Robin Hanvey

1
Welcome to a rare breed
by Robin Hanvey
2
Mission
The prime mission of a rare breed is to build
in people, confidence and self-esteem by creating
a fully inclusive culture and a supportive
environment to work, learn and play, within the
setting of a community farm.
3
Strategic Objectives
Objective 1
Develop a fully inclusive community, based around
the farm, through projects such as The Soil
Associations Community Supported Agriculture
Scheme (CSA scheme).
Objective 2
Protect, preserve and promote our traditional and
native rare breeds and heritage crop species
4
Strategic Objectives
Objective 3
Research, facilitate and encourage the practice
of traditional land based crafts and farming
methods and promote the wide-ranging benefits of
such methods. Adapt these methods to fit within a
modern framework and deliver these benefits
through vocational training opportunities.
Objective 4
Educate and encourage an awareness of the
importance of conservation, and respect for
animals, the countryside, and rural life.
5
Sobering stats.

• Initial research and consultation with existing
  providers has identified 750 people in Fife, who
  are recovering from a mental illness and have or
  will face barriers in achieving their aim of
  returning to work. Tapping into this resource has
  the potential to boost the Fife economy by some
  37,500,000 per annum.

• Currently, the average age of the agricultural
  worker is 57 years. This will impact adversely on
  the UK economy as a whole, as although only 2 of
  people are directly employed within agriculture,
  they support 27 of the UK workforce within food
  processing and retailing sectors.

6
Sobering stats.

• Between 1900 and 1973, over 20 of our 90 native
  farm animals became extinct with a current
  worldwide extinction rate running at 5 per year.
  Worldwide crop varieties are under even more
  extreme pressures, resulting in more than 90 of
  them disappearing from farmers fields in the
  past century.

• Following the closure of Fife Councils mini farm
  at Silverburn, Leven, there is currently no
  education opportunities within Fife for hands on
  rural farm based curricular study or field trips.

7
Sobering stats.

• Many of our traditional farming practices ceased
  by the late 40s early 50s. Within the next
  decade or so the opportunity to tap into and
  learn from this irreplaceable knowledge,
  experience and skill, which has been developed
  regionally over many thousands of years, will be
  lost forever. Urgent research is being carried
  out by the UN FAO into these ingenious
  agricultural heritage systems, as they are seen
  as vital in their contribution to future food
  security, agricultural biodiversity and the
  worlds natural and cultural heritage.

8
Community Supported Agriculture Scheme
Customer Benefits of the CSA Scheme -

• Receive the freshest organic food from a known
  local source

• To experience improved health through better
  diet, physical work, socialising and spending
  time in the countryside

• Improve their understanding about food production
  and the real costs involved

• Increased knowledge of seasonality of produce and
  new and traditional varieties

• Have access to a farm as a resource for
  education, work and leisure

• Have a sense of belonging to a community and
  influence the local landscape

• Help a farm make the transition to more
  sustainable methods

9
The CSA Fit

• Develop local markets for Rare Breed And heritage
  crops. Only market demand will ensure a secure
  future for these produce

• Adding value on site creating opportunities for
  volunteering and supportive placements e.g.

10
Impacts
Social

• Real social inclusion through an integrated mix
  of volunteers, farm club members, co-workers,
  supported workers and volunteers with
  accessibility for all and an estimated community
  of 200 plus based on, around and through the farm
  and its activities

• Improved social networks, social responsibility
  and a stronger sense of community and trust

• Re-connecting people with themselves and the land
  with social events centred around the rural
  calendar e.g. at lambing, shearing, harvest time
  and Halloween etc.

11
Impacts
Economic

• Stimulate the local economy through its farming
  enterprise and the development of a network of
  other local farmers, local retailers and
  consumers, with projected turnover for trading
  year 2006 of 230,000

• Through our supported work programme we can
  release the economic potential of people who
  would otherwise find it very difficult to
  contribute positively in this manner due to their
  circumstances and barriers to the labour market.
  By Jan 2007 the programme is targeted to offer
  ten supported work placements. In themselves
  making a positive contribution to the economy in
  the region of 260,000 per year

• The project has potential to deliver up to ten
  young people an entry point to the agriculture
  industry through supported and vocational
  training.

12
Impacts
Environmental

• Impact on and help reverse the decline in our
  native rare breeds and heritage crops. Preserving
  a diversity of varieties, breeds and species,
  will ensure that there shall continue to be
  agricultural production, whatever the threat. For
  hidden in the gene pool of todays surviving
  heritage crop plants and livestock, are many
  invisible traits that may prove essential in
  overcoming future agri-challenges or disasters.

• Derived environmental benefits of fewer food
  miles, less packaging, ecologically sensitive
  farming with improved animal welfare

• See the return of regional diversity,
  distinctiveness and care of local land by local
  people

13
Progress To Date

• Craigencalt Farm Kinghorn Loch

• Craigencalt Ecology Centre

• Adding value to CEC

• Rare Breed Stock niche markets

• Partnership CSA

• Conservation Grazing and land management

14
Funding

• Scotland Unltd Awarded Seed corn grant - 4250

• Match funding being sought from Fife Council,
  Fife Environment Trust, Alcan/ Burntisland trust,
  Scottish Enterprise Fife.

• Scotland Unltd Level 2 48000 over 3 years

• Three year funding thrust, Project to be
  self-sustaining there after.

15
Sustainable Revenue Streams

• CSA Scheme

• Existing Organic markets

• Conservation grazing and land management service

• Area payment scheme - 60 - 300 per hectre

• Further innovative streams in the pipeline

16
The Future

• Dedicated Site by 2007

• Possible funding from Scottish land fund and/or
  SIS for site purchase

• Replication of original model in other areas of
  the country with a vibrant network of other CSAs

17
Final Comments
What is a rare breed ?

• A social entrepreneur ?

• A community activist/leader ?

• A volunteer ?

• A mover and a shaker ?

• A visionary ?

• A visionary ?

• A visionary ?

• A gifted person with mental health problems ?

Are you a rare breed ?