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Project directors: Rodics Gergely (Pagan Snow Cap region) and Nat Page, Adept Foundation (Tarvana Mare region). Duration: 18 months, to January 2010.  Pictures © Barbara Knowles and Rodics Gergely
Milk provides over 90% of cash income for many village families in Transylvania. Their livelihoods are threatened by EU regulations and low milk prices. Many farmers are already selling their cows and young people are leaving the villages. If too many families sell their cows, the entire landscape and ecology of the area is also at risk. There is much we should learn from the sustainable system of traditional farming and forestry which has supported the people and ecology of this area for hundreds of years. The patchwork of hay meadows and pastures which are so characteristic of this area, and which support its rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential, rely on cows farmed on a small scale in the traditional manner. This project aims to preserve this special region – the last great medieval landscape in Europe – by providing practical support for the rural economy. We are working in two regions:
The projects are encouraging and supporting village farmers with cows to establish farmer's associations that can manage milk collection, storage, cooling, microbiological and quality testing; bargain better prices with processing companies; and comply with EU regulations. The advantage is that the equipment is owned by the farmers (the association), not the milk companies. This lets the farmers measure and control the quality of their milk, ensuring that one farmer with a sick cow or another who waters down his milk don’t contaminate the supply and reduce its value for everyone. We have already gained support from an encouraging number of farmers and the mayors of several villages to build milk collection points and seek funding at county level for the equipment. Such projects are also eligible for EU funding and we will employ an expert to help access these funds. In Delne, the first village to open its own collection point, the villagers achieved in 2008 more than double the price before the association was active. The quality of the milk improved significantly. In 2009, low milk prices resurfaced, not only here but across Europe. This issue is not a simple one. We are exploring other methods to increase the value of this high quality milk. If successful in these two regions, the project can be replicated elsewhere. We have organised study tours for farmers to share ideas and make contacts. One of the outputs of the project is to communicate its results widely, to encourage other villages to start their own initiatives.We are also working with local experts in organic milk production, to develop leaflets, information and support for farmers who want to convert to organic. In fact, many of the have been farming organically all their lives since this is the traditional method, and it isn't economic to buy chemicals. But to sell their milk as organic, formal registration and conversion is required.  
  © Barbara Knowles 2009 |