Eco Ruralis is a grassroots association made up of small farmers who practice organic and traditional farming based on environmentally-conscious principles. Eco Ruralis stands for farmers’ rights to practice non-industrialized sustainable agriculture. This includes the right to use, multiply and distribute traditional seeds, the pursuit of strict biosafety regulations (without genetically modified organisms); the preservation of land, seeds and food sovereignty in Romania; and respect for consumer health.
AgroBiodiversity Campaign
– More access to traditional seeds and seed-saving practices in Romania
– Continue advocacy for peasants rights to seeds (Reform of EU Rule on Seeds)
– Advocate against the authorization of new GM crops (like the Pioneer 1507 maize variety) in the EU and against GM crops cultivation in Natura 2000 sites in Romania
Land Issues Campaign
– Exposing the impact of landgrabbing in Romania regarding large-scale land investments through documentation and analysis. This will help with our coordination of an open source information database called the Land Matrix.
– Better access to land and farm succession in Romania.
Food Sovereignty Campaign
– Support the work of La Via Campesina regarding the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and other people working in rural areas, at the level of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
– Better access to the Romanian market for peasants and peasant products.
– Maintain and develop WWOOF Romania (WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms), which Eco Ruralis is coordinating.
– Seed multiplication, farming, collection and distribution at national level, through an annual Traditional Seed Catalog and events.
– Advocacy activities together with Via Campesina, regarding the reform of the EU Seeds Rule.
– Advocacy activities together with partners (Via Campesina and Friends of the Earth Europe), regarding the new EU GMO Legislation and new GMO approvals in the EU.
– Writing weekly articles on farming related news from Eastern Europe, for ARC2020.eu platform.
– Documentation, investigations and public awareness regarding the impact of land grabbing in Romania and Eastern Europe. Articles, Fact sheets, up-coming report.
– Networking.
– Documentation on the impact of peasant markets privatization in large cities in Romania.
– Support for other campaigns/issues: anti-gold mining, anti-TTIP, anti-fracking.
The strongest point of Eco Ruralis is the members base, largely constituted of peasants. The national and international networking. Strategic thinking. Principles for independent funding.
Parteners: Eco Ruralis is a member of the European Coordination Via Campesina. Eco Ruralis is also a collaborator of the ARC2020 platform. Eco Ruralis is a founding member of the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) International Federation and a coordinator of WWOOF Romania. Finances:
2009-2013: average budget 10000 euro/year;
2014: 20000 euro; Funders: members and individual supporters, Fondation pour une Terre Humaine, Grassroots Foundation, International Land Coalition, Lush Foundation, X-Y Foundation, Erasmus+ EU funding program.
