Example full paper [311754]

[anonimizat], [anonimizat]-Mihaela ANTOFIE*, Camelia SAVA SAND

University “Lucian Blaga” [anonimizat], Food Industry and Environment Protection, 7-8 Dr. Ioan Rațiu Str., Sibiu, 550337, Romania

*Corresponding author: [anonimizat]

Abstract

Plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) came into world attention due to their genetic erosion upon the adoption of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Plant Treaty) in 2001. [anonimizat]-ecosystem for more than 50 or 100 years. However, food security as a [anonimizat] (TK) related to local communities' lifestyle. In the past 25 years Romania lost more than 75% [anonimizat] 69% small landowners (i.e. over 800,000.00). [anonimizat]. However, 32% of the today Romania’s territory is declared as protected areas and most of these arable lands are in buffering zones or inside protected areas. [anonimizat], Valea Târnavelor (i.e. in the buffering zones of protected areas), reveals that rural areas are rich pools of landraces that have been preserved and cultivated by at least 50% of local householders for more than 50 years (i.e. wheat, corn, rye, barley, oats, peas, cabbage, beans, onions, lettuce, spinach, celery, parsley, garlic, carrot, dills). [anonimizat], PGRFA and local gastronomy. [anonimizat].

Keywords: landraces, [anonimizat], [anonimizat], traditional knowledge

Introduction

Developing rural economy is a challenge and it becomes more relevant when climate change and food security are at stake (Smith et al., 2016). Taking into consideration these drivers will pave the way for developing more resilient rural communities (Lipper et al., 2014). [anonimizat], climate-smart agriculture should be an innovative approach based on which food security shall be ensured following new orientations of agricultural systems based on climate change effects. [anonimizat] 2014. Furthermore, [anonimizat], that would increase the costs of production and living (Falloon and Betts, 2010; Spinoni et al., 2015; Antofie et al., 2015). [anonimizat], is recognized as a [anonimizat], forests as well as a host of a rich biosphere (Loos et al., 2014) due to a diverse relief and peculiarities of geographical position (Mráz and Ronikier, 2016). However, rural communities in Transylvania are highly depending on their own production that is not reflected yet in a coherent policy for sustainable development based on applied holistic approaches (Hanspach et al., 2014). Based on these authors the region is rich in farmland’s biodiversity that we consider that may be used as an asset for future development approaches. Therefore, rural communities in Transylvania may became vulnerable towards climate change. Traditional knowledge related to the region is poorly studied and less used in developing appropriate conservation measures as it is considered that during the communist times it was eroded. However, these authors consider that in the region still exists traditional practices and traditional knowledge supporting the richness of biodiversity (Hanspach et al., 2014). In 2016, Sibiu county was recently awarded as a European Region of Gastronomy for 2019 (Baltescu, 2016). This award is based on the regional political commitments of major stakeholders to support the development of culinary tourism. The third general objective of this paper focused to ensure long-term food security, the development of adaptation and mitigation measures of the effects of climate change and safeguard the resilience of local communities. This study has the aim of analysing new opportunities for connecting traditional knowledge related to local resources to culinary tourism for Ațel commune in direct relationship to the regional political commitments published in 2016 and entitled “Sibiu richness and legendary tastes” for gaining the award Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy for 2019. Increasing connectivity between cities and villages, based on securing genetic resources for food and agriculture, may further support their resilience towards climate change and ensure food security for the future.

Material and Methods

The paper is based on data surveys collected between 2009 and 2016 from Ațel householders and producers as well as based on provided data from the Division for soil analysis of the County Direction for Sustainable Agriculture, Sibiu. The survey focused on crops and agricultural practices and it was applied on 62 householders originating from Ațel (10.95%). A survey regarding the origin of producers in the agri-food market from Sibiu city was applied. All collected data have been analysed against the third general objective of the regional political document published in 2016 and entitled: “Sibiu richness and legendary tastes”, as a bid for the award Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy 2019.

Description of the administrative territory unit (ATU) Ațel. Ațel commune is an ATU located in Sibiu County (71 km North-East of Sibiu) and geographically placed in a valley landscape belonging to the Transylvania Plateau (at the confluence of the Plateau Târnavelor, Hârtibaciului Plateau and Târnava Mare Valley). This ATU is occupied today by two villages: Ațel and Dupuș. The history of the place that is near Viscri goes before XIII century and it is recognized as a multicultural place influenced by different ethnical groups (e.g. Romanian, Germans, Hungarians, Gypsies and others (Corsale and Iorio, 2014). From historical point of view Ațel was assessed for its agricultural potential and landscape values since XIII century. It was presented as being located near a wetland and having a medium fertile soil especially for spring time crops. However, in 1750 it was stated that maize was cultivated in better conditions compared to wheat that was often attacked by wheat leaf rust (Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici). Vineyards and pastures are among other types of agricultural occupations of the time. The ratio between forests, agricultural land and grasslands is almost equal and according to the historical evidences this equilibrium supports local community to rely on their own resources for more than two centuries (Gyémánt at el., 2009).

Agricultural land encompasses a surface of 2770 ha (98,8% of the total agricultural territory) of the total of 3902 (Acelenescu et al., 2007). A surface of 1197 ha are arable lands, 975 ha are pastures, 436 ha are meadows (a total of 1411 ha grasslands) and 195 ha are vineyards (over 90% of the vineyards have been lost during communist times). 1500 ha of 3902 ha are public properties and the rest are private. 37 of the total 566 houses are public property and Ațel has no public sewerage. There live 1598 people which means 46 people/km2 of which 175 are childs. The major occupation is agriculture and more than 60% are retired people. The today annual average temperature is 8,6 °C and the annual average rainfall is 627 mm. Dupuș is part of Natura2000 European ecological network of protected areas SCI 200706 Sighișoara – Târnava Mare (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Ațel commune -left: localization in Sibiu county map and protected areas distribution (GIS map – Gheorghe Laurian) and right: arable land pretability of the commune (map provided by Acelenescu).

Results and Discussion

The award Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy for 2019 implies among others the sustainable development of agriculture in Sibiu county considering that in this region there have been declared protected areas that covers over 50% of county’ surface. A series of regional programmes were committed before and after accession the European Union, to act for supporting the sustainable development of Central Region of Romania where resides Sibiu county, especially those related to structural funds (Mazilu et al., 2011). Sibiu was also awarded in 2007 with the title of European Capital of Culture that brought a great contribution to the economy of the city (Richards and Rotariu, 2007; Mitrut and Constantin, 2009). However, the current target for Sibiu city, from tourism perspective is for tourists to spend more than one night in hotels in Sibiu or region (Nicula et al., 2013). Such a target, during economic crisis, starting with 2008, will be hard to be reached (Bodosca et al., 2014). However, accessing new political commitments such as European Region of Gastronomy for 2019, may rise the tourists interest for developing regional economy based on culinary tourism extended in rural areas (Sasu and Epuran, 2016). Based on these assumptions it was released in 2016 a regional political commitment entitled “Sibiu richness and legendary tastes”. According to this in Sibiu exists 175 restaurants, 3 certified producers with 11 certified products and a sole product with geographical indication (i.e. Sibiu salami).

Conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA. Based on the second specific objective of Cultural diversity, the programme will support in Sibiu county research, inventory and conservation, valorisation and promotion of local gastronomic heritage and its official recognition as intangible immaterial heritage. It is a very first step of connecting cities with villages for supporting the securing of genetic resources for food and agriculture. Based on this political paper it is possible further to connect local traditional gastronomy as an intangible heritage to tourism and county development. However, traditional gastronomy needs to be surveyed and recognized up to a network of hotels and restaurants from cities (i.e. Sibiu, Mediaș), as a future possible connection for traveling development and exploring the countryside in Sibiu county. The second sets of objectives interconnect urban with rural areas and among others it supports the interconnection of rural producers with the market. We consider that such a political programme is grounding the opportunity for raising awareness about traditional values in countryside and use their value for the community. But, the real economic support of rural communities may become relevant only based on their commitment to this programme and universities may play a crucial role in collecting scientific data and supporting the encouraging and maintaining a participatory system (Middendorf and Busch, 1997). Only based on local communities’ commitment it will be possible to fulfil the objectives of the current county political programme entitled “Sibiu richness and legendary tastes”. Thus, it is possible to use the programme as an opportunity for further foster the proper implementation of international treaties and conventions that are relevant for the country. It is also the case of The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) that should be implemented up to the local level considering the provisions of Art. 5 of the Treaty, regarding the need for surveying of all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (Maxted et al., 2012). Moreover, by engaging local communities in the regional development based on securing genetic resources for food and agriculture the Programme will further support the increasing of food security for long term. The ITPGRFA since its adoption in 2001, is highly supporting food security through conservation and sustainable use in the national context, free access to genetic resources for signatory Parties to the Treaty as well as rights of framers over their own genetic resources (Padulosi et al., 2012). The programme “Sibiu richness and legendary tastes” will further support based on its objectives the increase of food security in the region based on the increased interconnectivity between cities and rural communities. This objective is related to the objectives of Cultural diversity that supports the inventory of local gastronomic heritage including all genetic resources for food and agriculture.

Genetic resources for food analysis. Current analysis of Ațel ATU, reveals that wheat occupies 30 ha followed by triticale with 2 ha and six row barley, with 5 ha in the last few years. Maize is still on the gardening level and not in the arable land of the ATU due to wild herbivores in the region (i.e. boars and dears).

At the local level, it was recorded an old wheat variety: ‘Arieșan’ registered into the Official Catalogue for varieties in 1985, removed after 2004 and reintroduced after 2014. Local people remains attached to this cultivar due to the decrease attack from wild herbivores (i.e. ears due to long palea development) and as well as due to the resistance to wheat leaf rust.

For barley, it was possible to identify an old variety ‘Precoce’, first officially recorded in 1986 and for triticale it is a commercial variety.

Considering the history of the place, local communities are following the long history traditions in cultivating crops as in 1750. Even during the communism times for more than 50 years local communities were imposed to cultivate for high production it seems that traditional knowledge related to the land use, genetic resources choosing is prevalent.

In this ATU were identified different maize landraces (yellow and red with 10 and 12 and 14 rows on the cob and one or two cobs on the plant) with low productivity (i.e. about 3500 kg/ha). The maize is cultivated for local use only but it can be used as a valuable resource for gastronomy at the region level.

Cabbage is a very common vegetable present all the time in the menu of the Romania’s cuisine, traditions and legends. All investigated householders (over 10% of the total) are cultivating peas, cabbage, beans, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, celery, parsley, garlic, carrot, dills and different spices. However at least two householders are applying complete traditional technologies for onion, garlic, lettuce, spinach, celery, parsley and tomatoes, pepper and eggplant. These two producers (i.e. Families Bunea and Mija) are not officially registered and act only locally for all year duration. Moreover, one producer has the potential to develop their own affairs and wish to be included in the regional market place. The family Mija provides vegetables seedlings for almost half of community during the spring time and have experience for selling agricultural products all year. In this regard, our analysis in the agri-food market from Sibiu revealed that no one from this ATU is recorded as a producer especially due to the lack of connectivity measures. Moreover, based on our survey only 16% of the commodities trade on this market are originating from Sibiu region. Over 45% of registered persons in the market are only traders, the access of producers being limited in Sibiu market. This result should determine local political factors to find solutions for increasing the access of local producers from rural communities to agri-food markets in the cities. As a general remark, it can be said that in Ațel exists valuable genetic resources that are unique as well as potential producers that can become part of the future European Region of Gastronomy 2019.

Traditional knowledge analysis. Local communities apply, in different percentages, TK related to the use of genetic resources for food and agriculture (35.68% of respondents are applying traditional practices in agriculture, storage and use), landscape management (15.23% of respondents do not change land use as historically established by their ancestors), agricultural practices (68.23% of respondents are applying agricultural practices for crops gardening and livestock), social organization and management in the community level (82.23% of respondents are supportive for each other in neighbourhood organized at the street level). It can be said that TK is still part of the social life of community. These data resulted after the survey of more than 45% of householders. In case of genetic resources for food and agriculture, TK includes wild plant genetic resources and edible mushrooms, local people knows places and time for collecting from the wild of berries, mushrooms and medicinal plants. TK is also associated to the composition of flora in the grasslands and with traditional agricultural practices related to. The most relevant knowledge is related to associations between Juncus effuses and Molinia coerulea (inferior pastoral value) present on gleysoils and associations Phragmites australis and Gliceria maxima present on gleysoils and land with ponds and swamps. According to TK, these habitats should be avoided when are traditionally mowed due to the presence of wild bird’s eggs (i.e. Crex crex). Usually this is related to the period of May.

Climate change commitments taken under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change are engaged under the third general objective of the Programme such as direct contribution to ensure the development of adaptation and mitigation measures of the effects of climate change and safeguard the resilience of local communities. It is already proved that food security is highly depending on the management of resources and negatively influenced by climate change effects (Cheeseman, 2016). Therefore, adaptive management tools need to be applied especially in marginal areas inhabited by highly vulnerable population for ensure food security framework (Kahane et al., 2013). It can be considered that for rural communities, climate change effects are of outmost importance considering the need for improving their resilience (Mc. Evoy et al., 2013).

Landscape analysis For the Central part of Romania, the historical province South-Easy Transylvania, we proposed to be taken into consideration the administrative territorial unit or ATU at the commune level (this includes couples of villages separated through hills landforms) because they usually share similar agricultural landscape type or types. However, these villages are similar for all Târnava Valley that is a historical larger administrative unit established some over 800 years ago (Hanspach et al., 2014). In Ațel case, the ATU includes Dupuș village and both villages share similar landscape features: arable land (i.e. it occupies 30% of the total surface) separated by hills landforms (covered 50 years ago with vineyards and occupying 30% of the total surface) forests (i.e. it occupies 30% of the total surface) and constructed area (10%). The constructed area of these villages is following the crick course and is placed in the bottom of the valley. Each locality is protected during the winter season of strong cold winds and during the summer by hot weather. Such a resilient landscape was set during 1260 according to historical evidences (Gyémánt et al., 2009). Even each village is a very well defined both local communities still share the same administration. Inside this landscape unit it can be defined hilly pastures, arable land and two folds terraces covered in the top of the hills with forests. The crick valley is towered by old white willow on the whole course as an indicator species for high humidity of the region (Salix alba).

First dramatical change in landscape is recorded during the communist times when vineyards where transferred from the top of the two folded terraces to the bottom of these hills. Vines do not survive during in the valley due to the extended periods of fog in spring and autumn that is a peculiarity of the region. Therefore, the entire vineyard surface of the commune was lost and only vines planted in the yards survived up today. Thus, today these landscapes sub-units are composed of two folded terraces covered with pastures.

After the communism times, the landscape suffered again due to the invasion of some exotic species starting with 2000. Solidago canadensis and S. gigantea were established in the arable land as well as in ruderal areas of ATU Ațel. In the ruderal areas of Dupuș, plantains (Plantago media and P. lanceolata), knotweed (Polygonum aviculare), white clover (Trifolium repens) have been replaced completely by these invasive alien species. A second issue of present days is the spreading of invasive alien species in arable and ruderal areas by removing native species and changing the habitats structure.

Land abandonment is 3% and it is especially due to the deficit of agricultural policy for small landowner protection. However, if land abandonment may become beneficial for native species and habitats conservation (Queiroz et al., 2014) however, when arable land is abandoned it will become first to be populated by invasive alien species (Zimmermann et al., 2015). Dupuș Village is inside protected area of European importance Natura2000 SCI 200706 Sighișoara – Târnava Mare and based on the European regulatory framework for nature protection, all invasive alien species need to be part of a controlling or eradication programme for invasive alien species (Vicente et al.,2013). Moreover, some of the Common Agricultural Policies measures imposed to local inhabitants that are claimed to support biodiversity conservation some time needs adjustment according to some authors (Mikulcak et al., 2013), and in this case, are in favour of spreading invasive alien species. Thus, forbidding traditional mowing during late May up to August will support these invasive alien species to better install in this landscape.

Based on this observation for Ațel it will be beneficial to restore vineyards on the two folded hills and apply traditional mowing in late May up to August for removing invasive alien species. A positive aspect observed during these field missions is related to the attachment of the owner to the land as their property. They know better all peculiarities of the arable land and making him or her the very first witness of any possible unpredictable change that may become relevant for climate change and biodiversity conservation. The proper information and awareness of local communities may gain the best supporter in this programme implementation. The landscape is unique in terms of aesthetic for Transylvania and therefore may be used as a potential for a culinary tourism development.

Culinary tourism potential of Ațel In Atel ATU the rural economy is low. Only two producers are officially recorded at the county level: one is for beekeeper and another for traditional products based on wheat (i.e. traditional bread, bread for church ceremony and traditional cakes). However, these products are not certified even they follow traditional procedures and are accessing traditional resources. Also, the ATU is part of forestry economy that is not paying revenues for local communities even partly is owned. Tourism is not developed in the region as no accommodation unit is developed. There is an economic gap between the heritage this place can offer and the policy for tourism development in the region with multiple connotations. However, at least 5 householders express their interest in developing a rural tourism.

They may be considered as being resilient communities living close to nature at three hours distance to the closest city (i.e. City of Mediaș).

Conclusions

Regional political commitments may work for the proper implementation up to local level of national level political commitments creating. Thus, climate change commitments as well as food security taken at the national level may be solved based on the engagement of political factors in the region for supporting culinary tourism in the context of the awards Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy. The unicity of Transylvania may consist in the preservation of landraces and ecological arable land, rich in biodiversity that may enhance the taste of traditional food and further contribute for developing culinary tourism in the region. Thus, promoting unique culinary tourism in Sibiu region may further support the conservation of all genetic resources for food and agriculture and food security for long term in the region.

References

***, 2016, Sibiu richness and legendary tastes, Bid Boog for European Region of Gastronomy, http://europeanregionofgastronomy.org/PDF/Sibiu.pdf

Acelenescu S., Prepeliță V., Ștefăescu Ș., Bătrâna A.L., Bunea M., Ifrimelea R., 2007, Report to the Contract no. 10/2007 regarding soil and land quality assessment.

Antofie, T., Naumann, G., Spinoni, J., & Vogt, J. (2015). Estimating the water needed to end the drought or reduce the drought severity in the Carpathian region. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 19(1), 177.

Baltescu, C. A. (2016). Culinary experiences as a key tourism attraction. Case Study: Brasov County. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov. Economic Sciences. Series V, 9(2), 107.

Bodosca, Ș., Gheorghe, G., & Nistoreanu, P. (2014). Tourist Consumption Behaviour before and after the Crisis from 20-08. Procedia Economics and Finance, 16, 77-87.

Cheeseman, J. (2016). Food Security in the Face of Salinity, Drought, Climate Change, and Population Growth. Halophytes for Food Security in Dry Lands, 111-123.

Corsale, A., & Iorio, M. (2014). Transylvanian saxon culture as heritage: insights from Viscri, Romania. Geoforum, 52, 22-31.

Falloon, P., & Betts, R. (2010). Climate impacts on European agriculture and water management in the context of adaptation and mitigation—the importance of an integrated approach. Science of the total environment, 408(23), 5667-5687.

Gyémánt, L., Câmpeanu, R., Dörner, A. E., & Mureșan, F. V. (2009). Conscripția fiscală a Transilvaniei din anul 1750. Editura Enciclopedică. Cluj Napoca p 2257-2259

Hanspach, J., Hartel, T., Milcu, A. I., Mikulcak, F., Dorresteijn, I., Loos, J., von Wehrden H., Kuemmerle T., Abson D., Kovács-Hostyánszki A., Báldi, A. (2014). A holistic approach to studying social-ecological systems and its application to southern Transylvania. Ecology and Society, 19(4) 32:1-27.

IPCC Summary for Policymakers Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects (eds Field, C. B. et al.) (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2014).

Kahane, R., Hodgkin, T., Jaenicke, H., Hoogendoorn, C., Hermann, M., Hughes, J. D. A., Padulosi, S., Looney, N. (2013). Agrobiodiversity for food security, health and income. Agronomy for sustainable development, 33(4), 671-693..

Lipper, L., Thornton, P., Campbell, B. M., Baedeker, T., Braimoh, A., Bwalya, M., … & Hottle, R. (2014). Climate-smart agriculture for food security. Nature Climate Change, 4(12), 1068-1072.

Loos, J., Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Fust, P., Rakosy, L., & Fischer, J. (2014). Low-intensity agricultural landscapes in Transylvania support high butterfly diversity: implications for conservation. PLoS One, 9(7), e103256.

Mazilu, M. E., Avram, M., & Ispas, R. (2011). The Effects of the World Economic Crisis on the Tourist Market from Romania. International Journal of Energy and Environment, 5, 113-122.

Maxted, N., Kell, S., Ford-Lloyd, B., Dulloo, E., & Toledo, Á. (2012). Toward the systematic conservation of global crop wild relative diversity. Crop Science, 52(2), 774-785.

McEvoy, D., Fünfgeld, H., & Bosomworth, K. (2013). Resilience and climate change adaptation: the importance of framing. Planning Practice & Research, 28(3), 280-293.

Middendorf, G., & Busch, L. (1997). Inquiry for the public good: Democratic participation in agricultural research. Agriculture and Human Values, 14(1), 45-57.

Mikulcak, F., Newig, J., Milcu, A. I., Hartel, T., & Fischer, J. (2013). Integrating rural development and biodiversity conservation in Central Romania. Environmental Conservation, 40(2), 129-137.

Mitrut, C., & Constantin, D. L. (2009). Quantitative and Qualitative Dimensions of Tourism Contribution to Regional Development in Romania. The Case of Cultural Tourism. Economic Computation and Economic Cybernetics Studies and Research, 43(1), 55-59.

Mráz, P., & Ronikier, M. (2016). Biogeography of the Carpathians: evolutionary and spatial facets of biodiversity. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 119(3), 528-559.

Nicula, V., Spanu, S., & Neagu, R. E. (2013). Regional tourism development in Romania–consistency with policies and strategies developed at EU level. Procedia Economics and Finance, 6, 530-541.

Padulosi, S., Bergamini, N., & Lawrence, T. (2012). On farm conservation of neglected and underutilized species: status, trends and novel approaches to cope with climate change: Proceedings of an International Conference, Frankfurt, 14-16 June, 2011. Bioversity International, Rome.

Queiroz, C., Beilin, R., Folke, C., & Lindborg, R. (2014). Farmland abandonment: threat or opportunity for biodiversity conservation? A global review. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12(5), 288-296.

Richards, G., & Rotariu, I. (2007). Sibiu European capital of culture 2007: evaluation report. Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (Atlas).

Sasu, K. A., & Epuran, G. (2016). An overview of the new trends in rural tourism. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov. Economic Sciences. Series V, 9(2), 119.

Smith, J., Lang, T., Vorley, B., & Barling, D. (2016). Addressing policy challenges for more sustainable local–global food chains: Policy frameworks and possible food “futures”. Sustainability, 8(4), 299.

Spinoni, J., Lakatos, M., Szentimrey, T., Bihari, Z., Szalai, S., Vogt, J., & Antofie, T. (2015). Heat and cold waves trends in the Carpathian Region from 1961 to 2010. International Journal of Climatology, 35(14), 4197-4209.

Vicente, J. R., Fernandes, R. F., Randin, C. F., Broennimann, O., Gonçalves, J., Marcos, B., … & Honrado, J. P. (2013). Will climate change drive alien invasive plants into areas of high protection value? An improved model-based regional assessment to prioritise the management of invasions. Journal of environmental management, 131, 185-195.

Zimmermann, H., Loos, J., von Wehrden, H., & Fischer, J. (2015). Aliens in Transylvania: risk maps of invasive alien plant species in Central Romania. NeoBiota, 24, 55.