What was the challenge/problem addressed?
Organic farming is a politically an socially desired agricultural farming form, but in Luxembourg, and in the EU, it’s still a niche. To overcome the hesitative spreading of organic farming, the network of demonstration farms helps conventional farmers willing to convert but not daring to jump into the cold water, to get in touch with peers in a disengaged way to discuss questions, problems and solutions. All by your own, you do not necessarily know where to get answers, how to overcome technical and administrative challenges, who the stakeholders are, and what the market is like, which farming possibilities you have. It can be intimidating and frustrating to call ten different services and get unsatisfying answers. The demonstration farm project brings together all the stakeholders in one place, and the aim is to spread information, good-practice tips and promote exchange. Interaction is much easier, faster, and personally.
How did you solve the problem?
The missing piece encountered by farmers is the question: Where do I get the information I need to know. So the first thing is to tell interested farmers about the project of demonstration farms by posting the events on our website, and on the websites of the partners and stakeholders. This network helps to promote the project by disseminating information to a larger group. Farmers and citizens meet, talking and charing difficulties and needs. This breaks down hurdles and empowers farmers.
What is innovative in your practical case?
The innovation is the service itself, the construction of a network to show how challenges can be overcome. The farm is creating and inventing a hole concept including social, technical and economical aspects. This empowers the farm itself by building synergies with the advisors and the visiting farmers.
What are the success factors in solving the problem?
Conventional farmers and farmers in general accept ideas, even instructions and knowledge more easily from peers than from advisors or non farmers, so no language barrier exists. A good communication compaign is very important, and the choice of an up to date topic for the activities is very important. Leaflets assure the settling of the information and the spreading to a larger number of the key messages. These activities can be combined with nearby on-farm visits or other projects to complete the offer. The flow of information has to be bidirectional. Creativity has no limits.
Lessons learned
The main objective is to show how organic farming works and that it is at the height of every farmer. Telling a sucess story, demonstrating a concept, and how to deal with challenges while bringing solutions. What keeps conventional farmers from converting to organic farming is often based on prejudice. Overcoming prejudice can only be dealt with the confrontation of the different parties. Demonstration farm activities are not set up as a teacher’s lesson, the message is transferred implicitely, almost as a side effect. New input allows for new, creative ideas and motivates farmers, not necessarily to convert to organic farming, but to try new techniques or try out different ways to empower all the partners involved. Demonstration farms are a win win situation for all the partners involved. The citizens get to know the life of the farm and appreciate agricultural products more. The acknowlegment of farmers by the citizens and the policymakers is very important. Often, laws and goals are made by policymakers, and the farmers have to figure out a way to achieve these. Here it is more of a teamwork to achieve goals together.
What role does the advisor or advisory service play with the practical case?
The advisory service is the coordinator of the whole project. The advisors also organize and facilitate the activities and do the administrative work. They are the link between the farmer and the ministry. New farmers get in touch with the advisor first, this can happen because the farmer is calling explicitely for consultancy in organic farming or as a side effect during a regular advisory service. After a brief interview and specific questions, the advisor can then target events specifically to the needs of the farmer. Also the demonstration farm profits from the knowledge of the advisors more easlily because of constant contact and exchange.
Can your approach be transferred and/or adapted for other innovation challenges and regions?
Yes
Estimated transferability on a scale from 1 to 5
(where 1 is easy and 5 very difficult)
1
For sharing the experience on the good practice, please contact
Ben Mangen
mangen@ibla.lu
Link to external information
https://www.facebook.com/iblaasbl
https://www.linkedin.com/company/86301032
https://agriculture.public.lu/de/ernaehrung/biologische-landwirtschaft/grundlagen.html#bloub-10
https://www.instagram.com/ibla_letzebuerg/