Development of Dairy Farms in Rzeszów Area
No. 27-0621-01

Rzeszów is a capital city of the Carpathian region encompassing the southeastern fringes of Poland. About 60% of people in there is involved in agricultural activities. The farms in this region, however, are small and their average size is only 3,5 ha of land. Development of huge farms is impossible in this region, since 45% of its territory is legally protected due to its biological uniqueness. The rate of unemployment in Rzeszow area is about 25%, but it is definitely higher in rural areas where there is a hidden unemployment. Farm owners are not authorized to be registered as unemployed, since they are classified as self-employed even when their farms are very small and do not provide for satisfying basic needs of the family members.

The farmers have very limited opportunities for finding jobs in the industry due to high unemployment rate. In addition, they do not have enough resources to invest into their farms development to be able to meet growing requirements of dairy plants regarding amount and quality of milk. As a result, despite very hard work of all the members of the families their living standard has been constantly decreasing.

In 2001 HPI office undertook cooperation with the Extension Center aiming at helping local framers through improving genetic value of their dairy cattle herds to allow small them to continue selling milk to the daily plant. According to the project plan, HPI committed itself to cover the costs of 80 heads of cattle for 40 families. The participants of this project are also receiving additional assistance in a form of fodder supplements. All of HPI animals are to be under veterinary control and the farmers have to attend training on how to take care of them (latest methods of dairy cattle breeding, cattle genetic improvement, animal hygiene, quality feeding practices, hoof paring, protection of natural environment and marketing).

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