Context
Created in Cavaillon in 1993, “Le Village” is a place of accomodation, of social and professional reintegration of people in great difficulty to enable them to get out of precarious situations, in particular dietary, through donations. The project “Les Cueillettes Solidaires en Provence” rose from the assessment of a significant waste within farms during their production and commercialisation stages. As agriculture is the leading economic sector in South Vaucluse, this waste represents a considerable cost, especially environmental.
© Malika Moine
The project
Since 2017, the Village association has been developing the Cueillettes Solidaires de Provence, whose general objective is to contribute to the development of sustainable food supply. On the one hand, by participating in food waste reduction, targeting unharvested fruits and vegetables in fields and orchards of the South Vaucluse territory. On the other hand, by improving access for underprivileged populations in southern Vaucluse to healthy and local food.
© Association Le Village
The Cueillettes Solidaires project set up 3 actions:
1- The gleaning of fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be thrown away in organic farms, with the involvement of residents of Le Village and migrants. They are carried out about once a week. Food products are then distributed to gatherers, to people working on integration projects in Le Village, to other social Village’s residents and to local associations. This activity required the identification and mobilisation of two networks: that of organic farmers offering the possibility to harvest their production excess, and that of gatherers made up of residents, employees and members of Le Village as well as members of partner associations. These networks were then linked during the harvestings’ organisation.
2- The creation of a transformation workshop as an integration project. We carried out a comparative study with 19 workshops, as well as a technical report on the operation of a transformation workshop and a market study. The financial feasibility study was completed in May 2019 with a more precise analysis of the technical and financial aspects of the various transformation methods considered for the workshop, as well as a 3-year business plan. Those organic products will be sold through short supply chains, with emphasis on their anti-waste, local and solidarity aspects.
3- Awareness of organic and healthy food: discussion and tasting workshops, festive events, games carried out by the Lubéron Natural Regional Park and the CIVAM, as well as exchanges of recipes during the gleanings’ distributions. This project brings together many local partners, boosting a local dynamic based on economy and solidarity.
Results
For 3 years, the project was able to save 15 tons of food products through 80 gleanings, organised in partnership with about 20 farmers and 6 local structures. In total, 8.7 tons of organic fruits and vegetables have been redistributed. The rest was transformed into fruit juices and sold through Le Village’s network. The project is currently strengthening its gleanings and expanding on the department and region territories, accompanied by the PNA, the PACA region, the ADEME and the DRAAF.
A good practices guide is in the writing. It will allow elected officials and associations from other territories to seize the project and create similar local initiatives.
The Little Extra
The gathering outings are moments of conviviality sought by volunteers, happy to be outside and to discover new practices to fight food waste!
© Association Le Village
Sources
Cueillettes-Solidaires-en-Provence.pdf
This initiative sheet was produced by Sarah Lachenal and traduced by Manon Pradère, LFC volunteers - June 2021
Last modification : 10 Jun 2021.
Association Le Village
The “Cueillettes Solidaires project was set up in 2017 by the “Le Village” association. Its objective is to fight waste while contributing to the development of sustainable food supply for beneficiaries in the village. The latter are invited to come and glean unharvested or unsold fruits and vegetables from local organic farmers, which also participates in the creation of new social bonds.