We are setting up the ALPA Pilot Farm!
ALPA is raising regenerative agriculture in Romania to a new level. We have a bioregional approach which brings nature conservation practices and agroecology together in a concerted way on our farm lands.
We are thrilled that the Embassy of The Netherlands in Bucharest recognises our work and co-created a project with us!
Through the generous efforts of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, ALPA has become the beneficiary of what is called the “Idea Accelerator” project by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
The main goal of the project is to support ALPA in setting up a pilot farm which will serve as a showcase model and incubating space for future farmers both here in this region and beyond. ALPA aims to develop and set up a market-viable agroecological farm within the local context of diversified and human scale ecological farming. With this pilot farm, we envision a well-functioning example intended to help future farms to emerge which can follow well-tested and proven principles [to bring agroecology and nature conservation practices together].
Last week – November 11 – 14th, 2024 – different partners converged at the ALPA hub in Alunisu.
Our enormous gratitude goes towards Mrs. Sophie Neve, Agricultural Counselor at the Embassy of The Netherlands in Bucharest for Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova for the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. Her devoted presence, contributions and input are highly appreciated and we admire how Mrs. Neve puts regenerative agriculture practices high on her agenda and honoured that she recognises in ALPA a suitable partner in this work. In Mrs. Neve’s own words: “[We are] very satisfied and energised after three days of workshops, field visits and hard work to help provide a solid basis for the ALPA initiative to start and implement an incubation farm of the future in the Romanian regional context, as a promise for the biodiversity, landscape, rural cultural heritage and community, and to transfer and experiment with agroecological practices that suite and serve the local context, providing an easier step-in for young farmers to have a viable income, for now and for the future.”
The Idea Accelerating project is facilitated by Drs. Johan Meijer and Max Zevenbergen from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). They are researching the needs of ALPA as well as Dutch best practice examples of pilot farms and access to land initiatives. They bring together the gathered knowledge and innovative practices while combining this in a final report which will serve as a support and guideline for ALPA’s pilot farm start up initiative.
The Dutch agricultural University of Wageningen was represented by Dr. Peter Kromann. Dr. Kromann is a plant pathologist and researcher within the Field Crops team. With his team, Dr. Kromann is involved in the ‘Farm of the Future,’ a project which brings together the best applications and techniques from agronomy, ecology and technology. The Farm of the Future offers solutions that give nature and landscape a place and reduce emissions to the environment toward zero.
Meta van Drunen and Joep de Roo from De Nieuwe Bodem (“The New Soil”) joined the mission as experts in the field of combining ecological food production practices with a small-scale, financially viable model. With the Nieuwe Bodem, an agroforestry farm in the east of The Netherlands, they contribute to the search for a transition model for farmers by offering an ecological and sustainable alternative that is able to produce healthy food which is financially sustainable for both farmers and consumers. Besides Nieuwe Bodem, Mrs. van Drunen and Mr. de Roo have extensive experience running projects in Romania through their company Eurdite. Joep de Roo: “It was a great pleasure to be back in Romania and to share our experiences from our agroforestry farm Nieuwe Bodem and Erudite. To be continued… looking forward!”
ALPA’s ability to move its mission forward is strengthened and momentum towards the first pilot farm is increasing through the combined efforts of all of those who came to this special region and spent these valuable days together.
With heartfelt gratitude from the ALPA team!
