Total budget: 551,236
| Main funding source | Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups (in the sense of Art 56 of Reg.1305/2013) |
| Project type | Operational group |
| Starting date | 2018 |
| End date | 2021 |
The project aims to optimize production and improve continuity of short supply chains using the economies of scale from the collaborative production of 11 farmers, producing as if they were 1 farm. Its objectives are to: (i) Determine, design & develop appropriate organic cropping systems for each farm based on its characteristics; (ii) Reduce surplus production; (iii) Provide a platform to formalize inter-trade & supply; (iv) Advise on green cover crops trials to improve sustainable practices & reduce reliance on imported nutrients; (v) Establish retail market demands & requirements for organic horticulture & (vi) Build capacity, via the group to produce a training video to disseminate to public.
Description of activities :
Assessment of each farm, reviewing all factors to design a suitable cropping system.
Design a cropping system specifically tailored to each farm.
Implement on-going monitoring to assess production methods, growing techniques, seed varieties, land conditions, use of inputs, farm productivity.
Analysis of soil and compost.
Capture of key environmental climatic conditions variables impacting production on farm.
Conduct a practical farmer-friendly green manure and compost trials.
Assessment of market demand for organic horticulture.
Introduce methods to determine product quality.
Contact person: Gillian Westbrook, Irish Organic Farmers & Growers
Association (IOFGA)Address: 13 Inish Carrig, Golden Island, Athlone, Co Westmeath
E-mail: gillian.westbrook@iofga.orgPhone: 00353 87 7819967