At The High Mountains we develop and promote a Community Supported Mountain Production operational model that is bases on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), with a focus on the production of mountainous areasbut also on the production of products by actors in Social and Solidarity Economy (SSA). It is a system that benefits both farmers and consumers, while contributing to a more sustainable and resilient food production and management system.
A CSA is a system of (usually) weekly basket distribution to members of a local community (consumers) located in close proximity to the producer or producer group. This basket includes seasonal, fresh, organic vegetables and/or possibly other farm products such as fruit, eggs, honey, dairy and meat. The price, quantity and variety of the basket shall be agreed between the two parties so that the exchange is fair and mutually beneficial.
Additionally, by using this method, the producer and the consumer share the risk of production rather than the latter having to bear it entirely.
Our aim is to create a peer-to-peer, more equitable food system for all, which:
- ensures better and natural nutrition with fresh and seasonal products.
- promotes local and sustainable agriculture by connecting consumers with local farmers. This reduces the carbon footprint associated with transporting food over long distances and encourages environmentally friendly farming practices.
- ensures a stable and sustainable income for people living in mountain areas, so that they have an incentive to stay and produce on their land, thus combating desertification and the decline of the village population.
- provides incentives for young people to settle and exploit the available mountain farmland, promoting the nutritional value of the products produced on the virgin lands of our mountains.
- provides transparency in the producer-consumer relationship, flexibility of supply and access to a variety of goods.
- combats food waste through planned production and demand.
- creates new jobs and encourages voluntary initiatives.
- opens a line of communication, within a mutually supportive network, between the local farmer and the local community.
Our intention is to be able to cover the needs of a household in a variety of species, but also in the quantities available, while at the same time the producer has the information in advance about what to grow and in what quantities. In this way, we reduce the risk of production and create a mutually supported network in which each household can obtain, at an ideal value for money, products of a multiple value in terms of taste and nutritional characteristics of those available in the wider retail sector.