WIGWAM IN ROMANIA: DELTA DEL DANUBIO, AGRICOLTURA D’AVANGUARDIA E TURISMO SOSTENIBILE

Sono da poco rientrato da un bel viaggio di studio per la stampa specializzata agroalimentare in Romania, e qui vi anticipo il programma base che ho avuto il piacere di vivere e e condividere, con una cInquantina di colleghi di vari paesi europei. Ero stato invitato in qualità di giornalista, che da sempre si occupa e scrive di agricoltura, alimentazione e ambiente, ma sono anche il Presidente della Rete Wigwam ed in particolar modo, attraverso questi occhi, ho osservato con grandissima curiosità ed interesse tutte le esperienze proposte dal programma. Su alcune, che ritengo molto in sintonia con i processi di sviluppo equo, mutuale e sostenibile delle Comunità Locali, mi riprometto di tornare con reportage ad hoc perchè, al di là della cronaca, del racconto e quindi della conseguente divulgazione li ritengo davvero esemplari dell’emergente attenzione al ripetto dell’ambiente, delle culture autoctone, e delle economie che servono a preservarle.

Colgo l’occasione per manifestare grande apprezzamento per il lavoro di organizzazione del viaggio, che ha sottinteso anche una reale conoscenza di tematiche, territori, enti ed aziende e persone di APAR – l’Associazione della Stampa Agricola Romena. Sincere congratulazioni alla sua bravisiima presidente Nicoleta Dragomir e alla sua squadra.

Efrem Tassinato

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Nicoleta DRAGOMIR – chairwoman
Agricultural Press Association in Romania (A.P.A.R.)
email: presa.agricola@gmail.com
cell phone: 0040 722 814021

STUDY TRIP Meet the Romanian Agriculture

The organization of this program focused on the safety of the event as well as the particular potential of our area. We refer here to the geographical novel uniqueness that we can promote. We have chosen to leave from Bucharest, because most international flights operate on the Otopeni Airport.

Day 2 – 20 June 2017 – 09:30-11:00 a.m. – The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest The presentation of a university centre, the starting point of experts towards the road of agriculture and rural development. The intention is to present all institutions of this kind in Romania. The meeting will also be attended by the Romanian Minister of Agriculture. 11:30-13:00 – PANTELIMON AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITY Host: Dr. Mihai Petcu The visit to a Holstein cattle farm, elite farm because of the herd it holds. Doctor Mihai Petcu, together with his family, will expose the process of the genetic performance, his own products, as well as the ANIMAL FARM, a novelty concept designed to raise the awareness of the young generation towards and to facilitate its fondness for knowing domestic animals. 1:00-2:00 p.m.. Lunch at the farm, with Romanian products 2:00-5:00 p.m. – Trip to Perrein Arnaud’s farm (Ialomita) and visit of the farm President of Corn Growers Association in Romania

Day 3 – 21 June 2017 8:00-9:00 a.m. – Embarking. Interactive cruise in the Danube Delta Presentation of the schedule by Ivan Patzaichin – Mile 23 The host of this trip will be Ivan Patzaichin, Romanian canoeist, quadruple winner of the gold medals at the Summer Olympics in 1968, 1972, 1980 and 1984 and winner of three silver medals. The trip to the Danube Delta also aims to promote the uniqueness of what we possess. From the discussions held with Mr. Patzaichin, we will highlight to the guests the efforts made for the conservation of this area:

the performance of tourism projects/ programs for an experience focusing on nature and culture, active outdoor experience;
the development of programs and strategies to enhance the quality of life and of opportunities for community development;
the support private initiatives that lead to economic, social, and cultural development of communities and that aim at enhancing the quality of life;
the protection, promotion, and support of the improvement of natural, historical, archaeological, and cultural heritage. Lunch will consist of local products, on board of the ship equipped with the logistics required for conferences and it will come together with a joyful atmosphere that we know how to create. We will be assisted by a medical unit that will provide intervention when needed. 8:30 p. m. – Landing in Tulcea.

Day 4 – 22 June 2017 – Visit to MIADMAR Host: Dan Buhai. On the one hand, the company plans to benefit from the long fishing tradition (of over a hundred years) of the family of the shareholders-founders and, on the other hand, from the varied and numerous fishery resources in the Danube Delta and the Black Sea in their own area of activity. Therefore, in addition to the marketing of fresh marine and/or fresh-water fish originating from captures or purchases, the company has developed and promoted a number of fishery products, using traditional and/or organic recipes, some of them being certified by MADR, other being in course of certification. All products certified traditionally are registered with OSIM and marketed under the DELTAICA brand.

11:00-12:00 p.m. – Travel to ANGELO – Greci

12:00-4:00 p.m. – Group visit to ANGELO Host: Paula Vals Presentation, food tasting and souvenirs. Presentation of MOESIS brand ANGELO group of companies was founded in 1992 with integral local capital. Food production activity: confectionery – patisserie, bakery, fruit and vegetable processing, honey processing and packaging, berries processing and packaging, packaging factory. It should be noted that the production activity takes place entirely in the rural areas, which means social safety for 300 families in this area. The group owns 11 bakeries in Dobrogea, it delivers in 7 counties and has 15 places of business. Food is entirely natural. The main purpose of the group is to promote local traditional product. In this regard, the specific procedures for obtaining certificates for the traditional products and the acknowledged products. The new brand of the Group – MOESIS – also brings on the domestic and foreign market products like raw vegan, already existing in the menus of Blue Air airline. Dobrogea traditional products are a crowning of a history of all ethnic groups co-existing on these lands, translated into recipes, names and tastes assigned to all of them. At the end of the visit, there will be a presentation of the National Park in Măcin Mountains (the oldest in Europe), a protected area of national interest corresponding to the IUCN category II (national park, special area of conservation). The presentation will be held by Viorel Rosca, the manager of the park, at the nearby seat. The seat has an exhibition of wide interest. Lunch in the area.

4:00-4:30 p.m.- Travel to ALCOVIN MĂCIN – Supplier of the Royal House of Romania 4:30-6:00 p.m. – Visit to ALCOVIN MĂCIN Host: Serghei Cozma. Presentation, food tasting and food souvenirs. ALCOVIN Măcin exposes its vineyards at the foot of the Măcin Mountains, creating a sort of parallel line to the Old Danube, in the north-south direction, passing through Greci, Carcaliu and Cerna. The terroir, which is so particular and specific to this area, is born from the combination of volcanic rocks with the limestone or the loess, completed by the beneficent mist that drops on the old channel of the Danube (Măcin channel). Currently, a wide range of wines is produced in Măcin. Crama Dobrogeana and Pivniţa lui Terente are already mentioned in the tourist circuit, offering its visitors wine tastings and traditional menus accompanied by wines made from vineyards in Carcaliu and Cerna. Among the white wines, Aligoté wine is specific to Sarica Niculiţel Vineyard (originally a French variety). Dry, fat, mineral wine, “earth-smelling” and also flowers-like smelling when it’s very fresh and young, the Aligoté matches excellently with the Danube fish, but also with the local goat or sheep cheese.

7:00 p.m. – Crossing by ferry to Galati. Presentation of the ZIMBRIA products. Exhibition and tastings. The experience of almost one century in animal breeding and agriculture conducted to the creation of the ZIMBRIA brand, which offers the range of meat specialties, following original, traditional Romanian and hunting recipes, as well as cheese from Covurlui.

Day 5 – 23 June 2017 – Travel to SIMONGRIG – Visit to SIMONGRIG Host: Petre Grigore Manufacturer of healthy vegetables with a pleasant look and taste, without pesticide residues, with a longer period of preservation if kept in appropriate conditions. The storage areas, built and equipped according to European standards, allow the delivery of fresh vegetables all the year round. The company was conceived as an organization with a new vision, built on new principles according to which the emphasis is on quality of products made by using new technologies with reduced workforce, according to the latest standards in the field. The crop structure of the farm is diversified providing a balance between fruits and vegetables within the farm. SIMONGRIG produces vegetables (potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, parsnips, beetroot, radish black), cereals (wheat, barley, corn) and industrial crops (sunflower, soybean, rapeseed, sugar beet).

Travel to Foltești, Galati County 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Visit to the animal farm DRU AGRO Foltești Hosts: Maria Verdeș and Marius Verdeș All Zimbria products are 100% natural. But in order to argue the claim, it should be noted that the raw material comes from their own farm, which is in the final stage for achieving the organic certification. The livestock provides the requirements of supply, counting about 1.800 sheep, 2.000 goats and 350 cattle for meat (crossbred breeds of Charolaise steers, Limousine, Angus, etc.). The pork is supplied by another farm in the area of Conachi Inn, Galaţi County, a farm to which Zimbria delivers the animal feed, therefore, having control on nutrition and consequently on the quality of the meat.

Travel to Viile, Galati County 1:00-5:00 p.m. – Visit and lunch at EUROFRUCT Host: Bogdan Lefter. An orchard made from scratch and producing good fruition using domestic capital. The complexity of investment and the management designed for the high-quality production resulted in a successful company. The horticulture complex with orchard on 75 hectares, vineyard on 10 hectares and 5.000 sqm of greenhouse for floriculture and vegetable growing. Sources of financing: two European projects, amounting to EUR 500.000,00 each, leasing agreement for the range of machines and agricultural machinery, bank loans with subsidized interest.

Travel to Brăila, 8:00 p.m.- Presentation and tasting of Huși wines. Gala dinner

Day 6 – 24 June 2017 – Travel to AGRICOST – Big Island of Braila 10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. – Visit in the largest farm in the European Union BIG ISLAND OF BRAILA, A CENTER OF PERFORMANCE AND EXCELLENCE Hosts: Constantin Duluţe – AGRICOST manager Lucian Buzdugan – AGRICOST Director – Big Island of Braila The visit aims to bring forward the excellence in agriculture and of the place where the performance attracts all input companies in the world in order to prove the quality of their products. This foray into the field of top agriculture comes to prove that on the route of this informal trip started at USAMV we can find, eventually, experts trained by the Romanian agricultural education. The visit of the agricultural allotments in Big Island of Brăila actually highlights the capacity of the Romanian experts to support an exceptional agriculture.