Unripe tomatoes, tasteless cucumbers or chemically-treated oranges and lemons can often be found on supermarket shelves, but consumers demanding quality, domestically-grown fruits and vegetables in the Czech Republic now have an interesting alternative.
Community-supported agriculture is a system in which people across the country come together in groups and financially support the growers in their area, making arrangements with them to regularly collect their produce.
The popularity of such group is on the rise in the Czech Republic, with a total of over twenty of them across the country. They are in Prague, Brno, but also in northern Moravia, and Silesia in the South Region. "For the 2015 campaign we expect more to be created, especially in Prague," says Katerina Pařízková, of the Association of local food initiatives AMPI, which aims to boost the creation and development of these groups.
Specific terms and conditions always apply on the agreement between the grower and his/her customers. In Brno, it is possible to pay for 5-7 kg of vegetables in advance, i.e. for 26 weeks from mid-May to December, for 5,750 crowns (209.31 Euro). "Crops can then be picked up at a weekly supply point on which everyone agrees. The true beauty of this is that the rules and the contract price are agreed with the producers by the customers themselves," explains Pařízková.
Producers do not grow food for an anonymous market marked by price volatility, but for specific people in their neighbourhoods who are respected members of the local community. Community-supported agriculture is widespread in the U.S., France, Great Britain and other European countries. For example, in France there are thousands of these working groups, and in Germany and Austria there are a few hundred.
When such a group is formed around a producer, there is also a commitment to share the risks. Thus, if the grower suffers the consequences of a bad season, he/she will return the customer only half of the amount paid in advance and the rest will help him keep his footing, even in such negative circumstances. "But in practice, this does not happen. Rather, if the grower's production of a given vegetable is lower than expected, the producer may then compensate the customer with something else, like pumpkins. Another option is to provide smaller volumes at the start of the season and make up for it with greater volumes later on," explains Pařízková.
The first community-supported agriculture group in the Czech Republic was founded 7 years ago: the Pro-Bio Liga organisation, which noticed that small organic farms had a greater chance of survival through cooperation with local residents. "This is precisely what community-supported agriculture is about: a long-term partnership between growers and consumers, based on fairness, cooperation and solidarity. It is a really friendly and sustainable food system, which allows everyone to thrive. People know who is responsible and how their food is produced, and growers not only have the opportunity to shape eating habits, but are also guaranteed to sell their products," adds Pařízková.
Industrial agriculture leads to a decline in biodiversity, but community-supported agriculture removes unnecessary logistic burdens, preventing the food from having to travel very long distances. "The system gives control on food production back to local people. Small-scale growers, whose activities are so indispensable, but who often struggle for survival, are given a chance to receive a regular and stable income. They can sell their products locally, with careful management and grow more diverse kinds of vegetables and fruits," concludes Pařízková.
Source: agris.cz