NGOs - Association of Private Agriculture of Czech Republic (APA)
The most important interest NGO representing the family farms in Czech Republic is the Association of Private Agriculture of Czech Republic (APA), professional organisation of private farmers. It prepared in connection of International year of family farming a series „Way of the cross of Czech farmer” dealing with the biggest 12 problems of Czech agriculture and rural areas which can be solved through family farms. It included among others: open days and lecture series on farms (which are members of Association) and printing of publication „International Year of Family Farming” (in Czech only). They also published several articles (in Czech only).
1) Family farm as a source of value added
On Saturday, 20 September concluded the series of seminars with the last seminar, which dealt mainly with the topic, how family farms benefit to the community. It took place on a farm of the chairman APF Vyškov Jiří Marák and his family in Zvonovice u Vyškova. The main guests were Vice Chairman of the Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic Josef Bezdíček and chairman of the Association of land owners and agri-businessmen of Slovakia Vladimír Kočárik.
“Municipalities, as well as a state should realize that the greatest added value was always created by smaller family farms, for example, they built the First Republic. It is therefore a pity that representatives of municipalities and the state often forget that and their main concern is often to only use up a certain amount of funds without their really effective use,” said farm owner Jiří Marák.
“Definitely good news for the Czech countryside, its development and future is that the percentage of land farmed by individuals show a gradual annual increase: from 924,000 hectares in 2000 to 1,070 thousand in last year, which is more than 15%,” said secretary of the Association of Private Agriculture of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Šebek.
http://www.asz.cz/cs/rok-rodinnych-farem/rodinna-farma-zdroj-pridane-hodnoty.html
2) “Way of the Cross” of theCzechfarmer
“Way of the Cross” of the Czech farmer – cycle of 12 of the biggest problems of the Czech agriculture and rural areas with the offer of their real solutions through family farms – was introduced to the general public on the all-day expert seminar on the family farm in of Jankovy in Vysoká Libyna at the feast day of St. Wenceslas by the chairman of the Association of Private Agriculture of the Czech Republic Josef Stehlík.
Fading village life, damaged ownership relations, inter-generational problem, devastated landscape, soil erosion damage, junk food, lack of job opportunities in the country - these are the problems that plague the entire rural areas. Association of Private Agriculture of the Czech Republic is, in the next year which was announced as the United Nations Year of family farms, intending to elaborate those specific issues, spread the information about them and propose completely realistic ways to address them through several seminars on the member farms ASF for both the peasants and the people from municipalities, it will also serve as a basis for discussion. “Way of cross” of the Czech peasant as a solution of the priorities of Czech peasant in a form of a programme will be offered also to political parties.
http://www.asz.cz/cs/aktualne-z-asz/krizova-cesta-ceskeho-sedlaka.html
1) Family farms as a centre of the activity in the rural areas
The decline in employment in the country due to the need to reduce the cost of industrial production of agricultural raw materials in large enterprises. Decrease of social life in municipalities, increase of the concentration of jobs in the cities, generating decrease in employment opportunities in the country. The solution? One of the few alternative employment opportunities in rural areas as well as involvement in a number of activities in municipalities and participation in their management is (and this is true even for centuries) in the hands of farmers and their family farms.
What is the significance have farmers for the village in our country and what in Slovak Republic? This issue will be the central theme of an international seminar organized by the Association of Private Agriculture on Saturday 20 September at the family farm in Marákových Zvonovice Vyškov.
http://www.asz.cz/cs/rok-rodinnych-farem/rodinne-farmy-jako-centrum-deni-na-venkove.html
2) “Family farms” is not an empty term
The fact that family farms, despite long-standing political adversity, are an essential part of the Czech agriculture and basis of alive rural areas and that the interest in them from the general public continues to grow, was witnessed by an event organized by the Association of Private Agriculture on Saturday 5th of July. On the family farm of Tvarůžkovy in Hlubočec where took place Farmers festivities related to The year of the family farms for families with children associated with an international gathering of peasants and expert seminar came together more than seven thousand visitors.
“Regardless of the size of the farm it is essential that it is managed by the whole family, so the potential of the workforce is exploit much better, and especially natural generational change is typical for it,” said co-owner of the farm Martin Tvarůžka.
http://www.asz.cz/cs/rok-rodinnych-farem/rodinna-farma-neni-jen-prazdny-pojem.html
3) Community Supported Agriculture in the Czech Republic
Movement DUHA – Friends of the Earth Czech Republic – writes about local products and Community Supported Agriculture in Czech Republic: what products are distributed through these routes, how many farmers and consumers participate and how does CAP support of hinder those developments.