Strengthening Short Supply Chains Through Trust, Knowledge Sharing and Soil Health Innovation

January 27–29, 2026

The study tour jointly organized by the Slovakian Bioeconomy Cluster, the AKI as being part of the national CAP nework, and the Slovakian Chamber of Agriculture between January 27–29, 2026, provided compelling evidence that short supply chains (SSCs) function most effectively when built on living relationships, transparent communication, and cooperative farming communities.

The program brought together 45 Hungarian farmers and producers from Southern Slovakia, complemented by 15 additional participants from Hungary’s domestic SSC network. This consciously structured professional composition created an exceptional opportunity for cross-border exchange of experiences and direct dialogue between practitioners.

The study tour included visits to exemplary initiatives in the Balaton Uplands and Zala County, where participants explored:

• Family-operated farms
• Open farm initiatives
• Hospitality models integrated with agricultural production
• Direct sales and local product retail systems

The best practices of the Zala Valley Open Farm Network and the Éltető Balaton-felvidékért Network demonstrated that SSCs are not merely alternative marketing channels. Rather, they represent trust-based, value-driven cooperation systems. Producers actively recommend each other’s goods, source inputs locally when possible, and collectively shape regional economic strategies.

The visited networks clearly illustrated that resilient local economies are built on:

• Personal relationships
• Mutual trust
• Continuous knowledge exchange
• Collaborative thinking

Short supply chains thrive where community cohesion is strong. The cross-border dimension of the study tour further reinforced this principle, creating new professional connections between Hungarian producers in Slovakia and Hungary.

Beyond market organization and community cooperation, the study tour strongly reflected the objectives of the Soil-X-Change project, which positions soil health as the foundation of sustainable and competitive agricultural systems.

Several host farms demonstrated regenerative practices such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, crop diversification, organic matter management and integrated livestock systems. These approaches enhance soil structure, biodiversity, water retention and long-term productivity. In the context of short supply chains, such stability is particularly important: farmers who sell directly to consumers depend on consistent quality and reliable yields. Soil stewardship therefore becomes not only an environmental responsibility but also an economic strategy.

The methodology of the tour also closely mirrored Soil-X-Change principles.

Peer-to-peer learning, open discussion of both successes and failures, field-based demonstration and cross-border exchange were central elements throughout the program. This confirms that regenerative soil management and short supply chain development are mutually reinforcing: healthy soils increase production resilience, while SSC networks create the economic framework that rewards sustainable farming practices.

In conclusion the January 2026 study tour reaffirmed that long-term regional resilience depends on the integration of agronomic innovation and community-based economic cooperation.

Short supply chains thrive where trust, transparency and collaboration are strong. At the same time, soil health provides the ecological stability that underpins product quality, climate resilience and farm-level sustainability.

By connecting regenerative soil practices with functioning SSC models, the initiative contributes to a shared vision of competitive, climate-resilient and community-driven regional agriculture — fully aligned with the objectives of the Soil-X-Change project.