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In the publication “Cooperation of agricultural producers as a means of developing agriculture and rural areas”, the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów points out that: “European Union law, as well as national law, has for many years given farmers the opportunity to organise and obtain financial support for this purpose, both directly and through various types of preferences”, but a strong community of goals between agricultural holdings is still lacking. It is cooperation that allows for the effective exchange of experience and the practical implementation of innovations.
– Polish farmers are not competitors, emphasizes Artur Grzybiński, a leader of the Podlaskie province, operating in a cooperative of pig producers, with whom we cooperate within the framework of the energeticdlawsi.pl project. This group of farmers, working together, proves how developmental and profitable cooperation is. Farmers share their resources, make joint purchases and investments, and plan individual development based on the needs of the group. Thanks to this, they significantly strengthen their competitiveness and position in the market.
Agnieszka Tołłoczko-Wróbel – leader of the province of Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, points out that farmers who cooperate, help each other, exchange experiences, create a kind of safety zone, which makes them less susceptible to external factors.
In times of climate change, effective solutions are worth their weight in gold. Agricultural areas have completely different characteristics in different regions, and appropriate agrotechnics in the local area can be a panacea for subsequent changes.
Marcin Gryn – leader of the province. Lublin carries out educational activities in his free time and points out that this form ensures very good communication between local farmers. He wants farmers who know him to follow his good and proven solutions, thus implementing a kind of “practical education” and the idea of social farming.
By taking action locally, leaders recognize the challenges that other farmers face. Through their involvement, they can contribute to creating more sustainable and effective solutions in agriculture, as well as being a voice among decision-makers, for example by participating in parliamentary proceedings.
Marcin Bańcerowski – provincial leader. In the Masovian Voivodeship, as part of his educational activities, he has also started cooperation with a university, where he will share his experiences in the processing industry. He will talk about the opportunities, but also the threats and problems he has encountered in the context of organizational and legal activities, building a processing plant (fruit juices and wines), but above all, introducing the product to the market, promoting this product, building a pricing strategy, reaching an agreement with consumers and gaining their loyalty and, most importantly, the position of the farmer in such an enterprise.
As part of the initiative in the field of Polish fruit processing, Marcin presents innovative solutions aimed at practical education and guiding farmers through the process of production and distribution of processed fruit products.
As highlighted by the Vice-President of the Association. Prof. Żmijewski, Ph.D. Eng. Grzegorz Maśloch, observing trends in the European Union clearly shows local initiatives in which farmers and local communities take responsibility not only for the production of raw materials, but also for the creation of products in terms of marketing. This approach means being a true co-decision maker and co-beneficiary of local initiatives.
The involvement of rural leaders in the creation of cooperation networks is extremely important for the successful transformation of Polish agriculture. Technological and social changes are inevitable – they will determine the development of the competitiveness of Polish agriculture.
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