Andrea Szabadkai

Andrea Szabadkai is a real „self-made” rural developer. She fights on behalf of the small-scale producers to get more possibilities for the success of the traditions under law.

She was working as a biology and PE teacher for six years in an elementary school in Kecskemét and Szeged. Later on she’s organized festivals working as a programme organizer at the Csongrád’s Cultural Institute and a Folk Olympic Games as a member of the Bio- culture Association. She started to make researches connected to communal feeding because of her biggest child’s milk and egg allergy. She got into touch with the Union for the Living Tisza (SZÖVET) during her research work. She is presidency member at the Association currently. They work for the improvement of the means of subsistence for those living along the Tisza reservoir. They try to forestall and increase the safety in the case of flood and preserve the ecological values of the Tisza.

At the moment she works for the ’Living Tisza’ trademark and to build up the market for the land products. For example during their “Sour cherry saver” action they have bought tons of sour cherry from the producers and sold it out directly to the customers. After this action a customer database was built up. The SZÖVET continuously informs them about the actual reachable manufacture products. They bring local land products and vegetables to the customers and to the school canteens, too.
Ms. Szabadkai is the member of the Local Product Round Table, and the Traditional Food Products Workgroup. She works as a professional coordinator for the civil business federation of the small-scale producers. She also cooperates with the Ministry. She knows very well the European edicts and the domestic regulations. She gives legal aids for the producers and the village tourist services. She is representative of this area in the HNRN presidency. Her main aim is to represent the local products business, the small-scale producers, the village tourism, etc. She believes that with the help of the HNRN the Hungarian producers can get the essential information, knowledge and market possibilities.