Presentation of the project ”Practices on the ground”
Presentation of the project ”Practices on the ground”
The “Practices on the ground” project is an initiative of the HEKS/EPER Romania Foundation in partnership with the FAER Foundation that contributes to informing farmers, young agricultural students, and students from agricultural high schools about sustainable soil management practices.
The project includes the following activities:
- Educational activities (for farmers and students):
o Presentations on European and national legislation;
o Presentations and debates on practical soil management activities;
o Presentations and discussions regarding the educational and professional plans of pupils and students from high school and higher education units in the agricultural sector;
o Study visits to farms considered good agricultural practices.
- Research and piloting activities:
o the self-assessment carried out by UATs regarding soil management practices;
o the self-assessment carried out by farmers regarding their own soil management practices;
o Questioning the relevant institutions;
o Piloting the soil testing activity (40 farmers) and documenting the process.
- Communication activities with the relevant institutions:
o Working meetings with representatives of the County Agricultural Directorates and the Offices for Pedological and Agrochemical Studies;
o Working meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The main results of the project are:
• More than 250 farmers, from Cluj, Alba, Mureș and Bistrița Năsăud counties, informed about European and national legislation regarding sustainable soil management. Presentation of good practices and discussions applied to GAEC standards with (Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions) mandatory in the new National Strategic Plan;
• 40 farmers participating in the free-soil testing program who benefited from sampling kits, analyzes at the Office for Pedological and Agrochemical Studies, Mureș and recommendations regarding soil management practices based on the results of the analyses;
• More than 160 farmers participating in the self-assessment process of their own soil management practices;
• Over 210 students from 5 agricultural high schools participating in information sessions on sustainable soil management practices;
• 85 students participating in study visits to farms considered as good practices;
• 40 students participating in the development of the assessment of the current state of the relevant legislation on soil management and in the study visit to a farm with integrated activities – zootechnical and vegetable;
• A public policy proposal regarding the consolidation of the legislation regarding soil testing activity;
• A Guide to taking soil samples and recommendations for soil quality improvement works that can be downloaded HERE.
The project is carried out by the Heks/Eper Romania Foundation in partnership with the FAER Foundation through the Active Citizens Fund – Romania program, financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through EEA grants 2014-2021. For more information, visit www.eeagrants.ro
Information about Active Citizens Fund in Romania is available at www.activecitizensfund.ro