Short Schedule Farm/Company

Name: Consortium Puglia Natura Web site: http://www.puglianatura.it/ E-mail: puglianatura@tiscalinet.it

Place

Country: Italy Region: Puglia City: Bari

Product Type Puglia Region Typical Products

Reference year 2007

2.1.4. Consortium Puglia Natura - Italy Cooperative Promotion of regional and organic products

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Farm description

Start point/Challange

Successful elements

Output/Effects

Short distribution chain

Consortium’s logo

Consortium Description

Consortium Puglia Natura was born in 2000 in order to protect, improve and promote the Puglia region typical products and above all, biological and ethical economy oriented products. Puglia Natura has about 500 associated among farms and consumers. Puglia Natura’s services support small farmer came from Puglia Region in order to sell their products thanks to added value creation. The final aim of the Consortium is the penetration in foreign markets after the right and strong knowledge of national market rules. Consortium’s main activities destined to farmers are dived in 2 big areas:

1. Technical and innovation assistance, through: - dressing, growing and defence plans - public financing access plans - hygiene and safety assistance - quality certification assistance - introduction to information and technology for the company

management 2. Trading assistance, through: - contact between demand and supply - suppliers and clients list - trade information (prices, reference market, etc. – packaging, labelling,

fairs and events participation.

/ Direct selling / Communication Key Words strategy/Consumer’s fidelity creation/Biologic agriculture/Farmer network creation

Why is This case study represents a valid examples of association in which the farmers associated are supported to access to the market and, above all, to press and to come to agreements with local authorities in order to develop the activities that make possible that market access. Moreover this experience show how establishing real relations is essential either consumers and farmers.

the topic interesting?

Puglia Region

An associated farm

Start Point - Sceptical attitude to biologic agriculture caused by

high price, doubtful organic labels and the location (generally is less comfortable to do shopping in different places as supermarket where you can by everything you need).

- Few opportunities to get near the consumers for the producers organic products (a lot of farms are located in places not very accessible).

Farm description

Start point/Challange

Successful elements

Output/Effects

2.1.4. Consortium Puglia Natura - Italy

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Challenge

Typical olive tree of Puglia

The short distribution chain project born with the awareness wich producers and consumers have common objectives that are obtainable trough simple exchange forms, practicable with direct selling relation. RECALL!

the awareness wich producer and consumers have common

objectives!

The short distribution chain benefits which Puglia Natura associated have had are typical advantage of this practise:

- less costs for the producers and for the consumers, thanks intermediaries costs abatement, - right earning for the producers, - environment costs (related to the distribution) cut, - Major products traceability - Territory sensitization and re-evaluation - Healthy consumption

Moreover the partnership among producers and consumers is winner thanks to continuous exchange and dialogue between each part around the needs and requirement.

Puglia Farmer Associated

Tecnichal and innovation assisstance

Trading assistance

Informations, promotion and

invitation to clients

Authorities Relation

Market

Farm visit and processing information

Products selling

Short distribution chain

2.1.4. Consortium Puglia Natura - Italy Cooperative Promotion of regional and organic products

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Successful elements

20/400 food and agriculture farms are involved in “Short distribution chain” project.

Farm description

This project wants to keep the added value of the quality productions on the reference territory. This object has been achieved with purchase aware groups creation about a strong information action.

Start point/Challange

Successful elements The main tool used for “Short distribution chain” initiative is a small markets organization in which the most important aspect is the dialogue among consumers and producer.

Output/Effects

In that context the producer is good arranged to give all farm information and to transfer the real strengths of the biologic agriculture method. In these occasions the farmers invite the clients to their farm…so, even the clients not informed about biological agriculture are stimulated and they will have the possibility to create a special relation with the farmers…until one or more farmers will have own fixed personal clients… The additional value of biologic products has been communicated and, thanks to Puglia Natura, it will continue to be communicated.

E X E R C I S E In order to be recognised a group is normally expected to meet certain conditions such as: � A minimum number of members � A minimum marketed production � A minimum duration of membership In order to qualify for recognition a group will need to prepare a plan and which includes: � A description of its activities and members, in particular with respect to the number of member producers and with detailed data on the members, production, trade and facilities � The goals of the group bearing in mind production perspectives and potential markets � A detailed description of the measures to be undertaken, containing individual steps and means to achieve these goals for each year of the plan (the duration of the plan cannot exceed five years) � Financial aspects, namely: The method of calculation and amount of financial contributions; Funding procedures; Information evidencing the different amount of contributions; A budget and timetable for implementation of the programme It is important to remember however that such aid is not a tool to resolve all the problems of the group, but just a temporary means of assistance.

CASE STUDY END…...an end is always

a new start...

Farm description

Start point/Challange

Successful elements

Output/Effects

With purchase groups creation it has been possible to give a complementary income to small farmers and to start a natural diffusion action; Beyond offering technical assistance to the associated farmers, the consortium provides to farmers also: training in commercialization,

consolidation of relationships with authorities, simplification of practical procedures in order to take part in seasonal

small local markets during which the farmer is able to show that he is trained and prepared to properly attract and inform the customer on organic food qualities and to let the customer visit the farm

growing mutual trust between farmers and consumers supported by visits and information

PRODUCERS NEED TO TAKE POSITIVE MEASURES TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN INITIATIVES, BUT BEING PART OF A CONSORTIUM OF PRODUCERS OR ENTERING IN A PRODUCERS GROUP IMPLIES THAT PRODUCERS SHOULD ASSESS VERY EARLY WHETHER: � THERE IS A CLEAR PRODUCER COMMITMENT TO THE GROUP � THERE IS A CLEAR MARKET OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY � THERE IS A LEADING FARMER OR SMALL VISIONARY WORKING GROUP CAPABLE OF DRIVING THE GROUP FORWARD AND ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH PRODUCERS, BUYERS AND SUPPLIERS � THERE IS A CLEAR (FINANCIAL) BENEFIT TO PRODUCERS FROM FORMING A GROUP

Discussion Questions/Remarks

International prize of bio products: http://www.premiobiol2010.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=50&lang=it Photographic contest about Bio and Typical products: http://contest.premiobiol.it/

Further investigations

“Short distribution chain” project is surly transferable in many situations. Puglia Natura partecipated to experimental market dedicated to biological products in Albania in order to stimulate the producers toward packaging practices to adapting to own context.

Output/Effects

2.1.4. Consortium Puglia Natura - Italy Cooperative Promotion of regional and organic products

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K e y p o i n t s f o r t r a n s f e r a b i l i t y