Welcome to the AgriNatura Foundation website!
Our mission
The main goals of our Foundation are:
• the sustainable development of the polish countryside, with special focus on the conservation and growth of genetic resources and agricultural biodiversity
• the development and spread of organic and biodynamic farming methods, as well as the development of local food processing for organic and agricultural biodiversity products
This aims will be achieved through:
• inspiring local communities to undertake actions helping to conserve agricultural biodiversity by making it profitable (organic farming, local food-processing and traditional food products, agro and ecotourism)
• introducing eco-friendly innovative technologies to rural areas and small farms
• raise awareness among local communities and rural areas inhabitants about organic farming, biodynamic farming, agricultural biodiversity, animal welfare and natural heritage
• introducing organic farming to official teaching programs in agriculture schools
• helping to conserve the cultural heritage in the countryside
• protect health and promote healthy ways of living among rural inhabitants
One of our goals is to bring to life in Poland a Center of Agricultural Biodiversity and Sustainable Development of Rural Areas, which will be an education, dialogue and exchange platform on national and international level.
The AgriNatura Foundation will also reach its goals by helping to multiplicate genetic resources, and linking together different actors and interest groups- farmers-producers-food processors-retailers and distributors around the organic and agricultural biodiversity food products.
Organic farming and bringing agrobiodiversity to the market could be the good way for Poland to keep its small farms, its rural jobs, its local communities, and one of the last preserved rural landscapes in Europe. Beyond all it has to be done for protecting agricultural biodiversity which is our common heritage and our best guarantee for food safety and health.
Agricultural biodiversity endangered
Years of intensive farming and industrialisation have made their impact on the global environment threatening not only wildlife but also the agricultural biodiversity which is the most precious biological and cultural world heritage. Wild or old plant species have many specific qualities like resistance to diseases, drought or cold; old breeds of animals are also well adapted to various local climate and environment. This genetic diversity is heavily threatened by replacing the local species by those adapted to intensive monocultures, requiring also more water use, chemical products and pesticides, having a dramatic impact on environment and human health. The same process happens by replacing traditional breeds of animals by those selected by scientists for intensive breeding with no regard to animal welfare, with use of hormones, antibiotics, high protein content feed. The lost of genetic diversity no longer protects crops and animals from diseases, parasites, epidemies and other pleagues.
Since 1900 we have lost 75% of agricultural plant species. Currently the world is fed basing on only 10 plant species , and leaving aside 99,6% of still existing species that might completely disappear soon. In China they were 8000 rice species cultivated in 1949, now its barely 50. The introduction of OGM has increased the danger of quick decline of agricultural biodiversity and complete eradication of local seeds. In the last 100 years 1000 breeds of farm animals out of 6400 existing have disappeared for ever. 2000 others are severely endangered.
If you want to know more
If you want to support us or establish a cooperation or a partnership, if you look for more information about organic farming in Poland and the biodiversity of our rural areas, plants, seeds, and animals, if you are interested in participating in our projects and want to know more about our actions and plans, do not hesitate to contact us directly, e-mail: prezes@agrinatura.pl
Contact us
Foundation for Agricultural Biodiversity AgriNatura
Registration number: KRS 0000288715
Headquarters:
Gnaty- Lewiski 24, 06-120 Winnica, Poland
Correspondence adress:
ul. Rożnowska 20/11, 04-213 Warszawa, Poland
President:
Sonia Priwieziencew
e-mail: prezes@agrinatura.pl
tel +48 0604 909 861
Executive Officer:
Tomasz Włoszczowski
e-mail: dyrektor@agrinatura.pl
Tel +48 792 47 00 76