ARCCHAD – Solutions for Small Farmers Facing Climate Change Challenges

On the 1st June 2024, the two-year ARCCHAD project began with the collaboration of two Hungarian and two Serbian partners, supported by the Interreg IPA VI-A Hungary-Serbia Programme (2021-27).

The adverse effects of climate change pose increased exposure for small-scale farmers. Increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves negatively affect their operations and efficiency. Small farms play a vital role in maintaining rural areas on both sides of the Hungarian-Serbian border. However, their traditional agricultural methods and operational strategies are no longer effective, as they now have to face the negative impacts of climate change as an additional factor. These farms lack the technological, market, and social knowledge to advance. Cross-border initiatives allow the mapping and sharing of the existing knowledge and experience.

The ARCCHAD project proposes an innovative, multi-stakeholder approach to address the emerging problems. Its aim is to support small-scale farmers with alternative solutions, whether it involves introducing modern technologies, diversifying their activities, forming collaborative communities, or raising awareness among stakeholders.

The project is led by the CDDA Central Danube Development Agency Nonprofit Ltd., in consortium with the National Association of Small-Scale Producers and Service Providers (HU), the Zenta Gardeners Association (SRB), and the Business Academy University in Novi Sad (SRB).

The total budget for the project is EUR 323,378.00, with EUR 274,871.30 contributed by the European Union.

As a first step, the selection process for the four pilot farms has begun - two in Hungary and two in Serbia. The aim is to identify farms open to the introduction of new technological, market, and social solutions. After consultative workshops, the available agricultural digital service providers and solutions will be mapped: assessing the needs of small-scale farms for agro-digital tools, followed by the testing and evaluation of the selected solutions. The results will be summarized in a handbook.

The consortium will jointly prepare a local food supply system study in the cross-border region, providing insight into current food chains and infrastructures.

The partners will work together to develop and implement capacity-building training for farmers and consumers. The training elements will cover market and social innovations, resilience to climate change, as well as new experimental farming techniques and collaborations. Innovative approaches will include supplementary farming activities such as agritourism services and the development of solidarity-based food supply chains.

Twenty Serbian and twenty Hungarian farmers will participate in a study tour to Austria to learn about innovative tools and complementary farming activities based on Austrian best practices.

The project results will be summarized in an animated video, and a web-based, multifunctional platform will be created to ensure the sustainability of the project's outcomes.

Click on the link to download: Press_relase_16.07.2024

Disclaimer
This press release document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union through the Interreg VI-A IPA Hungary-Serbia programme. The content of the press release is the sole responsibility of KDMFÜ Közép-Duna Menti Fejlesztési Ügynökség Nonprofit Kft. and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and/or the Managing Authority of the Programme.

Programme information:

 The Interreg VI_A IPA Hungary-Serbia Programme is implemented within 2021-27 European Union financial framework, under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). On the basis of „shared management system” of the participating countries, Hungary and Serbia, the Programme funds and supports co-operation projects of organisations located in the Programme-eligable area (Hungarian counties Csongrád-Csanád and Bács-Kiskun, and Serbian territories: West Bačka, North Bačka, North Banat, Central Banat, South Banat and Srem.

The Programme helps the development of the stable and co-operating region and the overall quality of life in the border region. It enables economic collaboration of orgaisations from the two countries, nurtures the common identity, and cultural and historical heritage of the border region and contributes to to its environmental susutainability and safety.

 For more information, please visit www.hungary-serbia.eu

ARCCHAD – Rešenja za male poljoprivrednike suočene sa izazovima klimatskih promena

Dana 1. juna 2024. godine započet je dvogodišnji projekat ARCCHAD uz saradnju dva mađarska i dva srpska partnera, podržan od strane Interreg IPA VI-A Mađarska-Srbija programa (2021-27).

Negativni efekti klimatskih promena posebno dolaze do izražaja kod malih poljoprivrednih proizvođača. Sve češći ekstremni vremenski događaji kao što su suše, poplave i toplotni talasi negativno utiču na njihovo poslovanje i efikasnost. Male farme igraju vitalnu ulogu u održavanju ruralnih područja sa obe strane mađarsko-srpske granice. Međutim, njihovi tradicionalni poljoprivredni metodi i operativne strategije više nisu efikasni, jer sada moraju da se suoče sa dodatnim faktorom negativnog uticaja klimatskih promena. Ovim farmama nedostaje tehnološko, tržišno i socijalno znanje za napredovanje. Prekogranične inicijative omogućavaju mapiranje i deljenje postojećeg znanja i iskustva.

Projekat ARCCHAD predlaže inovativan pristup za rešavanje nastalih problema, uz više učesnika. Njegov cilj je podržati male poljoprivrednike alternativnim rešenjima, bilo da se radi o uvođenju modernih tehnologija, diverzifikaciji aktivnosti, formiranju kolaborativnih zajednica ili podizanju svesti među učesnicima.

Projekat vodi Srednjedunavska razvojna agencija neprofitno društvo sa ograničenom odgovornošću (Mađarska), u konzorcijumu sa Nacionalnim udruženjem malih proizvođača i pružalaca usluga (HU), Udruženjem baštovana Sente (SRB) i Univerzitetom Privredna akademija u Novom Sadu (SRB).

Ukupan budžet projekta iznosi 323.378,00 EUR, od čega je 274.871,30 EUR doprinos Evropske unije.

Kao prvi korak, započet je proces selekcije četiri pilot farme - dve u Mađarskoj i dve u Srbiji. Cilj je identifikovati farme koje su otvorene za uvođenje novih tehnoloških, tržišnih i socijalnih rešenja. Nakon konsultativnih radionica, mapiraće se dostupni poljoprivredni digitalni provajderi i rešenja: procenjivanje potreba malih farmi za agro-digitalnim alatima, nakon čega sledi testiranje i evaluacija izabranih rešenja. Rezultati će biti sažeti u priručniku.

Konzorcijum će zajednički pripremiti studiju o lokalnom sistemu snabdevanja hranom u prekograničnom regionu, pružajući uvid u trenutne lance snabdevanja hranom i u postojeću infrastrukturu.

Partneri će sarađivati na razvoju i implementaciji obuka za proširenje kapaciteta poljoprivrednika i potrošača. Elementi obuke će pokriti tržišne i socijalne inovacije, otpornost na klimatske promene, kao i nove eksperimentalne poljoprivredne tehnike i kolaboracije. Inovativni pristupi će uključivati dodatne poljoprivredne aktivnosti kao što su usluge agroturizma i razvoj lanaca snabdevanja hranom zasnovanih na solidarnosti.

Dvadeset srpskih i dvadeset mađarskih poljoprivrednika učestvovaće na studijskom putovanju u Austriju kako bi se upoznali sa inovativnim alatima i dopunskim poljoprivrednim aktivnostima zasnovanim na austrijskim najboljim praksama.

Rezultati projekta će biti sažeti u animiranom videu, a biće kreirana i veb-bazirana, multifunkcionalna platforma kako bi se osigurala održivost rezultata projekta.

Kliknite na link za preuzimanje: Saopštenje za javnost – 16. jul 2024.

Napomena
Ovaj dokument je izrađen uz finansijsku podršku Evropske unije kroz Interreg VI-A IPA program Mađarska-Srbija. Za sadržaj ovog dokumenta je odgovoran isključivo KDMFÜ Közép-Duna Menti Fejlesztési Ügynökség Nonprofit Kft. i sadržaj ovog dokumenta ne odražava mišljenje Evropske unije i/ili Upravljačkog tela Programa.

 
Programme information:

The Interreg VI_A IPA Hungary-Serbia Programme is implemented within 2021-27 European Union financial framework, under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). On the basis of „shared management system” of the participating countries, Hungary and Serbia, the Programme funds and supports co-operation projects of organisations located in the Programme-eligable area Hungarian counties Csongrád-Csanád and Bács-Kiskun, and Serbian territories: West Bačka, North Bačka, North Banat, Central Banat, South Banat and Srem.

The Programme helps the development of the stable and co-operating region and the overall quality of life in the border region. It enables economic collaboration of orgaisations from the two countries, nurtures the common identity, and cultural and historical heritage of the border region and contributes to to its environmental susutainability and safety.

 For more information, please visit www.hungary-serbia.eu

On June 21, the 4 consortium members of the ARCCHAD project gathered at Kujáni-tanya near Kecskemét to start our joint work. After brief introductions, it quickly became clear that we are all full of professional knowledge and enthusiasm. Our common goal is to support small-scale farmers with innovative solutions, as they are among the most vulnerable participants in the agricultural sector. They also feel the effects of climate change, but unlike larger farms, they have fewer resources to defend against them. Cross-border cooperation offers important learning opportunities.
After lunch, we toured Kujáni-tanya, which is itself an innovative small-scale farm. Their main focus is fruit growing, but they have also embarked on several experimental projects.

Following the Q&A session, we symbolically fought the "bad forces of climate change" with laser light in a Star Wars-themed team-building game. We aim to pass on this strength in the form of knowledge, experience, educational materials, and studies to small-scale farmers as well.

We are ready to implement a truly successful project! Keep following us for more insights!