Country: Hungary
Wellbeing of Farmers: Social Wellbeing
Key Challenges: Low farm income (market vulnerability), Administrative burden, External factors (whether, climate change, etc.)
Key Target Groups: Farm Workers (laborers)
Farm Size: Small/Family
Find Out More
Key contact: Károly Batiz
Email: batiz.k@gmail.com
Organization: Chamber-tour Association
Relevant Links:
Summary
Homokhátság (sand ridge) is an approximately 530,000 ha area between the Danube and the Tisza rivers, with unfavourable growing conditions (sandy and salty soil, lack of water), where maintaining competitiveness is a significant challenge. This area is also Hungary’s largest contiguous homestead area, where homesteads as part of the unique landscape and settlement structure as well as farming units represent national and European value.
The roots of the Chamber-tour Homokhát Farmyard Network go back to the early 2000s. Its foundations were created by the Homokhátság target program (2001-2007) managed by the Bács-Kiskun County Chamber of Agriculture. The program worked on solutions to the changed natural and environmental features and increasingly difficult farming conditions. The farmer community and trust created as a result, formed the basis of the Cgambr-tour initiative (2005-). Its original objective was to create a network of local farmers to take advantage of common social marketing. Potential farmers were mapped, operating rules and conditions were jointly developed. Farmers willing to join are assisted with trainings and mentoring.
The network also provides support for quality assurance and risk analysis. It has its own trademark, commonly managed internet interface www.kamra-tura.hu, weekly market in the nearby city, brochures etc. The network achieved much more than the original objective. Its most significant added value comes from the partnership and knowledge transfer implemented through regular forums, experiments, trainings, study tours, demonstration farms, etc. The network plays role in strengthening civil communities and voluntarism as part of social responsibility actions.
Objective
• Contributing to the sustainable development of Homokhátság and the farms operating there,
• Increasing the adaptability of farms to the changed climatic conditions and farming environment.
• Preserving the culture of smallholder farming and increasing its social recognition.
• Helping the awareness of the products of small producers and their access to the market with social marketing tools.
• Strengthening the innovation skills of small producers by transferring knowledge and information.
Activities
•joint marketing (image, sales, market, tools);
•continuous knowledge expansion: workshops, trainings, study trips, workshops;
Main Outcome of the activity
•17 years of successful operation;
• extended membership (approx. 120 farms) and product range (approx. 140 products);
•HOMOKHÁTSÁG trademark;
•joint marketing (image, sales, market, tools);
•continuous knowledge expansion: workshops, trainings, study trips, workshops;
•social responsibility (volunteering, civic involvement, orienting consumer habits)
Main Practical Recommendations
Through the operation of the association, a wide network of partnership and a community was formed, with a strengthening local identity and the ideals of sustainability and quality.
The network provides plenty of opportunities to increase personal knowledge, thus making more conscious planning of farming possible.
Joint marketing significantly helps market access.
Key Stakeholders Involved
Homokhát Mangalica Farmers’ Association, Kiskunság Traditional Handicrafts and Tourism Association, and Farmers’ Hosting Association of Törtel
Bács-Kiskun County Chamber of Agriculture
farmers
Most Innovative Aspects of the Solution
Democratic way of joint decision-making, forums of common thinking and learning, civic involvement
Institutional and operating rules