Press release – Valais parks support local food

The second edition of the Valais Parks Film Nights took place in March and April. Each year, the three Valais nature parks – the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park, the Parc naturel régional de la Vallée du Trient and the Binntal Landscape Park – select a film on a sustainability topic that is of particular interest to them, followed by a discussion with local producers and experts.

In Grengiols, Sierre and Evionnaz, the parks screened Alain Wirth’s ‘Der Geschmack der Dinge’ (The Taste of Things), which depicts the lives and work of two dedicated vegetable farmers from Vevey. The two farmers from the ‘Praz Bonjour’ farm are committed to the principles of agroecology – a form of agriculture that is sustainable, socially just and environmentally sound.

The local food production of Pierre-Gilles Sthioul and Antoine Meier brings numerous benefits: uncontaminated soil and produce, the preservation of traditional cultural landscapes, and short transport routes that reduce emissions. Fresh food and direct sales secure the livelihoods of the two farmers and their staff. Equally important is the preservation of knowledge in food production and the propagation of reproducible seeds.

The passion and holistic approach with which the two men go about their work are truly impressive. At the same time, the film also highlights the challenges: the physically demanding work and the difficulty of running such a farm in an economically sustainable way. Ayla Helbling in Binnachera near Ernen also faces these challenges. She is therefore breaking new ground by working closely with a hotel, which guarantees her a market for her produce and thus a steady income.

André Summermatter, a self-employed agronomist, explained to the audience at the Binntal Landscape Park that Swiss agriculture has three key mandates from the federal government: food production, maintaining open countryside, and preserving decentralised settlement. Particularly in vegetable farming, which requires comparatively little land, producers are reliant on generating higher value through the product itself.

However, this is challenging, as people are reluctant to spend money on food – particularly on unprocessed vegetables. A 2018 study by the Federal Statistical Office shows that the average Swiss household spends just 6.3% of its income on food. In the 1970s, this figure stood at 20–30%. The same report shows that 5.8% is spent on restaurants and hotels and 5.4% on entertainment. In purely mathematical terms, there would therefore be sufficient income available to invest more heavily in local food. The political framework, combined with high price sensitivity, means that Switzerland produces barely half of its own food. Dependence on imports is correspondingly high.

Antoine Meier, who was present at a film screening in the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park, explained to the audience that a courgette bought in a supermarket is not necessarily cheaper. Often, the weight in the supermarket is lower, which gives the impression that locally and environmentally friendly vegetables are more expensive.

Patrick Honauer – chef, management consultant and pioneer in the development of food networks – explained in Grengiols how such networks can strengthen local production. Producers, processors and consumers are in close contact with one another. For “Praz Bonjour”, too, the catering sector is a key sales channel: regular orders provide planning certainty and economic stability. At the film screening in the Vallée du Trient Nature Park, Pierre Gilles Sthioul spoke with farmer Colin Pillet from Martigny-Combe. They emphasised the importance of personal relationships and a participatory approach to the success of these local production and distribution networks. This enables us as consumers to recognise the value of the products and the work that goes into their production.

Contacts

Elena Macherhammer, Project Manager for Economic Development at the Binntal Landscape Park, 077 527 41 42 elena.macherhammer@landschaftspark-binntal.ch
Sophie Michaud, Sustainability Officer at the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park, s.michaud@pfyn-finges.ch, 027 452 60 68
Prune Roulier, Project Manager, prune.roulier@parc-valleedutrient.ch 079 856 23 97