The Danube Soya Association - assisted by and with the support of major agricultural research organizations of the Danube countries - is working to establish and implement regionally adapted Best Practice Models for all cropping areas. Best Practice in the context of Danube Soya means an economically viable and ecologically beneficial production method adapted to regional agronomic conditions: * Development of Best Practice Guidelines in cooperation with scientific institutions * Trials on Demonstration Farms * Stakeholder Dialogue (Farming Community/Industry Community/Research Institutions/Environmental Organizations) * Voluntary Quality Standard * Integration into Standard

1. Danube Soya
A Program For European Farmers
2nd International Danube Soya Congress
Augsburg
25th of November 2013

2. Verein Donau Soja / Danube Soya Association
The non-government, non-profit association, based in Vienna, was founded in April 2012
with the help of organizations, associations and politicians from Austria and Bavaria.
Danube Soya/Donau Soja Association has over 100 members from 12 countries:
Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Bosnia-Hertzegovina,
Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, Czech, Romania
Goals of the Association
• Contribute to the development of CEE agriculture
• Increase soybean acreage in CEE countries and develop short supply chains under the
branded quality system Danube Soya
• Contribute to sustainable and profitable farming
• Providing incentives for growers to benefit from soybean production
• Danube Soya is a valuable building block for sustainable, regional and GMO-free brands
• Become the Industry Standard for sustainable soy from Europe with a high quality image and
premium price
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013

3. Danube Soya Declaration
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013

4. Danube Soya Initiative
Danube Region soybean potential: 2,4 million Ha
Target volume 2020: ≥ 4 million tons
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Austria
Bosnia-Hertzegovina
Croatia
Germany (Bayern, Baden Württemberg)
Hungary
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Switzerland
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Italy
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Poland
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Bulgaria
Czech
Rep of Moldova
Ukraine
(Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia
Giulia, Veneto, EmiliaRomana, Lombardia, Piemont, Vallée d’Aoste)
(Dolnoslaskie, Opolskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Podka
rpackie, Malopolske)
(Uschgorod, Tschernowzy, Winniza, Odessa, Lwow, Te
rnopol, Chmelnizkij, Iwano-Frankovsm)
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013

5. Danube Soya Association Offices
Verein Donau Soja
Wiesingerstrasse 6/9,
1010 Vienna,
Austria
Donau Soja
Romania, Bulgaria,
Moldova, Ukraine
Str. Frumoasa 50, Ap. 7,
Sector 1, Bucharest,
Romania
Donau Soja
Novi Sad
Serbia
(to be open soon)
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013
is also planning to build
Soya Competence Center
in Novi Sad

6. Danube Soya Association Activities
The members of Donau Soja
Association are united by a common
goal :
The
development
of
an
European, sustainable and GMOfree protein source in the Danube
region.
Farmer Training Programs and
Dissemination of Know–How
Best Practice Models
Demo Platforms
Exchange of Agriculture
Experiences
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013
Investment and Funding
in
Agriculture and Processing
Research & Development
Establishment of Quality and
Control Specifications
Marketing for DS Soybean
and Fair Pricing
Notation on the Agricultural
Exchanges

7. Best Practice
The Danube Soya Association - assisted by and with the support of major agricultural
research organizations of the Danube countries - is working to establish and implement
regionally adapted Best Practice Models for all cropping areas.
•
Best Practice in the context of Danube Soya means an economically viable and ecologically
beneficial production method adapted to regional agronomic conditions
•
Development of Best Practice Guidelines in cooperation with scientific institutions
•
Trials on Demonstration Farms
•
Stakeholder Dialogue
•
Voluntary Standard
•
Integration into Standard – Mandatory Requirement
(Farming Community/Industry Community/Research Institutions/Environmental Organizations)
Danube Soya Baseline 2013/2014
•
70.000 tons of certified Danube Soya Beans from AT, SK, HU, CRO, BIH, SRB, RO
• Change to Danube Soya for Austrian Egg Production ( 45.000 tons), incl. labelled packaging
• Major Projects in Germany (Bavaria and Baden Württemberg), Switzerland
• Crushing Plants in AT, BIH, IT, HU
• Outlook for 2014:
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013
200.000 tons certified DS

8. Farmer Meetings & Field-days, Industry Meetings, Agriculture Fairs
More event activities can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Verein-Donau-Soja-Danube-Soya-Association/279128578861570
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013

9. S&E Europe Potential
Bulgaria
Romania
 100.000 Ha in 1979
 550.000 Ha in 1989
 70.000 Ha today
 Today < 1.000 Ha
 Potential 125.000 Ha
 Potential 717.500 Ha
Ukraine
Republic of Moldova
 2.300 Ha in 1997

60.000 Ha today
 Potential 75.500 Ha
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013
 14.000 Ha in 1997
 1.100.000 Ha today
 Potential ???

10. Farmer Programs
Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina
but also in Hungary, Croatia and Romania
possible in Bulgaria and Republic of Moldova
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013

11. Factors for Success
SOURCE
WEED CONTROL
2 critical problems
in S&E Europe
WATER
IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT
COST
Donau Soja is a voluntary program  we need to find the keys to bring the farmers in the program
Build-in-trust relationship will be one of the success keys:
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Why soybean is a successful and profitable crop
Training and demo network
Access to markets
Fair pricing
Qualified buyers
Explore and identify solutions for farmer needs:
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Seed - availability, cost, financing
Inoculant - availability
Crop protection chemicals - range, cost, financing
Irrigation – availability, cost of water, financing
Financing the inputs (seed, inoculant, crop protection)
and irrigation equipment/water is highly recommended
The new construction will take time and will need patience.
At the same time will require perseverance and determination, coherent and consistent actions.
Dragos Dima, Augsburg, November 2013

12. END OF PRESENTATION