KISLEPTEKU TERMEKELOALLITOK ES SZOLGALTATOK ORSZAGOS ERDEKKEPVISELETENEK EGYESULETE

Their core work

This is the Hungarian national association representing small-scale producers and service providers, based in Kecskemét — a major agricultural hub in the Hungarian Great Plain. They advocate for the interests of small farmers, cooperatives, and rural enterprises, working to strengthen their position within European agri-food value chains. In H2020 projects, they bring direct access to farmer networks, practical knowledge of cooperative structures, and on-the-ground experience with short food supply chains and collective action among small producers.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early work (BOND, 2017) centered on social capital, bonding/bridging/linking relationships, and building cooperative networks among farmers — essentially the social infrastructure of agriculture. By 2020 (CO-FRESH), the focus shifted toward concrete agri-food value chains, specific crop categories (fruits, vegetables, protein crops), and co-creation of business models. The trajectory moves from understanding WHY farmers should organize collectively to working on HOW specific product chains can be restructured for competitiveness and sustainability.

Moving from studying farmer cooperation in the abstract toward practical redesign of specific food value chains — expect future interest in sustainable business models for small-scale producers.

How they like to work

Always a participant, never a coordinator — consistent with their role as a national interest group that contributes practical farmer-level insights rather than leading research agendas. They work in large consortia (80 unique partners across 3 projects), suggesting comfort operating in complex, multi-country collaborations. Their value lies in representing the end-user perspective — actual small-scale producers — which makes them a sought-after voice for projects needing real-world validation.

With 80 unique consortium partners across 19 countries from just 3 projects, they are well-connected across the European agri-food research landscape. Their network spans Western and Eastern Europe, giving them bridging potential between EU-15 and newer member states.

What sets them apart

They represent actual small-scale producers at the national level — not a research institute studying farmers, but the farmers' own organized voice. This makes them uniquely valuable for any EU project that needs genuine grassroots engagement, pilot testing with real agricultural SMEs, or dissemination to the small producer community in Hungary and Central Europe. Their Kecskemét base places them in one of Hungary's most important horticultural regions, particularly relevant for fruit and vegetable projects.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CO-FRESH
  Their largest funded project (EUR 222K), running until 2024, focused on the commercially relevant topic of fruit, vegetable, and protein crop value chains across Europe.
• BOND
  Foundational project on social capital in farming — directly aligned with the organization's core mission of strengthening farmer networks and cooperatives.