Qual è stata la sfida/problema affrontato?
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 (nel 2016) and promoted the Aglione online (sito web, sociale, eccetera), 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.
Nel 2019, a Tuscan association (Qualità e Sviluppo rurale srl) kicked off a specific Operational Group, namely V.A.V. about this topic. Meanwhile, nel 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.
Come hai risolto il 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, come:
– 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 (nel 2020) and the request for the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) recognition.
Cosa c'è di innovativo nel tuo pratico caso?
Da un lato, 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. D'altro canto, the organisational innovation, reached thanks to the advisor; is the creation of a cross regional network to solve a common problem.
Quali sono i fattori di successo nella risoluzione del 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.
inoltre, 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.
Lezioni imparate
– 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).
Che ruolo gioca il consulente o il servizio di consulenza nel caso pratico??
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. In secondo luogo, she create a cross regional network with farmers and associations from neighboring region in order to reach a greater impact.
Il tuo approccio può essere trasferito e/o adattato per altre sfide e regioni dell'innovazione??
sì
Trasferibilità stimata su una scala da 1 a 5
(dove 1 è facile e 5 molto difficile)
2
La tempistica è fondamentale per terminare il raccolto di copertura e la disponibilità di piegatrici a rulli potrebbe rappresentare un collo di bottiglia, Per qualsiasi domanda e richiesta sulle prossime classi di eccellenza
Enrica Berna
enricabernabmp@gmail.com
Collegamento a informazioni esterne
https://www.aglione.it/