3. August, 2013

Contributor:  GAS – Quelli dell’Orto, Municipality of Messina

Self-production in an eco-village context to create a parallel economy based on trust between community members and respect for the environment.

Concept

The CSA-Sortino was started to support the community of the Eco-Village “Ciumara Ranni” to produce organic food and to contribute for the village’s economic sustainability. The CSA-Sortino wants to became an example of good practices that a group of people can do together for the environment using innovative cultivation techniques such as synergistic agriculture.

Result

The CSA system is based on two main principles:

1) sharing of risk: to remove from the farmer the economic and psychological burdens related to agriculture;

2) pre-funding of cultivations: to improve possibilities to cultivate various kinds of products without the aid of banks.

At this moment the CSA-Sortino cultivates vegetables and cereals (especially spelt). The target is to pass from mechanically-aided agriculture to totally manual agriculture thanks to synergistic or permaculture method.

At the start of the season, what will be cultivated is decided, and a economic plan is prepared. Then everyone is free to participate by purchasing a share of the future products.

At the end of the season, everyone can choose to have a full share of the crop or 50% can be sold by the farmer at the market. 50% of the gross earnings will go to the CSA and the other 50% will be a new share for the next season.

Benefits

Creating a parallel system disconnected to the global economy to satisfy the main needs of people: food, social relations, more liveable contexts.

Pro and Contra

Pro:  A high ratio of costs/benefits.

Contra:  This is an experience that works well in rural areas because it’s related to a different life style. Could it work well also in urban areas?

What are the lessons learn to be used/transferred/implemented in the other partner cities?

The project demonstrates that it’s important to help whoever wants to preserve the environment and the fertility of the fields. Self-production is important but only a few people have the time, skills and resources to do it. With a Community of Support to Agriculture everyone can be a “self-producer” using the work and skills of those who have decided that a different life style is possible.

Question to the network

This experience is not new in the European context. How common is it in your region?

Why?

Do you have similar experiences in urban areas?