The Main Programs and KPIs

First 3 years – focus on Vegetable Sector

Since 2021 we have been working with 4 organizations with expertise in rural development - Civitas Foundation, Synerb Venture Catalyster, Center for Mediation and Community Security, and PACT Foundation. They have proposed special programs to facilitate the association of farmers from vegetable communities located in 4 regions of the country (Cluj, Timis, Iasi, and Giurgiu), with the intention of increasing their access to the market. Three of these proposals have already been funded in early 2021 and are now being implemented. The fourth one is to be funded soon. All 4 organizations have outstanding expertise and experience in rural development. It is important to mention their expertise in facilitating association of farmers in cooperatives, or development of social economy structures dedicated to small farmers with the purpose to increase access to the market. Each of these organizations has demonstrated over the years that they have impressive results in entrepreneurship projects, social economy, or rural economic development and share the same values with FDAgri.

Area: Cluj, 12 months

Purpose: Strengthen the activity of NOD Verde FOOD Hub by introducing a new business line.

With this initiative, we want to develop a new business line by starting a collaboration with the major retailers of agri-food products. This new business line will focus on fresh vegetables and fruits.

The opportunity for this business line is given by the following factors:
• Opening the local market with fresh local products for consumers,
• The attraction of shoppers to buy products from large stores,
• Opening store networks for products from domestic producers,
• The interest of public policy decision-makers to find models integrating products of domestic producers into their offerings,
• The large number of people living in rural areas and the rural dependence on agricultural activities,
• The existence of a very large number of farmers working the land,
• Fertile land, suitable climate for a range of agricultural products,
• Huge potential to produce a large-scale social change in rural and business in Romania.

Specific Objectives
To adapt the operating capacity and organization chart to the specifics of the new business line. For this new business line, there will be a need to purchase/rent equipment, storage spaces, consumables in addition to those currently owned by Node Verde. Also, job descriptions will be updated and the team at Node Verde will expand, a new colleague will be hired.
Pentru această nouă linie de business va fi nevoie de achiziționarea / închirierea unor echipa-mente, spații de depozitare, consumabile pe lângă cele aflate în momentul de față în proprie-tatea Nod Verde. Vor trebui regândite fișele de post și angajat un noi colegi în cadrul Nod Verde.
•Identification of new outlets and expansion of producer categories. Based on the increase of the operating capacity, we will expand the number of vegetable and fruit producers with whom we will work together. Thus, we will aim to considerably increase the quantities of products used through this new business line.
În baza creșterii capacității de operare vom extinde numărul de producători de legume și fructe cu care o să colaborăm în ideea în care ne vom propune să creștem considerabil cantitățile de produse valorificate prin această nouă linie de business.

Area: Timiș, 6 months

The OpVEST project aims to increase the degree of association in the Western area. The associative potential of farmers will be assessed in 2-4 communities, developing a realistic business plan for a community with potential. Then, a sustainable associative structure (cooperative or food-hub) pilot will be established. This will initially improve the quality of life for at least 15 associated farmers. Subsequently, the aim of Synerb will be that local vegetables and fruits or other processed products reach the shelves of at least 1 chain of stores in Romania and on the tables of consumers, provided by the newly created structure.

OpVEST project objectives

1. Objective 1. Preparation and identification of existing successful models.

2. Objective 2. Comparative analysis of the potential of some local communities in the Western area.

3. Feasible business plan for a local community in the Western area.

Area: Iași, 6 months

Phase 1 of the program - Documentation phase - July-December 2020
Purpose Phase 1: Selection of community and group of farmers to enter the program in the first year

Phase 1 specific objectives:
1. Mapping several communities from Iaşi using participatory methods for selecting an extensive group of vegetable growers from Iaşi County, near the Prut region (Probota, Prisacani, Tutora, Golaieşti, Holboca, Tomesti)
2. Coagulation of the initiative group by assessing the needs of farmers, assessing the plant potential in the area, and initiating the first pilot agreements with Carrefour for the purchase of existing farmers' production.

Phase 2 January 2021 - January 2024 Start and development of the agricultural training and food distribution program

Purpose Phase 2 – The establishment of the Agricultural Training and Distribution Programme for Vegetable Products will be established as a formal program under the organizational umbrella of the CMSC. The goal is to help about 100 farmers with limited resources in Iaşi County, belonging to a region neighboring the Prut River with vegetable potential (Probota, Prisacani, Tutora, Golaieşti, Holboca, Tomesti) to learn about sustainable farming methods and agricultural management. It will provide a wide range of farm training opportunities for farmers with diverse experience and different personal/professional aspirations.

Objectives Phase 2:
1. The vegetable distribution segment will continue between 2021 and 2022. After the pilot phase, a variety of vegetables and other fresh products will be sold to Carrefour supermarkets in Iaşi and in the North-East region of Romania. Thus, the number of farmers and quantities delivered to retail will expand gradually from 10 farmers in the first year to 100 farmers in year 2.
2. The agricultural training program will focus on the farm products program, which will allow participants to produce food for the commercial market in the first place. At all levels of training, the CMSC will provide group educational workshops and individual consultations in areas such as crop production strategies, food safety, financial management, and record-keeping and marketing.