¿Cuál fue el desafío/problema abordado??
The Valdichiana “aglione” is a cultivation similar to the common garlic and it is currently proposed as a substitute for garlic in cooking due to its very similar but milder flavour and its proven better digestibility. Its recovery, characterisation and conservation was the main need of an Umbrian farmer, who contacted his trusted advisor to acquire more information about the aglione. Thanks to this pioner farmer, who registered the figurative trademark (en 2016) and promoted the Aglione online (sitio web, social, etc), and thanks to the farmer’s advisor and a student, who dedicated his tesis to the aglione, a group of Tuscan and Umbrian farmers, as well as advisors, practitioners and researchers joined the “first” farmer and helped him in promoting this product in Italy and abroad through conferences, researches and training courses.
At the same time the advisor collect information from the University and other Research Institutes, funding with private funds analysis and test activities.
The role of the advisor was crucial. Her main challenge was to create a unique network between the two groups of farmers and associations from two different Italian regions (Umbria and Tuscany) interested in introducing process and product innovations to the Val di Chiana “aglione” and food products derived from it, so as to make the supply chain sustainable and competitive.
En 2019, a Tuscan association (Qualità e Sviluppo rurale srl) kicked off a specific Operational Group, namely V.A.V. about this topic. Meanwhile, en 2022 the Umbrian group received the funding from 16.2 Measure. To strenghtening the activity the advisor create a bridge between the two groups, allowing a cross regional cooperation to improving the results, dissemination and exploitation of the two projects.
¿Cómo resolviste el problema??
The recovery, characterisation and conservation of the Valdichiana aglione has been resolved through a series of activies carried out by the advisor, the group of farmers and the association both before and after the public funding, tal como:
– Specific tests and research activities by the University and the Parco tecnologico,
– Training activities;
– Field visits;
– Online meetings with groups of farmers (via Zoom) or using whatsapp group;
– Communication and dissemination activity by the pioner farmer.
The effort of the whole group enabled to reach an important result: it registration in the Tuscany and Umbrian regional genetic resources (en 2020) and the request for the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) recognition.
¿Qué es innovador en su caso práctico??
Por un lado, there can be identify an innovation related to process and product innovations for a specific variety of garlic. This cooperative process led to the registration of the aglione in Registers of regional genetic resources of Umbria and Tuscany Region. Por otro lado, the organisational innovation, reached thanks to the advisor; is the creation of a cross regional network to solve a common problem.
¿Cuáles son los factores de éxito para resolver el problema??
The main success factor was the relationship of deep trust between the advisors and the farmers involved, that allowed the overcoming of context and cultural differences that sometimes affected rural enterpreneurs.
agricultores, the passion of the advisor, who funded a part of the research byherlself, allowed to make important advancement in the researche before the public funding.
Lecciones aprendidas
– Importance of the trust in the relation advisor-farmer
– Importance of personal connections and relations of the advisors within the local AKIS
– Strong willingness in supporting the farmer and in helping him to find a solution (even in absence of public funds).
¿Qué papel juega el asesor o servicio de asesoramiento con el caso práctico??
The advisor supported the innovation process in several ways. Firstly, she has been able to listen to the farmer need and help him in finding an innovative solution, contacting Research institutes and other actors useful for the introduction of the innovation. En segundo lugar, she create a cross regional network with farmers and associations from neighboring region in order to reach a greater impact.
¿Puede su enfoque ser transferido y / o adaptado para otros desafíos de innovación y regiones??
sí
Transferibilidad estimada en una escala de 1 Perspectivas de la formación organizada en Hungría sobre el tema de la innovación interactiva y la creación de redes 5
(dónde 1 es fácil y 5 muy dificil)
2
Por compartir la experiencia sobre la buena práctica., Para cualquier duda y consulta sobre las próximas clases de excelencia
Enrica Berna
enricabernabmp@gmail.com
Enlace a información externa
https://www.aglione.it/