We recognise nature-friendly practices and farms!
One of the main activities of the Krajina živá programme is recognising the very best nature-friendly practices and farms. For this purpose, in 2022 we put together a committee of farmers, conservationists and experts on water, soil and biodiversity. Together we set the criteria, and every year we visit a number of selected farms.
Successful applicants receive the award „Farma živá – Farming in harmony with nature„, which they can proudly display on their farms, websites and products. We also promote the work of the awarded farms over the long term through our portal, social media and partner media.
Any farmer working in a nature-friendly way can apply for the award. We actively seek out and approach such farmers, but they can also apply themselves using the application form for the Krajina živá programme. In it, you need to tick that you are interested in taking part in the award and that you agree to a visit and media coverage of your farm. You can also send us tips on farms to info@krajinaziva.sk.
Nature-friendly farming has no single correct definition for us! So it is up to the farmers themselves which gentle practices they use in their farming and would like to showcase through Krajina živá or Farma živá. This might be a regenerative approach to soil, extensive grazing in a protected area, agroforestry, planting non-productive features beyond what agricultural subsidies require, and much more. That is why you will find a truly wide range of farmers among the award winners – from small „vegetable growers“ to winemakers, fruit growers and sheep or goat breeders, all the way to medium-sized cooperatives farming organically. Organic certification is an advantage in Krajina živá and Farma živá, but certainly not a requirement! We understand how demanding the bureaucracy around it is, and we want to be open to every farmer with a genuine interest in nature-friendly farming.
You can find all the farms awarded so far, sorted by year, in the menu under Farma živá in the „Awarded farms“ section and on farmers' map – marked with the Farma živá logo.
The members of the Farma živá 2024 award panel were:
Doc. Eva Bulánková, CSc. – hydrobiologist, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University
Mgr. Marek Semelbauer, PhD. – entomologist, Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences
Mgr. Adriana Hološková – ecologist, Faculty of Science, Charles University
Mgr. Katarína Devánová – botanist, BROZ - conservation association
Ing. Ľubomír Marhavý – soil scientist, Biopratex s.r.o.
Mgr. Bruno Jakubec, PhD. – fruit grower, Technical University in Zvolen
Ing. Jaroslav Jankovič, CSc. – agroforestry specialist, National Forest Centre
Ing. Katarína Trizuliaková – educator, Škola permakultúry o. z.
Prof. Ing. Zlatica Muchová, PhD. – landscape ecologist, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra
PhDr. Lucia Baľáková – composting expert, Živá záhrada s.r.o.
RNDr. Marta Dobrovodská, PhD. – landscape ecologist, Slovak Academy of Sciences
