<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The current study discusses the role and the importance of alternative food networks, farmers’ markets in particular, for sustainable rural development through the example of Bulgaria. Farmers’ markets are considered as a sustainable business model of networking which encourages production and consumption of local food of healthy origin adhering to high standards for quality and safety, building society and trust and encouraging development of rural regions. The case of Bulgaria is scrutinized in the context of the support for local food and short supply chains anticipated under the national rural development programme for the period 2014–2020 and the current state-of-art and capacities of available farmers’ markets. Some good practices are analyzed and presented establishing a new type of relationships between producers and consumers of farm products proving that farmers’ markets could be efficient incubators of local businesses and new relationships with end-users. Conclusions are made on nature, objectives and functioning of farmers’ markets, challenges and problems in their promotion, support and encouragement.</p></abstract>

The current study discusses the role and the importance of alternative food networks, farmers’ markets in particular, for sustainable rural development through the example of Bulgaria. Farmers’ markets are considered as a sustainable business model of networking which encourages production and consumption of local food of healthy origin adhering to high standards for quality and safety, building society and trust and encouraging development of rural regions. The case of Bulgaria is scrutinized in the context of the support for local food and short supply chains anticipated under the national rural development programme for the period 2014–2020 and the current state-of-art and capacities of available farmers’ markets. Some good practices are analyzed and presented establishing a new type of relationships between producers and consumers of farm products proving that farmers’ markets could be efficient incubators of local businesses and new relationships with end-users. Conclusions are made on nature, objectives and functioning of farmers’ markets, challenges and problems in their promotion, support and encouragement.

Farmers’ Markets as a Business Model Encouraging Sustainable Production and Consumption

University of Agribusiness and Rural Development

Visegrad Journal on Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The current study discusses the role and the importance of alternative food networks, farmers’ markets in particular, for sustainable rural development through...

Farmers’ Markets as a Business Model Encouraging Sustainable Production and Consumption

Published Online: Jul 20, 2018

Page range: 2 - 6

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/vjbsd-2018-0001

Keywords
sustainable development, alternative food networks, short supply chains, farmers’ markets

© 2018 Ekaterina Arabska, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Farmers’ Markets as a Business Model Encouraging Sustainable Production and Consumption

Published Online: Jul 20, 2018

Page range: 2 - 6

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/vjbsd-2018-0001

Keywordssustainable development, alternative food networks, short supply chains, farmers’ markets

© 2018 Ekaterina Arabska, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
sustainable development, alternative food networks, short supply chains, farmers’ markets