FAL BRA?OV EXPERIENCE – CONSORTIUM REUNION EDITION

02 November 2022

FAL BRA?OV EXPERIENCE – CONSORTIUM REUNION EDITION

Between the 6th and the 8th of September, FAL Bra?ov had the chance to host the FoodSHIFT2030 partners and invite them to take part in the FAL Bra?ov experience! Autumn came earlier in the mountain city, but with a bit of luck, weather was sunny and warm during the field trips where we learnt about the Bra?ov city-region food system and met the innovators.

Day 1 started with a short introduction about the city-region’s food production capacity and trends, to ensure a common understanding of the food situation and to provide the needs assessment of the food strategy, which is one of the most important goals of FAL Bra?ov.

The main challenges that Bra?ov city region faces in relation to its food system are:

Integrating small producers in the food system by professionalisation and aggregation.
Promoting local gastronomy and local menus.
Encourage and strengthen rural-urban linkages and cohesion.

A part of these challenges is tackled by the first two innovators that were introduced.

Mihaela Fr??il?, expert on public procurement worked on integrating local producers in the local public procurement for the `meal in school` program and assembled a list of recommendations for the national authorities that manages this program.
‘?inutul Bârsei’ Local Action Group will organise a course for the professionalisation of the small producer, for a better integration in the local food system.

The second half of the day was spent in the M?gura village, part of the Piatra Craiului National Park, where the participants visited a local household and learnt about the difficulties that small producers from mountain areas face, while tasting local cheese, donuts and ?uic?. Lunch was served as Villa Hermani, a certified ecotourism pension that represents a good practice example of business in a mountain area that integrates local producers.

The day ended with a visit to Bran Castle where the participants tasted a re-interpretation of traditional kneaded cheese (`brânz? de burduf`) prepared by Chef Dana Graur?, with whom FAL Bra?ov is collaborating for creating the local menus scheme.

Day 2 started with a trip to the city’s biggest vegetables and fruit market, Dacia Market, where we met and discussed with the director of the Administration of Public Markets of Brasov Municipality, Mr. Ladariu Adrian, and with the producers, after which we visited the Star Market, the place intended to become a food hub, where the SolBun Cooperative is meeting with consumers every Wednesday and Saturday.

SolBun Coop is one of the innovators, which aggregates vegetables and dairy local producers in a marketing cooperative.

The last innovation presented was Chef M?d?lina Roman work on reducing food waste in restaurants (which can be seen in this video).

The day continued with the session dedicated for project work: clarifying work packages inputs and timelines, as well as toolkits that will come.

All participants were invited to the Consortium Dinner, which took place at CATTIA and was prepared with local products by Chef Bogdan Cozma and his team.

The last day of the FAL Bra?ov experience started with an ambitious workshop on local food governance that reunited local stakeholders (public administration and authorities, local businesses, local researchers), as well as FoodSHIFT2030 partners.

FAL Bra?ov experience ended with a visit to `HOF H?rman` local gastronomical point. We visited the household, including the two gardens, and then had the delicious plant-based lunch prepared by Ioana and Corina.

The local gastronomical point is a small family-run touristic farm, offering food prepared from ingredients that can be found in the family`s or neighbours` gardens and prepared after local recipes and techniques.

The overall objective was to share with the partners and participants the FAL Bra?ov’s experience, to immerse them in the local gastronomy and tastes, and into the daily lives of local producers working in mountain regions, making the participants aware of the challenges that these producers face daily. Last, but not least, to emphasise the need for local cooperation and prioritisation of a sustainable local food system.