WEAVING FOR A THRIVING PLANET 35 System Change Vazapp transforms farmers life’s and farmland’s dignity by changing the communication, underlining the importance, and understanding of humanity behind the production of agricultural products. Frame Change: Mindset Shift Focus Vazapp wishes to eliminate the belief that the farming sector is just about growing crops. It hopes to shed light on the importance of manufacturing and business aspects of the agricultural industry. Vazapp is convinced there is a need to mobilize the actors on its platform to take collective action and achieve better conditions and prices for sustainably produced products. Community-based Approach Vazapp engages isolated and low-level educated farmers, equipping them with skills and strategies that lead to economic sustainability, and enables farmers to collectively approach policymakers with a shared vision. Over the past five years, Vazapp has been working with various stakeholders such as farmers, policymakers,traders, universities, economists, designers, NGOs, and business coaches. Scaling & Replication Scaling & Replication Strategy: Vazapp is creating a network of farmers, organizations and staff. The team developed a precise protocol to generate and nurture these relationships. This standardization of operations allows the model to be applied in other contexts and geographical areas as well. Vazapp is training young talents to deliver its initiative and mission across borders. Scaling & Replication History: Vazzap originates from Italy but has set up collaborations across Europe, South America and Asia. Scaling interest: We aim to work with isolated Farmers across Europe. First countries to scale to could be Norway, Austria and Spain. The project H2020 “Ruritage”, which counts more than 20 member across EU and the world, sees our initiative as a role model and many partners are about to implement our approach in their local context. Scaling & Replication Needs: To scale up, Vazapp needs funds to support farmers and to train people. Challenges Vazapp’s challenge is how to grow the community. Community growth is needed for three main reasons: 1. To collectively push for policy change in how agriculture is being financed, especially in marginalized areas. 2. To bring back young people to the villages. 3. To change the dignity of the farming sector.
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