The fundamental objective of Kislépték to share knowledge on family farming, how to market their products; to introduce good practices for the rural people on multifunctional activities related to agrarian production and beyond; as well as to increase awareness on legal regulations and train its exercise.
Since our members are small farmers and artisans our activities may only be financed by outside funds from European Union or national resources (or maybe other?).
We keep applying such funds continuously and tirelessly especially from the Hungarian National Cooperation Fund (NEA), most of the time with little success.

But this year of 2016, finally we were awarded this tender:NEA-TF-16-SZ-0430!

The amount is rather small, HUF 1.364.000 (around 4.500 euro), but we have devoted and supportive members and team and we can manage several great workshops in several parts of Hungary.

1. Domoszló – April 16, 2016
Regulations and support of offering farmhouse catering and traditional foodWorkshop introduces how to comply with the legal regulations of farmhouse catering. Farmhouse catering is similar to agro tourism, but the main service is rather catering than accommodation, but this may be part of it. Generally the Hungarian catering rules are tailored to large scale business type of catering which requires substantial investment, equipping professional kitchen. The small producer rules (see our earlier note ) allow small farmers to offer such services with lighter, easier conditions, but in many cases hygiene authorities misunderstand these rules. Our aim at the workshops to strengthen knowledge of the farmers as to become a stable partner towards the permitting or controlling authority.

2. Budapest –April 28, 2016
Joint workshop with Herman Otto Institute  (the successor of National Institute for Environment and the National Institute for Agricultural Consulting, Qualification and Rural development) on waste management related to local communitiesIn Hungary one is only able to comply with waste management regulations if has large operation with specialised working team and has enough financial resources. We have been presented several occasions the problem if an artisan craftsman wants to use such material which is classified waste or by-product according to Hungarian regulations (such as used oil for soap or natural (untreated) wool for traditional handmade clothes) then artisan has to pay overwhelming amount of administrative fees and must file several applications and certification with authority. The workshop aimed to collect argument for lighter rules in such cases. We already have the outcome HERE .

3. Oszkó – May 22, 2016
Regulations and support of offering farmhouse catering and traditional foodNow this workshop is organised in the Western part of Hungary within the Wine Feast – St Orban’s Days.

4. Füzesgyarmat – May 28, 2016
Regulations and support of offering farmhouse catering and traditional foodNow this workshop is organised in the South-eastern part of Hungary within the Fair of Herb Makers and Artisans. This time we expanded our presentations explaining the rules of trademarks and geographic indications. There are several programs and subsidies support registering local product of a community or region with trademark or geographical indication but in many cases terms and conditions are rather confused or their use or utilisation is misunderstood. We believe the more we talk on such matters the more properly and effectively these measure would be used.

5. Csongrád – June 10, 2016
Traditional fishing as a potential for rural tourismThis workshop shall be organised in a favourite touristic village in South Hungary with old traditional fishing cottages and several back waters of the river Tisza. The aim of the workshop to redefine fishery with touristic purpose as to preserve tradition but convert it to touristic values. We invite as lecturers from Tisza river fishing associations and also museum professionals.

6. Hajdúböszörmény – September 28
Civil activities, community enterprises for local productsSeveral civil organisations in Hungary face with the problem if their activity is classified as civil, public activity or business activity. This is a special problem for those civil organisations which are working for the development of local food, local markets, CSA. In this forum we shall have a joint discussion with local civil organisations together with accountants and lawyers the frameworks of their activities, focusing on obstacles or potential solution, and determine proposal for amending respective laws, if necessary. We invited Civil Information Centre organised within Ministry of Human Capacities for the discussion.

7. Nyíregyháza – November 26
Joining to the knowledge transfer training organised by Inspi-Ráció Association  and Polyán Association in Eastern Hungary and offering expanded agenda on the following topics: farmhouse catering, traditional disznóvágás , subsidy for obtaining Tradition-Savour-Regions (HÍR ), a government trade marks for developing local products.