Krzysztof Solarz

Organic farming is becoming increasingly important in agricultural production, especially in mountain and foothill areas. In organic farms, unlike conventional ones, no mineral fertilization or chemical plant protection is used, which often limits the economic efficiency of production. It is commonly believed that conventional farming poses a threat to biodiversity due to the use of mineral fertilization, chemical plant protection, and highly productive crop varieties, and the products obtained are in many respects of lower quality than those from organic farms. The aim of this work is to compare the quality and fertility of soils and the biodiversity of grasslands in organic and conventional farms, using the example of a foothill area within the commune of Kamienna Góra located in the Western Sudetes. Thirty-three areas representing 11 farms that produce dairy cattle in a grazing system were selected for analysis. The properties of soils in organic and conventional farms and their nutrient status did not differ significantly, except for the content of available potassium, which was higher in the group of organic farms. This fact seems to be related to the type of parent rock. All soils had acidic, slightly acidic, or strongly acidic pH levels. The greatest differences between pastures in organic and conventional farms concerned the sward species composition and biodiversity indices. Grasslands in organic farms were much richer in species, which was reflected by the species richness (SR) index and the F-fidelity index. The species inventoried clearly formed two groups that are characteristic of organic and conventional grasslands. The greater biodiversity of grasslands in organic farms did not have a significant effect on the fodder value of the sward, which should be considered good, allowing producers to participate in short supply chains. However, in all farms, regardless of their type, it would be advisable to carry out gentle liming.

The subject of this article is the issue of short food supply chains. The research problem formulated in the paper aims to address whether short food supply chains ensure the sustainable development of rural areas and whether they are being displaced by longer chains for narrowly defined economic reasons. The research was conducted based on a critical analysis of literature on short food supply chains and statistical data. The findings of the research indicate that short food supply chains are a necessary condition for the sustainable development of rural areas. Unfortunately, there is a conflict between the pursuit of narrowly defined economic efficiency of farms and the preservation of the social potential of rural areas, which stems from the fact that the principle of price competition does not favor the development of local supply markets, especially when it comes to high-quality food.

Aim: The main goal of this article is to present the innovative model for supporting short food supply chains and to assess the effectiveness of actions taken by local authorities to develop the local market, using the municipality of Kamienna Góra as a case study. Methodology: The article is based on a critical analysis of relevant literature and original research, including in-depth interviews with the Deputy Mayor and the Director of the Business Incubator of the Municipality of Kamienna Góra, the analysis of the municipality’s strategic documents, and personal observations. Results: The research findings indicate that the implementation of the innovative model for supporting short food supply chains has contributed to the development of the local agricultural market. However, the continued success of this system requires ongoing support from the local government. Implications and recommendations: The research conclusions may contribute to the development of recommendations for public policies that support the growth of local food markets in a more coherent and sustainable manner at the national level. Originality/value: The exploration of this topic is justified by the increasing need to support local food markets as a tool for the sustainable development of rural areas.

The main purpose of the article is an attempt to estimate the demand for products traded within short food supply chains in Poland. The survey was conducted in autumn 2021 in the Kamienna Góra county, where the first business incubator in Poland, addressed to farmers and food producers, initiated and supported by the local government, is located. The Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) method constituted the basis for the process of collecting research material. The channel for reaching respondents was the LIBRUS application and local social media. Responses were mainly given by women, people with incomes in the range of PLN 1000–3000 per person, those aged 30–50, and those with a university education. The research results showed a high level of potential demand for local agri-food products, which should encourage farmers to switch from long to short supply chain models. The persisting low awareness regarding the existence of alternative distribution networks for local products, which primarily requires increased activities in the field of territorial marketing that promote local agri-food products among the residents of municipalities constitutes, from the perspective of consumers, a barrier to the development of short food supply chains.