There is strength in unity. In fact, in certain sectors it is key to survival. This is the case for small- and medium-sized agricultural and livestock producers throughout Europe, who play a key role in environmental, social and economic sustainability.
The BOND project, in which 17 partners from 14 European countries participated, has placed agents in the Agriculture sector in contact to promote cooperation between them and strengthen their position in European society in the long term. "The future of the European rural world involves promoting small and medium-scale agriculture and, therefore, favouring its coordination and organisation processes", explained Mamen Cuéllar Padilla, a researcher at the University of Cordoba (UCO) on the project.
In this way, this project's philosophy focused on the creation of tools to achieve higher levels of organisation and coordinated work in the primary sector. BOND has encountered a problem: the "disconnection that exists in the agricultural sector, where many small and medium-scale producers are isolated, without the ability to influence decision-making that affects them," explained Cuéllar.
Specifically, at the UCO they have worked on the creation of a state platform for the defence of small and medium-scale artisanal productions. “With BOND we have managed to create this platform, made up of agricultural organisations and cooperatives from different sectors (dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables, etc.) to stress the proper adaptation of hygiene regulations, so that they are applied as Europe proposes”, the researcher explained.
This is one of the action plans directly arising from this project, proceeding with a preliminary diagnosis, at the local level, based on the specific needs of each of the participating countries. Many of the problems at thelocal level, explains Mamen Cuéllar, "are common to other European territories", which has allowed them to put together a network and form new alliances. "The project has clearly demonstrated that most small and medium-sized European producers share the same problems", stressed the researcher.
In this regard, the BONF project has confirmed the common desire of many producers to generate networks of mutual support, where progress has been made thanks to advances in the design of methodological tools that make it possible to reinforce and build new alliances. These tools, the research group emphasises, are translated into multiple languages, and use accessible vocabulary so as to allow organisations to generate new synergies. The project, whose initial aim was to train 60 leaders in the sector, has managed to work with more than 2,500 agents from the European agricultural sector, with a view to replicating the results generated in their territories.
The BOND- “Bringing Organizations and Network Development to higher levels in the farming sector in Europe” (H2020-RUR-15-2017-774208) project was financed by the European Union through the H2020-RUR-15-2017 call.
"This report is part of the project “CONSOLIDA-UCO ECT2020-000810", funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by European Union “NextGenerationEU”/PRTR”.