Socially produced at 2nd Green Care Conference in Vienna, June 19, 2013

More than 200 interested participants from social, educational and health politics, the employment market, the field of agriculture, functionaries and managers with an economic background, non-profit organizations, umbrella organizations and representatives of science met at the Schoenbrunn HBLFA (Vocational School/Horticulture) yesterday at the second Green Care Conference, in order to collect information on the future strategic orientation of the pilot project of Green Care, as well as on already established Green Care pioneer enterprises.

„Since March 2011, Green Care adds a social component to the food and environment competence of agricultural enterprises. The great interest of male and female farmers, but also in other sectors confirms the chance for the future of this project. Green Care can contribute to an improvement of the quality of life. Green oases arise for elderly persons, children and young people, persons with impairments or persons with psychosomatic illnesses, just to mention some of the target groups, as well as new work places, this is a win-win situation, which shall be intensified", emphasized MP Franz Windisch, Eng., President of the Vienna Chamber of Agriculture.

In our days, agricultural enterprises are often forced, on account of their difficult economic situation, to acquire additional sources of income. Diversification is an opportunity mainly for small enterprises. Green Care do not replace traditional health and employer's contributions, but create supplementary, specific offers providing for an additional reference to nature", adds Robert Fitzthum, Director of the Vienna Chamber of Agriculture.

Green Care Project Manager Nicole Prop launched the series of lectures with a current report on Green Care in Austria. Markus Hopfner, Grad. Eng. from the Austrian Ministry of Life continued with a general presentation on rural development in the coming subsidizing period, and explained the possible role of Green Care in respect thereof. Dr. Christian Operschall, the representative of the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, held a lecture on the importance of keeping people healthy and in employment for a longer time, and of avoiding early retirement due to illness. "Green Care initiatives actually present, from the point of view of the employment market, an innovative opportunity of reintegration of certain target groups into the employment market", emphasized Dr. Operschall, Group Manager for international employment politics. Johannes Fankhauser, Grad. Eng., Manager of the Technical Department of "Rural Development, Education and Consulting" of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture concluded the first part of this conference with an exciting lecture on future-compliant politics in the rural area. In this lecture, the topic of Green Care came up as well.

Green Care Pioneers report from Practical Experience

Mag. Martina Kotzina, founder of Esperanza – Austria's first Center for animal-supported educational practice within the independent youth welfare association, reported on work in the social-educational and therapeutic housing community at the farm bearing the very same name. The exciting lecture held by Petra and Johann Steiner comprised their varied nursing offer for elderly persons at the farm, and showed the interaction between agriculture and care at the farm Adelwoehrerhof.

The cooperation, arisen through the project of Green Care, between the ecological Sonnenfeld farm, a social organic farm at Gaenserndorf, and socially produced, a project of the platform of socially produced, was presented by Ursi Koestl and Franz Rybaczek. Opportunities of cooperation for farmers and persons interested in sustainability have been shown.

In the break as well as after the conference, the participants were received at the buffet, prepared by the female pupils of the Gaming Nursing Vocational School, and furthermore they had an opportunity to exchange information and establish networking with 20 further Green Care pioneers and cooperation partners at the Green Care information stand, in addition to the lectures and discussions.

As a conclusion of the well attended conference, all vegetable lovers received a package of cucumbers thanks to the generous donation of LGV Frischgemuese (Fresh Vegetables). Johann Spindler, a fruit grower from the 21st district in Vienna, furthermore provided 300 apples. At this point, the Vienna Chamber of Agriculture and the team of Green Care again give their thanks to the Lower Austrian Assurance, Raiffeisenlandesbank Lower Austria – Vienna AG, the Austrian Hail Insurance, the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, and to the Biosphere Reserve of Wienerwald Forest for their support of this event. Special thanks are given to the Schoenbrunn Vocational School/Horticulture that have once again provided their beautiful premises.

Green Care – the Project

Since March 2011, Green Care adds a social component to the food and environmental competence of Austrian male and female farmers: Green Care is a pilot project of the Vienna Chamber of Agriculture, subsidized by the Austrian Government, Provinces and the European Union, and it stands for a variety of products and services, which will in the future be offered in cooperation with welfare organizations and institutions at active agricultural enterprises. In this diversification project, it is a matter of establishing an additional social division, namely Green Care, all over Austria in addition to already existing divisions, such as tourism (for instance holidays at the farm) and direct marketing (for instance, goodies from the farm). This expanded range of products of farmers comprises the fields of educational practice, nursing and care, therapy and social work. The project of "Green Care – Where all humans flourish" is an ideal bridge between agriculture and the population, between man, animals and the environment.

Vienna Chamber of Agriculture

The Vienna Chamber of Agriculture, as the legal representative of interests, represents the wishes of the farmers, gardeners and winegrowers in Vienna since 1957. The Vienna Chamber of Agriculture supports their approx. 700 member enterprises in constantly changing framework conditions. The new varied consultation offer of the Vienna Chamber of Agriculture offers a wide range to their members, from basic consultation free of charge to individual consultation for enterprises. Furthermore, the Vienna Chamber of Agriculture is a competent point of contact for agricultural enterprises, in addition to the legally enacted tasks of education and further training, in the fields of marketing and subsidies.

Vienna Chamber of Agriculture / Press Office

Director of Chamber Robert Fitzthum, Eng.

Tel.: + 43 (0)1 587 95 28-26 / fax: + 43 (0)1 587 95 28-21

Enquiries on this topic

Nicole Prop BA Econ

Tel.: + 43 (0)1 5879528-28