The main challenge for the Romanian small mixed farms is their poor integration in local and regional value chains.  

• The discussions focused on the fact that basic agricultural products (such as milk, meat, fruits) face limited market access, due to low prices paid by processors and intermediaries.  

• Several solutions were discussed, such as better promotion using modern instruments (web platforms, social media channels), diversification of activities in the farms by in-farm or local processing.  

• An innovative solution was discussed, tested and implemented: the project launched the “Poveşti de Argeş” platform to promote local producers, products, services, handicrafts and local traditional events. It is not an e-shop platform. Its role is to connect producers and consumers, and to enhance visibility.

A second challenge identified is the lack of collaboration among farmers. Farmers are reluctant to set up associations / cooperatives due to historical reasons, but also due to mistrust and bad examples.  

• The solution proposed by the research team has been to facilitate trust-building and foster collaboration by organizing field visits to successful associations / cooperatives, to allow experience sharing and direct contacts with producers involved in well-functioning structured associations, showcasing benefits through best-practice examples seen directly.     

• Please give reference to the end-of-project stakeholder/policy workshop and provide information on e.g. such as what was presented, discussed, concluded, etc. 

Five differende MIXED presentations aimed at reviewing the objectives, activities and results of the MIXED project, particularly in the Romanian case study; and to elicit discussions among participants on policies pertaining mixed farming and agro-forestry systems. More challenges were discussed, such as:  

1. Technological shortages. Small mixed farms face technological shortages, in terms of lack of capital to invest in buying land, modern equipment and machinery.  

2. Seasonal labour and workforce shortages are a problem as well, due to a relative proximity to a strong industrial area. There is also a need for better support of livestock production in small and medium-size farms. Old farmers are not able anymore to grow livestock without supplementary on-farm labour, and new farmers are reluctant to continue in absence of proper market outlets. A solution would be diversification of activities in farms, such as local processing, producing local specialities, better promotion of products and sales, and collaboration with agro-touristic facilities in the area
   
   The workshop participants largely found their aspirations and support needs in the policy recommendations synthesized by the MIXED project. They particularly emphasized:  

• The traditional diversified local mixed farming model (livestock, natural pastures and hayfields, orchards) in the area was mentioned, especially in terms of aiming to enhance farm profitability, circularity and agro-tourism development by better use of local natural and human resources. 
• The current policies and regulations are very complicated and they change frequently. They need to be simplified, and the bureaucracy significantly reduced.  
•  The adoption of a territorial perspective through mechanisms that allow micro-areas to formulate their strategies based on synergies between local systems will help local initiatives to reach better their potentialities. 
• The need for appropriate and specific advisory system who help also on knowledge transfer is a stringent requirement based on the lacks of public advisory system for agriculture and/or rural development in Romania 
• There is a need for new public policies aiming at educating the consumers to demand more products produced locally and regionally, and less imported products.  
• The promotion of value chains for MiFAS products and services will be pivotal for local prosperity. 

The idea of ​​close collaboration, based on mutual trust and synergies between local agents emerged as pivotal for the sustainability and resilience of mixed agricultural and agroforestry systems in Romania. 

A look to the future and how your network would like MiFAS to develop, future challenges to be solved, etc:

1. Developing short local value chains, including local processing and storage would be very important for the network, as well as promotion of local traditional products (specialities, niche products), along with increasing product quality through a combination of better technology and traditional knowledge and skills.  

2. Significant improvement of local products promotion and activities. That should be achieved by collaboration and reciprocity among local producers and service providers. Example: each owner of an agro-touristic facility should make available to their clients information about the other local agro-touristic facilities, local gastronomic points, specific products and handicrafts in the region.  

3. There is an important need for locals to be trained by specialists in Social Media promotion techniques, and to learn to correctly identify the consumers target groups, in order to adapt accordingly to the continuously diversifying demand.