Over the last several years more than 1,500 ecological farms have been established here, of which 825 already have certificate agreements, and the remainder are in the process of the certification procedure.

Podkarpackie Province has an enormous chance to develop ecological agriculture. The number of people wanting to run ecological farms is growing every year, and the total area of these farms has exceeded 7,300 ha. Currently is it the most dynamically developing area of agricultural production in the region.

Associations play a big role in promoting this type of farming. There are five of them in the province. In 2004 four of them founded a Union of Associations “Podkarpacie Chamber of Ecological Agriculture”.

Podkarpackie Province self-government undertakes many initiatives promoting high quality food through participation in various trade fairs in Poland and abroad. Owners of ecological farms took part in the AGROBIESZCZADY Craftsmanship and Entrepreneurship Fair in Lesko and at the Podkarpacie Festival of Flavours in Górno. For the last several years the region has been promoted during the International “BioFach” Fair in Norenberg.

Activities aimed at the promotion and development of ecological production so far have contributed to a large extent to the integration of groups interested in the development of ecological agriculture and the quick growth of both the number of ecological farms, as well as usable rural land for ecological production. Taking into consideration the greater interest by farmers in using ecological methods of production, and the growing consumer interest of those looking for high quality food, the authorities have taken the initiative to organise International Ecological Food Fair in Rzeszów, called EKOGALA. The idea was accepted by the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development, and the honorary patronage for this second trade fair has been granted by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Marek Sawicki.

More then 80 exhibitors from Poland and foreign countries including from France, Italy and Germany, took part in this year’s fair held on May 16-18 in Rzeszów. They were predominantly producers of ecological food.

EKOGALA proved to be an excellent idea to promote high quality food and to display the rich selection of products offered by Polish producers. The Fair organised in the region encourages producers to undertake further initiatives aimed at developing ecological agriculture not only in the Podkarpackie Province, but throughout the whole country. It also serves to integrate the community of ecological rural producers, processors, consumers and distributors of ecological food.

The Third International Ecological Food Fair ECOGALA in Rzeszów will be held in May 2009 and it is planned to include exhibitors from Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungry and Austria.