Karin Bornett
Crowdfarming is not a cultivation method, but it can support agriculture on the way to more sustainability and fairness. We asked ourselves why crowdfarming won't save the world and when it makes sense.
Industrial agriculture doesn't have the best reputation. Factory farming, pesticide pollution and the lowest wages lead to a rethink. The interest in sustainably and fairly produced food is increasing. The offer is growing.
In the opinion of many small farmers, the grievances in agriculture result primarily from the anonymity of large producers and the long, often opaque supply chains. The supermarket price dumping does not improve the situation. The best solution to get out of the vicious circle of exploitation and environmental degradation seems to be direct marketing. The direct contact between producers and consumers means that the origin remains transparent. We know where the chickens from the neighboring village are when we fetch fresh eggs from the weekly market and we can see who is collecting the lettuce harvest on the field across the street. The farmers are independent of middlemen and large corporations and can set their own prices.
Escape the pressures of the market
So far so good. But oranges, olives, pistachios and the like cannot be grown so easily and sustainably in Central Europe. That is why two Spanish orange growers have one called “Crowdfarming” Marketing platform for smallholders and organic farmers developed so that they can sell sustainably and fairly produced goods internationally directly to households. The concept provides that the customers "adopt" an orange tree, beehive, etc. For example, for a sponsorship you get the entire harvest of the adopted tree every year.
“Crowdfarming relies on transparent supply chains, dispenses with the (supposed) beauty standards required in the conventional market and thus starts with food waste in the field or on the tree," says the agriculture spokeswoman for Global 2000, Brigitte Reisenberger. A great advantage for farmers is the ease with which they can be planned, which prevents overproduction. “However, there can still be an abundance during the harvest period. The effort for shipping also seems to be very high. In my opinion, food coops, i.e. purchasing groups, make more sense - although food cooperatives would also be possible within the framework of crowdfarming, ”said Franziskus Forster, public relations officer at the Austrian company Mountain and small farmers association - Via Campesina Austria (ÖBV).
“Basically, crowdfarming as a building block for the democratization of the food supply is positive and direct marketing makes sense. But I don't believe that crowdfarming will solve the problems in agriculture or that it can replace the supermarket, ”he says, referring to the project“MILA"- a" hands-on supermarket "that is organized as a cooperative and is currently in the start-up phase in Vienna. Together with such alternatives, various forms of direct marketing and initiatives such as food coops, would have consumersinside and peasantinside more say, independence and freedom of choice.
The downsides of crowdfarming
It should be noted that the products offered on crowdfarming platforms are not subject to any own control. The producers must apply to the responsible authorities for organic certificates or eco-labels. Farmers are responsible for compliance with all requirements and truthful information. It is not official control bodies or requirements from trading partners that ensure a high level of transparency, but the crowd. The operators of the platform advertise open and direct communication between farmers and sponsors. Fields can be observed online via video stream, the adopted sheep and supplier of the wool supplies are regularly photographed and skilful storytelling tells the progress of the seasons. Many companies also offer the opportunity to visit their "sponsored child" on site.
Reisenberger: "For consumers who occasionally like to eat fruit or fruit that does not grow in Austria for climatic reasons, crowdfarming is a sensible alternative to the conventional supermarket." Meanwhile, some producers also offer individual baskets for purchase in addition to sponsorships. “Large orders make ecological sense when consumers join forces in the ordering process, as some food coops are already doing. For regional foods such as apples or pumpkins, however, it makes much more sense to buy seasonally directly from local producers, ”says Reisenberger.
Forster concludes: “Opportunities to bring control back to the farm and escape the pressure to grow can only work in alliance with the citizens. Crowdfarming is not a completely new idea. There were already sponsorships for plants and animals in exchange for the end products. I see the individual sponsorships with many international orders and the associated transport of the products as problematic. I think we have to break out of individualization and build solidarity communities again, turn away from the high-performance strategy and push for circular principles. Only in this way will we leave the treadmill of growth and decline behind us. "
INFO:
The term “crowdfarming” is an online platform that promotes direct contact between farmers and consumers. The platform was founded by the Spanish orange growers and brothers Gabriel and Gonzalo Úrculo. The products come from various European countries, Colombia and the Philippines. If you don't want to become a sponsor, you can now order individual products.
Video "What is crowdfarming": https://youtu.be/FGCUmKVeHkQ
Tip: Responsible consumers always pay attention to the origin of food. If you want to support small-scale agriculture and food production, you can find it in the online shop, for example www.mehrgewinn.com Mediterranean delicacies from selected, small manufacturers.
Photo / Video: Shutterstock.
