Vysokovsky Ecological and Ethnographic Center - Sustainable Development Goals in Belarus
Vysokovsky Ecological and Ethnographic Center
8 April 2024
Sustainable Development Goals
Short description

The “Vysokovsky Ecological and Ethnographic Center” is a socio-cultural institution that has been developing infrastructure to support agro-eco-entrepreneurship in the Berezovsky district for more than five years. The combination of environmental and ethnographic aspects makes the work of the center comprehensive. This approach allows not only to develop rural entrepreneurship, but also to preserve historical and local cultural heritage, as well as stimulate the development of environmentally oriented types of business. This rural initiative was supported by a number of international, state and public organizations, local authorities, including the Berezovsky District Executive Committee, the Striginskiy Village Council, the Republican Biological Reserve “Sporovsky”, the Berezovsky Territorial Center for Social Services and the “Business Women’s Club” of Brest.

Detailed description

    REGION OF IMPLEMENTATION 

    Strigin, v. Vysokoye, Berezovsky district, Brest region

    SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TOPICS

    Economic Development and Growth
    Social Development
    Environmental Sustainability and Resource Management

    CONTENTS OF THE ACTIVITY

    The “Vysokovsky Ecological and Ethnographic Center” provides a wide range of consulting and information services for residents of rural areas, supporting them in various aspects of doing business, from developing business models, conducting financial activities and ending with mechanisms for attracting investments. The Сenter also deals with marketing promotion and branding, helping entrepreneurs create a recognizable visual identity for their products. Additional business packages are offered to support and strengthen inclusive entrepreneurship, including the launch of eco-friendly bags and other initiatives. In order to provide easier navigation through market conditions, the business navigator was developed. This online tool includes the map with a list of producers and the directory of agri-eco-products.

    KEY STEPS OF IMPLEMENTATION:

    • Strategic planning and teamwork. The basis for success is a clear vision and strategic plan, including key goals for the implementation of the initiative. A critical aspect in the work of the center was the selection of a team of like-minded professionals who can make a personal contribution to the development of the Center.
    • Attracting resources and creating infrastructure. Attracting investment and creating infrastructure, including the opening of a multifunctional entrepreneurship support center in the ag. Strigin, became the basis for the formation of the center’s production base. The presence of a collective use point, equipped with modern equipment for processing raw materials and producing food products, provided the initiative with an additional mechanism for supporting rural entrepreneurship. The introduction of advanced technologies, such as bioreactors for growing microorganisms and the development of new eco-products, set the center’s activities apart from traditional agriculture.
    • Development of goat farming as a strategic direction. The development of goat farming and the opening of a farm in the Yaselda River valley, support for this sector, contributed to increasing the sustainability of the functioning of the ecological-ethnographic center.
    • Organization of educational programs. The organization of events and master classes on agro-ecological technologies, crafts and cheese making enriched the knowledge and skills of the local population, expanding their capabilities.
    • Engagement with the local community. Active communication with the local community through personal meetings and organizing events to attract attention to the initiative, as well as conducting PR campaigns, publishing information materials and participating in environmental festivals, contributed to the creation of a positive image of the Center and increased interest in the development of rural entrepreneurship among the local population.
    • Creation of an agricultural park. The creation of an ecological-ethnographic agricultural park became an important stage for the further development of the Center and the joining of efforts in the field of rural ecotourism and entrepreneurship. The objectives of the agricultural park include preserving and passing on the ethnographic traditions of Belarus to younger generations, helping rural residents create and develop their own small businesses based on the production of environmentally friendly products and folk crafts, and providing services in the field of agro-eco-tourism in the Berezovsky district.

    The main challenge for the Vysokovsky Ecological and Ethnographic Center is to provide conditions for the successful expansion of its activities. This includes identifying new resources and partners, continuously innovating management, applying environmentally friendly technologies, and developing business strategies to support local communities.

    RESULTS AND IMPACT OF THE INITIATIVE

    Thanks to the activities of the initiative “Center for Support of Agro-Eco-Entrepreneurship” (Strigin village), the village contact living area with goats “Vysokauskaya Gaspadarka”, and a nursery for growing herbs and fruit and berry products (Vysokoe village) are functioning. The infrastructure to support business entities has been created, including an association of more than 10 entrepreneurs. The brand “Zroblena Matuliai” was opened with corresponding food products, including the sale of tea, milk and cheese of our own production to order, master classes in cooking, making souvenirs and cheeses with tasting are provided. The green school on the principles of a green economy, agro-ecological technologies, and the basics of herbal science was organized on the basis of the nature reserve “Sporovsky”. To expand the impact of the initiative, a transition to the creation of the ecological-ethnographic agricultural park with the ethnographic platform, the rural business school and the botanical garden was made.

     

    Information sources:

    1. agroecocentr.by
    2. sb.by
    3. zviazda.by

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