On 11 and 12 April, the consortium of the Erasmus+ project Niche Market Farming met in Perugia, Italy. The meeting focused on the link between biodiversity conservation through old varieties as well as livestock breeds and as traditional products and recipes. By developing and occupying these niches, farms can open up new sources of income and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and regional culture.
The first day at the headquarters of the project partner C.I.A. Umbria was characterised by technical discussions and organisational-administrative tasks. On the second day, the technical discussions were continued on the farm of the partner Madrevite. Madrevite is committed to regional products, which they sell through their own farm shop. These include regionally typical wine and olives as well as Trasimeno beans (Fagolina del Trasimeno).
In the next step, the consortium will compile region- and country-specific information and tips on how farms can contribute to the preservation of biodiversity through the cultivation and marketing of old varieties and livestock breeds. This information will be available on the project's learning platform not only in German but also in English, Italian, Polish and Spanish. The project is funded within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme.
Contact at IfLS: Ulrich Gehrlein (gehrlein[at]ifls.de) and Christoph Mathias (mathias[at]ifls.de)
