RDP project database

EAFRD funds in Svartådalen supported the establishment of a producers' network to facilitate access to local products for shops and restaurants and raise awareness and capacities to produce quality local food through seminars and courses.

Sweden’s Svartådalen and the Sala municipally is a rural area with significant local food production. Producers and other food stakeholders in the area had highlighted an interest in promoting sustainable approaches to food production through encouraging local people to eat local produce.

The project aimed to support the sustainable development of rural food businesses by stimulating increased demand for local food products. A series of new activities were introduced to increase demand for local produce and existing promotional efforts were strengthened.

The main project activities included market research in public kitchens to encourage them to produce local food; training courses on themes like organic gardening (17 participants, including many new growers), outdoor cooking (for entrepreneurs and students at Ösby Naturbruksgymn). A long-term focus was cooperation with the Secondary upper School for Management of Natural Recourses so the students can see the possibilities of local food production and encourage investment in it after school.

The project results results include: (i) the creation of a producers’ network to facilitate access to local products for shops and restaurants; (ii) increased awareness and capacity to produce quality local food through seminars and courses (e.g. gardening, outdoor cooking, local meat production, small scale slaughter houses, etc.); (iii) the establishment of cooperation on food processing issues and cooperation with schools to instil a long-term approach to locally produced food.

“Be patient and persistent, do not give up if you believe in your project idea”. Change does not happen overnight, therefore patience is important. Establishing good relationships with local people and continuous contact with them has also been fundamental to the success of the project.

Sala municipality, Svartådalen

Västmanlands län

Sweden

240 263

120 000

83 700

2 935

7750 (WWF) + 248 (Village Community Dev. Ass.) + 25 630 (Sala munic. and Företagarcentrum)

https://www.svartadalen.nu

Lisa Hallin

lisa@svartadalen.nu

+46 070-2985159

Swedish