Title of the project

Qualification and support of countrywomen and organic farming in Latvia

Target groups

• Countrywomen  in the field of organic farming and their families in Latvia
• Ecologically working farmers and  agricultural advisers  in Latvia
• Specialist subject teachers at the agricultural technical school in Kazdanga, Latvia

Place and period

Project partners

• Heinrich- Böll Foundation, Cologne and Berlin
• Women´s project LIEPA in Grobina, Latvia
• Society for organic farming in Grobina
• Agricultural Technical College in Kazdanga, Latvia
• Institute Grüner Zweig Cologne, predecessor of Institute equalita
  

Financing

• Heinrich-Böll Foundation - from1995 to 2000
• European Union within the frame of their PHARE programme LIEN from 1998 to 2000

Description of Project

In 1995, the consultants of the institute have started their activities with twelve women of the group LIEPA. These activities have been bundled and intensified within the project which is financed by the European Union. Through training and consultancy in Latvia and educative journeys to Germany, knowledge in management, basics in organic farming, organisation of work, customer orientation and marketing was teached. 

The countrywomen´s enterprises have all developed exceedingly well. The women´ s role in the families and their working position on the farms have considerably  improved. It could be transferred and practiced in every-day-life. At the end of the project in 2000, the group had increased to more than forty women. Some of them have founded new groups in other regions and transfer their knowledge as lecturers and via the media.

In a second part of the consultancy, the male members of the families and other farmers were qualified in the same fields. At the same time, Latvian consultants were trained to become controllers according to the Demeter guidelines. In the Agricultural Technical College of Kazdanga,  twenty teachers have been qualified in modern teaching methods They have equally been taught basics of organic farming and marketing of the products.