![[Report] Food Hubs: Models for the development of short agri-food supply chains in Romania](http://civitas.ro/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Background.png)
As part of the Food Hub project, funded by the Romanian-American Foundation, we launched yesterday, together with our partner, the Romanian Center for European Policies, the report ”Food Hub-urile: Modele pentru dezvoltarea lanțurilor scurte agroalimentare în România” (Food Hubs: Models for the development of agri-food short chains in Romania).
In the last 10-15 years, short food supply chains have gained ground on the public agenda of decision-makers at EU and national level. Through the European Green Deal, in particular the “Farm to Fork” strategy, the aim is to strengthen local food governance at local level, whereby the production and processing of products takes place in close proximity to consumers.
One of the innovations that is representative of this goal is the aggregator of local agri-food products – generically called food hub. The launched report complements the 2021 documentary report “Food Hub-ul: Model alternativ pentru dezvoltarea fermelor mici și mijloci în România” (The Food Hub: Alternative model for the development of small and medium-sized farms in Romania), published by the Romanian Center for European Policies, with new data on the evolution of the pilot project supported by the Romanian-American Foundation.
Another objective of the report is to put the pilot project in the context of public policies to support short food chains in the last three years, arguing the importance of this model for small and medium farmers in Romania and the need to replicate and support it at national level.
The report launch was the opportunity to debate the food hub model, short food supply chains and the future of small producers. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, institutions, NGOs and private stakeholders in the field were attended both at the presentation of the report and the debate that followed.
Conclusions of the debate on the food hub model
The debate was moderated by Márton Balogh, director of the Civitas Foundation for Civil Society Cluj, and had the theme: The future of short supply chains in Romania: Perspectives for the development of the Food Hub model. Some of the most important conclusions of the event were the following:
For more information on the pilot project and the results of the food hubs, you can read the full report HERE.
