Agri-food sector studies success of Tuscan products

Barcelona (Gastroteca.cat).- The Catalan Centre for Integrated Rural Development (CEDRICAT) organised a workshop about local products and consumption in Solsona, central Catalonia. The event is inspired by the recent success that the Italian region of Tuscany has achieved in promoting local consumption.

The workshop was held yesterday in the municipality of Solsona. Professionals, technicians and public and private administrations attended the event and gained first hand experience from the Italian region. Three members from the Tuscan agricultural organisation Coldiretti spoke about how they have been able to revalorise their agricultural sector. “There have been many positive experiences in the fields of Tuscany. Even though they are applying them after Catalonia, the truth is that in some aspects they are ahead of us. For example, there the homestead accommodates for rural tourism with absolute normality, which in turn provides an important income for them that makes it easier to carry out their farming tasks. Here this is the exception. Here rural tourism continues to be something completely separate from the activities of the primary sector”, said CEDRICAT technician Neus Molins.

There is hope that as Catalans follow Tuscany’s path, there would be a mutual sharing of experiences. For this reason, members of Coldiretti will be in Solsona and Pallars Jussà county, in the pre-Pyrenees region, in order to learn about projects and initiatives in the area. Ten days after the workshop, on the 16th of October, they will visit the collective Espai Rural de Gallecs to observe their experiences with the promotion of their products to local markets.

The workshop called ‘Una mossegada a la Toscana’ (A Tuscan Bite) also covered themes such as direct sales regulations in Catalonia, agro-food promotion as a complement to agricultural activity and the ‘Km 0’ campaign for Slow Food that promotes the use of local products in restaurants. In addition, a new guide called 'Compra a pagès' (Buying from farmers), edited by Catalan Government’s General Direction of Trade, will be released this month. The guide includes a complete collection of all producers and distributors in Catalonia.