In Garfagnana, the primary crop, both in terms of cultivated area and local identity, is Farro, which has been granted IGP designation. Farro is typically grown without crop rotation or crop alternation, as recommended by good agricultural practices.

Along with the abandonment of marginally cultivated areas, crop rotation has also been abandoned, as most crops are not competitive in terms of productivity.

In this regard, the potato has emerged, even after discussions with farro producers, as a possible alternative. The preference for the potato is linked to the fact that in Garfagnana it always fetches good prices, as it is highly sought after by consumers due to its quality characteristics. Alternatives like eight-row corn or beans are not viewed favorably by farmers because they require a lot of labor while offering inconsistent yields over the years.

In this context, Garfagnana COOP has initiated a plan to address the weak points in the potato supply chain and to integrate it with the farro supply chain, thereby providing an additional income opportunity for the farmer members, who are farro producers.

D.R.E.Am. Italia supports the partners in coordinating, reporting, and disseminating the project.

This initiative is made possible thanks to DEFR 2020 funding—Regional Project 6 “Rural Development and Quality Agriculture”—Interventions to support innovation processes in organizational and production processes in the agricultural cooperative sector and forest consortia.