Experience of LIP support systems in Latvia Āris Ādlers, Bauska

Latvian Rural Forum and Food the base for preserving Latvian basic values: strong family, Latvian lifestyle, diverse local traditions and guarantee for further existence of Latvian nation populated by educated, active, responsible, creative and competitive inhabitants still preserve diverse landscape of the countryside that is traditional and typical for different regions in Latvia a place that supplies inhabitants with natural, qualitative, safe food that is also typical for local environment and traditions a place that provides opportunities for diverse economical activities based on local resources (environment, infrastructure and knowledge) lifestyle that is voluntary chosen by families and recognized by society, and not a necessity enforced by economic and social conditions; sustainable local communities that are self-regenerative, able to be aware of their needs and priorities and implement them. How we see rural areas?

Promotion of “non-conventional” support in Latvia National food quality system Eco food branding system Latvian product recognition system

Several attempts to support local/regional products Produced in Kurzeme (Regional touristic brand) „Zied zeme” delikatešu grozs (Food selection from local area) Local food market quality system

Weaknesses of local product marketing strategies National level = expensive to participate Local level = expensive to realize Promoting products that can make self recognition themselves Promoting “not good” products

What we need? More producers/service providers in rural areas Increase quality of products/services Increase sales of local products and services Encourage people to be proud of their place of residence Stronger community Increase competitiveness of local territory

What we understand by Local Identity Product LIP is a product created in certain geographical territory from resources existing is this territory, that meets requirements of the quality, contributes to balanced development of territory and local society has acknowledged this product as its Local Identity Product.

What we understand by Local Identity Product support system A system created in certain geographic territory that defines quality criteria for Local Identity product, can create it’s own LIP brand, ensures the conferment of VIP status to a product, carries out the surveillance of quality, promotes LIP development in territory, engages in marketing activities and facilitates the formation of product’s market.

Find your Local Identity product

The main conclusions People like to think about their identity We do not know what is happening in our municipality People like to think about their self-respect The understanding of sustainable production is low Some municipalities has already lost their local producers There are still a lot of suspicious people

What we have achieved? We found some really good local products and producers People from no-producer organizations admitted, that farmers are part of society (building one community) Raised knowledge about territory A lot of seminars around Latvia about topic A lot of local initiatives People are using terminology We are building first Local Identity Product support system in Latvia

National turning point (~ 2,8 million euros) lats for supporting local producers via Local Action Groups; - Local Action Groups are developing their own local agriculture development strategy

Why Local Action Groups? It’s about cooperation!

Different solutions Concept and ideas EU funding and rules

By promoting VIP, we promote LRF vision of rural areas By promotion of traditional farming, we promote Latvian basic values: strong family, Latvian lifestyle, diverse local traditions and guarantee for further existence of Latvian nation By promoting sustainable production and smart consumption, we are promoting rural areas, that is populated by educated, active, responsible, creative and competitive inhabitants By promoting sustainable usage of own resources, we preserve diverse landscape of the countryside that is traditional and typical for different regions in Latvia By promoting production and consumption of local food, we promote rural areas as a place that supplies inhabitants with natural, qualitative, safe food that is also typical for local environment and traditions

By promoting VIP, we promote LRF vision of rural areas By promoting local economical links between inhabitants, we promote rural areas as a place that provides opportunities for diverse economical activities based on local resources (environment, infrastructure and knowledge) By promoting importance of communication and sense of self-support, we promote rural lifestyle that is voluntary chosen by families and recognized by society, and not a necessity enforced by economic and social conditions By promoting involvement of all community in support system, we promote sustainable local communities that are self-regenerative, able to be aware of their needs and priorities and implement them.

Building of Local Food support system in Aizkraukle partnership We are ready to share our experience tomorrow