The market valorisation of ‘diverse food products’ is crucial to promote agrobiodiversity. Despite the differences due to the specific contexts, valorisation strategies show relevant common features

D'Amico, S.

Kovács, T.

Oehen, B.

Rossi, A.

English

Organic Eprints

								Why	a	valorisation	strategy?	The	 DIVERSIFOOD	 project	 has	considered	 the	 promotion	 and	 valorisation	 of	 diverse	food	 products	 in	 the	market	 as	 an	 integrative	 part	 of	 a	broader,	 collective	 action	 aimed	 at	 strengthening	 and	promoting	 the	 whole	 production-consumption	 systems	based	 on	 more	 diverse	 genetic	 resources,	 thus	guaranteeing	 their	 sustainable	 use.	 The	 analysis	framework	is	more	detailed	in	the	Factsheet	#12,			Main	elements	of	valorisation	strategies	of	the	selected	cases	Despite	 their	 diversity,	 the	 case	 studies	 show	 relevant	common	features.		The	importance	of	interaction	that	develops	among	the	actors	 involved	 in	 the	 various	 areas	 of	 action,	 including	researchers,	 facilitators	 and	 advisors.	 Within	 this	collaborative	 environment,	 actors	 may	 share	 views,	different	 forms	 of	 knowledge	 and	 expertise,	 cooperate	and	define	common	goals.			Recognition	 of	 the	 specific	 properties	 of	 diverse	 varieties	 and	 of	 the	 aspects	 concerning	their	cultivation.	Participatory	experimentation	and	assessment,	in	the	specific	farming	contexts,	are	crucial	here.	Technical	aspects	are	involved,	for	the	need	to	adopt	suitable	techniques,	but	also	organisational	and	legal	aspects,	associated	with	the	particular	(often	lacking)	rules	regulating	the	circulation	of	these	varieties;	as	well	as	ethical	issues,	for	the	need	to	recognise	their	values,	and	economic	aspects.		Shared	definition	and	co-production	of	the	final	product	quality.	 This	 leads	 to	 a	 redefinition	 of	 processing	technology,	 by	 adapting	 it	 to	 the	 characteristics	 of	 these	varieties	and	to	the	objective	of	maintaining/improving	the	nutritional	 and	 health	 quality	 of	 the	 final	 products.	 As	crucial	 is	 to	 manage	 the	 qualitative	 attributes	 through	suitable	 institutional	 tools	and	arrangements	along	the	chain	 (e.g.	 codes	 of	 practice,	 norms	 and	 rules,	 protocols,	agreements).			Suitable	marketing	 and	 communication	 practices	 are	 another	 important	 step	 to	 ensure	 the	economic	and	cultural	valorisation	of	the	product	qualitative	attributes.		e	DIVERSIFO D	project	has	considered	the	promotion	and	 marke 	 valorisation	 of	 food	 products	 based	 on	diverse	genetic	resources	as	an	integral	p rt	of	a	broader,	collective	 action.	 The	 aim	 of	 this	 ction	 is	 strengthe ing	and	 promoting	 the	 entire	 production-processing-consumption	 systems,	 so	 guaran eeing	 the	 sustainable	use	of	 h 	gene ic	resources.	The	fram work	of	analysis	is	mor 	detailed	 in	 the	Factshee 	 #12,	w re the	 five	 case	studies	developed	by	the	project	are	also	introduced.			AT	FIRST	GLANCE	The	market	valorisation	of	‘diverse	food	products’	is	crucial	to	promote	agrobiodiversity.	Despite	the	differences	due	to	the	specific	contexts,	valorisation	strategies	show	relevant	common	features.		DIVERSIFOOD INNOVATION FACTSHEET #13, February 2018 BUILDING	VALORISATION	STRATEGIES	FOR	BIODIVERSE	PRODUCTS	–	CASE	STUDIES			Chain	 actors,	 individually	 or	 collectively,	 are	 engaged	 in	choosing	 proper	 market	 channels	 (mostly	 short	 and	integrated	with	local	communities),	labelling,	trademarks,	forms	 of	 protection	 from	misappropriation,	messages	 to	communicate	the	added	value	of	 the	production	systems	and	related	products.	There	is	often	a	strong	commitment	to	raise	awareness	of	the	initiative	in	general	among	civil	society	and	policy	makers.		Relations	with	 other	 initiatives,	 locally	 and	 outside	 the	 territories	 are	 relevant	 for	 all	 the	case	studies:	allowing	sharing	knowledge	and	catching	new	opportunities,	they	give	rise	to	more	incisive	actions	to	valorise	diverse	products	and,	more	in	general,	enhance	agrobiodiversity.			Positive	impact.	According	actors’	assessment,	the	initiatives	contribute	to	the	sustainable	use		of	agrobiodiversity	and	 to	other	positive	environmental	 impacts,	 as	well	 as	provide	economic	and	socio-cultural	 benefits.	 Their	 future	 development	 is	 seen	 embedded	 in	 and	 strategic	 to	 a	territorially-based	development.	The	way	forward	The	 case	 studies	 have	 pointed	 out	 the	 following	 aspects	 as	 important	 to	 support	 diverse	production-consumption	systems	in	their	efforts	to	enhance	agrobiodiversity:					 Suggested	readings	Padmanabhan	 M.	 (2017)	 Transdisciplinary	 Research	 and	 Sustainability:	 Collaboration,	 Innovation	 and	 Transformation,	Routledge;	 Brunori,	 G.,	 Rossi	 A.,	 D’Amico	 S.	 (2018)	A	 Comprehensive	 and	 participatory	 approach	 to	 the	 valorisation	 of	biodiverse	 products,	 in	 A.	 Isoni,	 M.	 Troisi,	 M.	 Pierri	 (eds)	 Food	 Diversity	 between	 Rights,	 Duties	 and	 Autonomies.	 Legal	Perspectives	 for	 a	 Scientific	 Cultural	 and	 Social	 Debate	 on	 the	 Right	 to	 Food	 and	 Agroecology,	 LITES,	 vol.	 2,	 Basel,	 CH:	Springer	International	Publishing	AG.	This	 Innovation	 Factsheet	 is	 the	 result	 of	 the	 collective	work	 of	 DIVERSIFOOD	 partners,	 coordinated	 by	 Adanella	Rossi	and	Simona	D'Amico	(UNIPI)	with	the	support	of	Bernadette	Oehen	(FiBL)	and	Tina	Kovács	(ÖMKI).	•Create	enabling	conditions	for	seed	reproduction	and	circulation,	based	on	the	recognition	of	different	quality	criteria	and	of	the	rights	of	farmers	and	associated	networks	working	on	seed	selection,	production	and	improvement.• Support	initiatives	aimed	at	reinforcing	networking	and	invest	in facilitation,	looking	at	the	role	played	by	actors	closely	involved	in	the	initiatives.• Introduce	incentives	to	support	the	maintenance	 of	the	existing	initiatives	and	the	development	of	new	ones.•Foster	the	entering	of	diverse	food	products	in	consumption	habits	through	health/education/food	 policies.Policies•Support	the	adoption	of	a	comprehensive	approach,	looking	at	analysing	all	the	aspects	involved	in	enhancing	agrobiodiversity	through	product	valorisation.•Support	the	adoption	of	transdisciplinary	approaches,	aimed	at integrating	scientific	knowledge	with	traditional	and	experiential	knowledge	and	expertise	 .• Invest	more	on	participatory	approaches	and	active	involvement	of	chain	actors	and	local	communities	in	the	research	of	suitable	varieties	and	in	the	definition	of	the	quality	of	final	products.• Incentivise	the	research	on	the	nutraceutical	features	of	the	diverse	products	and	on	their	relationship	with	varieties	and	production	methods.Research•Incentivise	forms	of	labelling	and	certification	systems	able	to	take	into	account	the	variability	and	heterogeneity	of	diverse	varieties	and	products.• Improve	communication	practices	by	providing	a	clear	and	detailed	information,	aimed	at	conveying	the	meanings	of	diverse	food	products	in	relation	to	the	characteristics	and	aims	of	the	production	systems.Marketing	&	Communication

Building Valorisation Strategies for Biodiverse Products - Case Studies

https://orgprints.org/34738/1/rossi-etal-2018-Diversifood_innovation_factsheet13_case-studies.pdf

Building Valorisation Strategies for Biodiverse Products - Case Studies

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