To help overcome these obstacles Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources in Urbanizing Environments (SANRUE) has teamed up with the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) to develop and promote a Regional Infrastructure for Sustaining Agriculture, or RISA. While there are many types of farms in our region, the RISA project will focus its initial efforts on two typesÑdairy and fresh produce.
The RISA project has three broad objectives:
Barriers and incentives will be explored and documented through the initial assessment phase of the project. Activities will include identifying and interviewing various community members in the region, surveying farmers, consumers, food distributors, bankers, and other stakeholders, and conducting focus group meetings to add depth to our understanding of obstacles and opportunities for sustaining agriculture in our region.
Four types of activities will be undertaken: On-Farm DemonstrationsÑproviding farmers the opportunity to test and demonstrate sustainable agriculture practices and the vehicle to share their results with others Regional Leadership CommunityÑa loosely structured community of individuals representing diverse groups, who share a common goal of sustaining agriculture in the region will:
- participate in leadership workshops
- articulate regional agendas for change
- develop action-oriented strategies for overcoming identified barriers
Marketing Incentives - working to develop stronger and more diverse markets and public support. Projects will include a directory, public outreach, and direct marketing initiatives.
Education - supporting education initiatives and activities in the areas of on-farm demonstrations, leadership networks, and market incentive teams
The RISA project will utilize a bioregionally-based perspective, taking into account natural systems and human resources. The projectÕs focus area is the ten southeast Pennsylvania counties, formed primarily by the basins of the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers. Processes and outcomes will be documented and evaluated, and results disseminated through media, conferences, and training.
The distinctive contribution of this southeast Pennsylvania project will be to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate a model for supporting the creation of a Regional Infrastructure for Sustaining Agriculture (RISA). As a model, RISA will assist farmers, policy makers, marketing professionals, technical support professionals, and consumers to move toward the widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture practices.
Project Status: initiated 1993
Collaborating Institutions:
SANRUE
Pennsylvania Association
for Sustainable Agriculture
(PASA)
Atlantic Dairy Cooperative
League of Women Voters
Reading Terminal FarmersÕ
Market Trust.