27th August, 2013

Contributor:  Vaslui

Research on Urban Farming in and on buildings

left: Sigla UE, right: Sigla Romania

Steps:

• Before beginning their activity, manufacturers are required to register at the County Agriculture Departments from the area where they operate, by filling in the standardized registration in ecological agriculture,
• To contact an Inspection and Certification Body (OIC) approved by MARD and sign with them a contract for inspection and / or certification of the farm in the purpose of compliance with the legislation on ecological production control (EC Regulations 834/2007 and 889/2008)
• To identify and register the surface so that it allows compliance with the base principles of the Ecological Agriculture (rotation, changing the structure of crops) and achieving several production activities that allows obtaining supplies of salable products.
• Preparing conversion plan from conventional to ecological farming by meeting the conversion period (2 years for annual crops and three years for perennial crops) recommendable being that the entire area of the farm is to be switched into ecological system
• Identified area must be insulated / separated from the other surfaces used into traditional agriculture by access roads, irrigation canals, shelterbelts, the culture does not require herbicide or other treatment of plant protection and must be known it’s history of diseases, pests and weeds specific for the area
• Growing, in an ecological system, a different culture from other cultures managed at  the farm in a conventional system
• Use of certified organic seed or, if it is not on the market such seed, it is used untreated seed, only with the approval of OIC
• Use of fertilizers, herbicides and synthesis chemical treatments is prohibited
• Using genetically modified organisms and their derivatives is prohibited
• Any use of substances (inputs) must be approved prior, by the OIC
• In the food processing stage is restricted the use of additives, additional substances and synthetic chemicals used in the preparation of organic food
• During conversion period, obtained products can not be sold as, organic ‘
• in compliance with EC Regulations, is permissible to use the logo and marketing since third year for annual plants and fourth year for the perennial
• Prices charged by OIC::
  • Registration and certification process for initializing an area between 0.5 and 10 ha, 190 euro
  • Annual inspection, 190 euro
  • Transport Costs, 0,52 euro/Km

Context

• Romania has one of the most fertile and ecological land in Europe
• In Romania there are still about three million hectares of uncultivated land and approximately two million small farms, of subsistence, for which the conversion into bio farming could make from Romania one of the biggest producers in the world

Results

• The number of certified operators working in ecological system tripled in the last 5 years (9700).
• surfaces that practice organic agriculture increased 4 times (568 000 ha)
• In 2011, Romania is ranked in top 15 world exporters of raw materials and number 1 in the world in increasing the number of certified organic farmers,
• Romania was named “Country of the Year” in 2013 at the Nuremberg fair, thanks to the spectacular increase of the number of organic operators
• Although, with almost 6% of certified surface, Romania places behind some of the EU member states, like Austria (17% ecological surface) and Sweden (12%)
• Ecological agriculture is one of the most dynamic economical sectors, with an ascending evolution, both in vegetal and in animal sectors.

Romania exports 90% of its ecological products (honey, fruits, sun flower oils) to Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain and Nordic countries, where they are processed for commerce as finite product.

Benefits

• Bio products exports from Romania increased in the last years, with more than 200 millions of euro  / year
• potential to contribute significantly to the protection of water and soil resources, conservation of biodiversity and to fight against climate change
• it can create jobs and can bring high incomes
• there is external demand, an opportunity for exports and GDP growth

Pro and Contra: 

• consumption of organic products in Romania is still quite low compared to other European countries
• total sales of organic products in Romania is less than 1% of the retail market (compared to the European average of 5-6%)
• in Romania there is no market for organic products due to low purchasing power,
• certification agencies have increased 4-5 times the fee for certification
• value of imports of processed organic products reached about 75 million EUR and is still growing
• no processors, bio Romanian feedstock, being exported, processed products abroad returning to the country four times more expensive

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

• transition from conventional to organic farming should be done gradually so as economic structures do not feel the effects of decreased productivity and producers to gain confidence in ecological systems