Rabbit Breeding for Small Farmers of Podkarpacie
No. 27-0624-01

This project is located in the east-southern corner of Poland that is called in Podkarpacie (The Carpathian Foothills). This is a very rural region of the country, where 40% of the population still gets their income solely from agriculture. Small farms' size, about 3,5 hectares, and very poor soil, limits the choices the farmers have about the type of animal production to be conducted on their land. A very big competition on the job market caused by undeveloped industry in the area and high rates of unemployment (about 35%) does not allow the farmers to find a sources of income outside of agriculture. At the same time people there are very determined to stay on their land and to achieve self-sufficiency utilizing every assistance they can receive to its fullest extent.

Rabbit breeding on the family farms has long tradition in Podkarpacie. Rabbit production does not require big areas of arable land and pastures, so the local farms are perfectly suited for this purpose.

In 2003 HPI started project with local farmers to help their ongoing efforts to increase rabbit production and to improve genetic value of their animals. There were several reasons why HPI decided to cooperate with these farmers. First of all, the farmers proved that they believe in cooperation. In 1999 the group of the most enthusiastic farmers undertook initiative of establishing Association of Rabbit Breeders that was successfully registered. Secondly, the Association got in touch with slaughter house in Rymanów that offered good price for good quality rabbits meat that the members of the Association were able to provide. And at last, the Association developed a system of colleting rabbits from the breeders and sending them to slaughter house, making it easier and cheaper for the farmers to sell their product.

HPI provided 60 project participants with 20 purebred rabbit does. Currently, as many as 140 rural families have improved their income due to passing on the gift procedure. There is growing demand for rabbit's meat in Poland and abroad, since it is considered to be healthier and better, especially for children and older people.

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