Rural Flavours

Project n°4

INTRODUCTION

The objectives of the project are promotion products and trades, international marketing of agricultural products in five EU countries, networking, tourism promotion, transferring knowledge, raising awareness of eating healthy, branding local products, promotion of organic local products, social inclusion of inhabitants from remote rural area, mobile promotion platform.

We achieved excellent marketing opportunities for producers and tourism representatives in partner countries through international fairs organisation and a mobile platform. Project enabled product placement and networking in five European Union countries. Moreover, seminars and international fairs also included promotion through the scope of tourism and cultural heritage. Project participants included inhabitants of marginalised remote rural areas. Through the promotion of rural tourism in the partner countries, we influenced the promotion of the tourist aspect of the area of our LAGs. Increasing the scope of knowledge about local production is also one of the results of the project. By organising agricultural, study visits and workshops we enabled project stakeholders to gain insight into the processes and marketing of products in the partner countries. Rural Flavour promotes a healthy lifestyle measurable through the local products placed on European market, number of organised healthy eating programs in kindergartens, schools, homes for the elderly.

PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT

Project was implemented in the areas of Harjavalta (Pori) in Finland, Limassol and Paphos in Cyprus, Maslenica and Starigrad in Croatia, Hiiumaa in Estonia, Torres Novas and Tomar in Portugal. We decided to to make Rural Flavours cooperation project in order to provide our stakeholder from remote rural areas possibility of promotion and networking in partner countries in order to gain access to foreign markets, as well as the placement of products in the territory of the project’s partner countries. Moreover, our goal was to implement and increase food awareness of organic food for children and adults, sustainability as well as to increase respect and knowledge of different traditions and nations. We have organised agricultural fairs, study visits of local producers, children calendar, online platform, workshops on sustainability and marketing of local autochthonous products, promotional tourist videos, promotion of marginalized groups and remote areas. Project was successfully started in Portugal on 27th September 2018 and finished in May 2020 in Finland.

PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the implementation of the cooperation project, we increased marketing opportunities for the promotion of our local stakeholders in five European countries.

The project resulted in a change in experience and an increase in the number of tourist arrivals. Through the promotion of rural tourism in the partner countries, we influenced the promotion of the tourist aspect of the area of our LAG.

Increasing the scope of knowledge about local production is also one of the results of the project. By organizing agricultural, study visits and workshops we enabled our stakeholders to gain insight into the processes and marketing of local products.

Rural Flavour promoted rural way of life and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle is measurable through the number of organized healthy eating programs in kindergartens, schools, homes for the elderly, which are indirectly affected by the project. Also, a measurable result of the project is an increase in the number of local products placed on local and European markets. LEADER throughout the projects provided us with financing, examples of good practice, support for our action. Rural Flavours being part of LEADER program gave us an opportunity to use LEADER concepts method partnership, multi-sectoral approach, bottom-up approach and provided our project with an extra ordinary value.

THE ADDED VALUE OF THE PROJECT

Strengthening the competitiveness of local agricultural activity – The basic intention is to use spatial and natural prerequisites as levers for the development of agricultural activity and to strengthen the recognition and quality of products from the LAG areas.

Strengthening the competitiveness of local agricultural activity and strengthening the capacities of LAGs and stakeholders are the goals of Local Development Strategy that correspond to the goals of the “Rural Flavours” project. Local agriculture through “Rural Flavors” project increased competitiveness of local agriculture on an EU level and strengthened the capacities of LAGs and LAG stakeholders via various project activities.

It addressed demographic change as it included stakeholders from remote rural areas. Promoting rural areas is a tool of attracting people to rural agriculture, products and way of life in a reoccurring problem of depopulation of rural areas. Moreover, we included environmental issues through workshops on healthy eating programs, product placement on fairs, children calendar, and online platform. Social issues were included through promotion of gender equality and equal chance for everyone to be part of the project.

This project concept can be transferred to other LAGs who want to promote local autochthonous products, promote healthy food and lifestyle by making similar collaboration, networking, EU product placement, organising international agricultural fair and establishing a networking tool for farmers in their area. Moreover, organizing workshops on healthy lifestyle especially aimed at kindergarten and school children emphasizes ecologically grown food which is a primary sustainability concept.

This project inspired GAL Trei Collini from Moldavia to make a study visit to LAG “Bura” in September 2023 and inspired them to organise a similar type of event on a smaller scale in Moldavia in August 2024.