• Commitment to sustainable development, (combining social, environmental and economic goals)
• Equal opportunities and social justice
• Inclusion of disadvantaged people (addressing social exclusion)
• Civil society
• Co-operation

EFCF Aim

To promote the interests and mutual co-operation of Kinderboerderijen, Jeugdboerderijen, Gezinsboerderijen, Fermes d’Enfants, Fermes d’Animation, Jugendfarmen, Aktivspielplatze, City Farms, 4H-Farms and similar organisations that actively promote the equal access and involvement of children, young people and adults through practical experience in a wide range of educational, environmental, recreational, social and economic activities focused around farming within a framework of sustainable development.

EFCF Strategy Objectives

• To promote the work and the image of city farms and raise the profile of the EFCF, member federations and city farms.
• To help and facilitate member federations and city farms to deliver programmes, activities and research that benefit other federations and city farms.
• To distribute useful information, in particular good practice, to member organisations.
• To collaborate and network with other like-minded organisations (particularly community run land based groups) to help further the aims and aspirations of member federations and their city farms.
• To place all our work within the over-riding theme of sustainable development (considering the economic, social and environmental aspects of all programmes and developments).
• To work within a framework of democracy, equal opportunity and social justice, encouraging member organisations, wherever possible, to address issues of social exclusion.
• To encourage and promote co-operative European working in the city farm movement.
• To raise funding for the operation of EFCF and participating member federations to deliver agreed programmes and action.
• To empower people to improve their own lives and environment in peaceful coexistence.

How the EFCF works

The European Federation of City Farms (EFCF) is currently run by volunteers.

A Board of three members meets ten times a year to implement the policies and manage and evaluate the EFCF programmes.

Annual General Meeting
The Board is elected annually by a general meeting over a three day period in March each year.
Each member federation sends two delegates who review the years work, approve account and budgets and set up the EFCF programme for the future.

Working Groups
The EFCF operates a number of national, bilateral and multilateral working groups, who are becoming more and more responsible for implementing particular programmes, publications and policies.

International Conferences
A four or five day international conference is held each year in a member country to further European co-operation and understanding and to promote training and communication of good practise.
Organising the conference each year in a different country gives the host federation a wonderful opportunityto explain their work to other City Farms.

Communication
The EFCF communicates with member Federations who in turn communicate with individual City Farms and vice versa.

Methods
The EFCF uses written and audiovisual material to communicate between City Farms.
A Newsletter is produced 4 times a year.
The Board and Working Groups produce discussion papers on agreed topics called "Green Papers".
Following discussions and amendments the paper becomes a "White Paper" which is a policy proposal. When this proposal is agreed at an Annual Meeting it becomes a policy document.
Since 1998 the EFCF has used e-mail and the website to communicate.