners of the competition "Way to Success": the food initiative "Package from the farmer", the Wiatrowy Sad (press juice from fruits and vegetables) and an organic farm and People's University of Ecology.

The seminar in Poland was organized by dr Pawel Chmieliński, IAFE-NRI (also a member of the LAG "Green Neighborhood") and Karolina Likhtarovich and Anna Łukasiewicz from the Local Action Group "Green Neighborhood".

IAFE-NRI was represented by dr Joanna Pawłowska-Tyszko, dr hab.. Marcin Gospodarowicz, prof. IAFE-NRI, dr Marek Wigler, dr inż. Adam Wasilewski and dr inż. Zbigniew Floriańczyk.

The next meeting of the Partnership is planned for December this year in Vilnius (Lithuania).