Green Farmers Initiative for a Green Moldova

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Green Farmers Initiative for a Green Moldova: Green social rural enterprise to promote organic products of small family farms

Stanita, RomaniaStanita, Romania
Year Founded:
2013
Organization type: 
for profit
Project Stage:
Start-Up
Budget: 
$1,000 - $10,000
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

Moldova region communities faces high poverty, aging, youth emigration, lack of economic opportunities. A social enterprise for green consultancy and process organic, local products - not only bring new revenue into the community, but it helps to strengthen family farms and local sustainability.

WHAT IF - Inspiration: Write one sentence that describes a way that your project dares to ask, "WHAT IF?"

What if my dear Moldova region will became one the most beautiful garden of the world?
About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

In recent years, in Moldova region set up a lot of beekeeping, agricultural and livestock farms, by young people. Unfortunately, their products are purchased by various intermediaries at low prices, although good quality products, environmentally friendly, traditional recipes. Currently, young farmers cannot sell their own products because the large distance to urban areas and the lack of funds for process and marketing investments.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

-Supporting and providing start-up for 6 months operation, for a green social enterprise to processing local organic bee and agricultural products by minimum 10 associate members (small farms and young individual producers). -Making a professional promotion and marketing campaigns (website, online selling system, flyers, specific fairs participation. -Providing expert consultants for at least 20 young farmers and promoting green organic farming techniques. -Developing partnerships with 10 educational institutions in the region, especially in urban areas, to organize school hiking in the our farms, to promote a healthy lifestyle, eating organic local products and culinary education classes.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

This year marks 5 years since my feet first passed Moldova countryside. I admit, it wasn’t love at first sight for a city girl. Then my parents bought a garden in Stanita Village, Neamt County and even began construction of a wooden house. But we felt it was not enough. Since 2012 we started to help two elderly beekeepers in their apiary. Not long after I start to love this beautiful and noble profession and even form my own apiary. Seeing the hard work of beekeepers and other farmers in this rural area, but especially the fact that their products are purchased engross by various intermediaries at low prices, we decided that it needed a project to join forces and have authorized a Green Center for processing our own products.

Impact: What is the impact of the work to date? Also describe the projected future impact for the coming years.

Green Farmers Initiative consisting of young farmers and individual producers wants to organize a social enterprise for young farmers from Moldova Region. The new cooperative will help associate members to organize their own farms on modern bases, market-oriented with organic techniques. GFI wants to organize the a Green Center and processing, promoting and selling local bee products (honey and wax) and traditional agricultural products (preserves, jams, canned winter vegetables with traditional recipes, medicinal herbs (teas), fruit and wild mushrooms, purchased from small local farmers. In this way, our social enterprise will have a significant impact in protecting the environment, defending food biodiversity and traditional agricultural products. We promote sustainable agriculture and support small family farms and food producers by increasing incomes of small-scale communities.

Spread Strategies: Moving forward, what are the main strategies for scaling impact?

The project provides the start-up support costs for 6 months activity, the aim become viable very soon. The business model does not impose high costs: each farmer working at home and do not need large space outlets, the products will be exhibited online and delivered on orders; In Green Center will work only 3 persons for packaging, labeling and delivery. Long term goal is to grow by involving more young farmers by exploring new products: bakery, confectionery and dairy. Promotional materials produced by the project will be used thereafter, especially site, flyers that will be just duplicated.
Sustainability

Financial Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure financial sustainability?

Organic farming is one of the most dynamic sectors. In the past years is a steady demand for organic products from informed customers, who want something tasty, healthy and good, no chemicals or additives. They want to know where the food comes, to understand how it was produced and exactly by whom (traceability), that food means pleasure, joy of living, local culture and conviviality, we are what we eat, we are connected with traditions, nature.

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

Marketing actions financed by the project to create an initial database of customers (individuals and restaurants, hotels, hospitals, school canteens), will be continued by supporting short-chain "producer- restaurant-consumer" sales of food products and stimulating partnerships through information, training, educational tours, experience exchanges to promote a healthy diet based on local products. This activity will include experts, teachers, students, families and children with nutritional problems, chefs and those responsible of purchasing local ingredients for restaurants recipes.
Team

Founding Story

Like most today youngsters I did not know what I like to do in my life ... I hardly agreed to leave the comfort of the city and to go with my parents in their great rural adventure and get involved with them in various agricultural activities (beeping) and culinary classes, being members of SLOW FOOD ROMANIA, in response to international scandals like "Horsegate". I am part of campaign teams in order to promote these events in our community. All this time I start to understand more about the value of land, importance to everyone's life of “green” fruits, vegetables and bee products and I am committed in helping young farmers like me to create a sustainable development for poor communities, to preserve biodiversity for future generations.

Team

Our team: Nistor Iustina, Nistor Ioana, Carp Marinela, Maftei Elena, Cărpușor Mădălina blends rich experience with youthful energy, a reliable team, especially for locals and other young family farms and small individual producers. Ioana Nistor and Marinela Carp are representative of two small beekeeping farms. Maftei Elena, local manufacturer with over 30 years in organic farming and food products and Cărpușor Mădălina just started a small farm.