case study: “torre colombaia”: organic farming, biodiversity, traditon and innovation in the...

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“TORRE COLOMBAIA”: ORGANIC FARMING, BIODIVERSITY, TRADITON AND INNOVATION IN THE GREEN HEART OF ITALY

MODULE 2 CASE STUDY-1

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TORRE COLOMBAIAFARM DESCRIPTION

HISTORY AND FARM DESCRIPTIONThe farm, about 160 hectares, is in the surroundings of Perugia, capital of Umbria, a region in the middle of Italy. The environment of Torre Colombaia is one of the last samples of “ranco”, a large secular wood owned for centuries by the Benedictine friars, protecting the cultivations from stormy winds. In 1987 the traditional farm was converted to organic agriculture to follow an ecological feeling of the owner Alfredo Fasola Bologna, graduated in Political Sciences and with previous work experience in a trade union. The cultivation planning was based on rotation principles, by producing spelt, old kinds of wheat and sunflower, lentils and other leguminous plants. Sheep were hold grazing to increase the natural fertilizaty of the soil. On the border of the property, at the entrance, little old houses once used for hunting, were restored by sticking to the essentials to start agritourism accommodation. A farm house was restored to develop the agritourism activity, also including a restaurant offering traditional recipes made of organic ingredients. Also didactic farm activities were offered to schools and ecological tourists based on organic farming and biodiversity learning by walking between the fields, the wood and the pond and observing natural landscapes, flowers and protected fauna.

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DATA & FIGURES OVERVIEW

PROPERTY EXTENT 160 Hectares 100 wood 60 cultivations

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS Wheat , Khorasan , Spelt , Millet , Barley , Flax , Sunflower Lentils , Broad Bean , Alfalfa

FOOD PRODUCTS Sunflower oil , Flax oil , Flour , Noodles

NON-FOOD PRODUCTS Energy from photovoltaic panels

Source INEA 2013

[email protected]

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ACTIVITIES Agriculture (organic ICEA certification) Agritourism Agricamping Photovoltaic Energy Production Didactic farm (trekking, guided visits and bread laboratory) Authorization and certification Umbria Regional Law 13/2005 Holistic courses (yoga)

AGRITOURISM ACCOMMODATIONS 5 small houses (previously hunting houses) 5 double rooms 26 beds available Restaurant (on demand for guests)

COMMERCIALISATION Bioshop (Torre Colombaia) GAS (Solidal Purchase Groups – National network) Direct Export (Germany, Switzerland, USA, ..)

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TURNOVER (2013) € 185,000 from food production € 37,000 from agritourism € 53,000 from energy production ------------- Total € 275,000 GRANTS (RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN UMBRIA 2007-2013) € 15,000 Measure 214 (annual support) € …….. Measure 227 (under evaluation) € 45,000 (of € 56,250 eligible) Action B Investments for wood valorisation as public utility Source Region Umbria

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TORRE COLOMBAIAPROCESS GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION

MARKETING&

COMMERCIALISATIONADMINISTRATION

AGRITOURISM&

DIDACTIC FARM

ORGANIC FARMINGBODIVERSITY

&FOOD

KEY PROCESSES

SUPPORT PROCESSES

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TORRE COLOMBAIAKEY PROCESS DESCRIPTION

ORGANIC FARMING, BIODIVERSITY& FOODProcess Description Competence Description Level

Knowledge on basic organic farming laws and certification procedures

To be able to respect the procedures for organic farming certification

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Seasonal works (tilling, digging, weeding, mowing-cutting) and crop rotation (i.e. wheat-alfalfa ; barley-broad bean)

To be able to perform sustainable mechanical operations according to the organic procedures and rational crop rotation

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Use of biomass for composting To be able to use biomass (pruning, grass mowing, animal manure, cut straw) for composting

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Enrichment with organic fertilizers without use of synthetic chemicals

To be able to perform a rational fertilization for planned cultivations

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Plant sowing based on planned organic cultivations

To be able to plan and perform plant sowing for planned organic crops

2

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Process Description Competence Description Level

Pests and parasites control based on organic farming protection (list of authorized technical means)

To be able to recognise and control pests and parasites and use the correct organic protection means

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Harvest and transport to the farm storage and conditioning centre

To be able to organise and perform harvest and transport to the farm storage and conditioning centre

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Cleaning, separating, selecting the products (wheat, barley, spelt, millet, khorasan, flax, sunflower, lentils)

To be able to perform cleaning, separation and selection of the products

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Processing by mill the cereals for flour (wheat, spelt, khorasan)

To be able to perform cereal meal supply chain

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Processing by cold pressing and bottling seed oils (sunflower, flax)

To be able to perform cold pressing and bottling seed oils

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ORGANIC FARMING, BIODIVERSITY& FOOD

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Processing cereals for packed dry noodles (pasta factory in outsourcing)

To be able to transport and let process cereals (wheat, spelt, khorasan) for packed dry noodles

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Vacuum packing of dry cereals and legumes (spelt, millet, barley, khorasan, lentils)

To be able to pack under vacuum dry cereals and legumes

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Technical management and control of all the organic farming and processing competences

To be able to manage the complete organic farming and processing issues

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Solar energy production from photovoltaic panels for processing machines and domestic power

To be able to manage the use of renewable energy sources for food production and agritourism

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ORGANIC FARMING, BIODIVERSITY& FOOD

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AGRITOURISM & DIDACTIC FARMProcess Description Competence Description Level

Maintainance and management of the houses, rooms, woods and spaces devoted to agritourism and agricamping

To be able to maintain and manage the buildings and spaces devoted to agritourism and agricamping

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Customer reception and needs satisfation

To be able to receive guests and manage their staying at agritourism

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Restaurant management and choice of season organic ingredients for traditional menus

To be able to manage the restaurant and choose season organic ingredients for traditional menu

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Guided visits and didactic teaching on natural and agricultural issues

To be able to manage guided visits and didactic programs of learning for schools and groups

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Farm laboratories for schools and groups (i.e. bread laboratory)

To be able to manage practical baking and cooking laboratories

3

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Bookkeeping and administration (pay slips in outsourcing)

To be able to manage bookkeeping and farm administration

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Organic certification procedures (linked to external control)

To be able to manage the organic certification procedures

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Agritourism procedure documents To be able to manage the agritourism procedure documents

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Haccp produre documents To be able to manage the foos production and restaurant produre documents

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TORRE COLOMBAIASUPPORT PROCESS DESCRIPTION

ADMINISTRATION

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MARKETING & COMMERCIALISATION


Marketing of organic farming products

To be able to lead the marketing of the organic farming products

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Management supervision and commercial organisation of buying goods and selling products

To be able to supervise and manage the commercial organisation of the

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Marketing of the agritourism accommodation and services

To be able to manage the agritourism activities (internet contacts with clients, customer communication and satisfaction)

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CORPORATE FLOWCHART

Farmer/OwnerMarketing-Supervision

AgronomistTechnical/Commercial

Management

Organic Certificationoutsourcing

Open ended contract workers (1 tractor driver, 1 mill & oil process)

Seasonal workers(2 farming activities, 1 production processes)

Pay slips-Adm.filesoutsourcing

Agritourismmanagement

Didactic farmmanagement

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TORRE COLOMBAIAINNOVATION & SWOT ANALYSIS

KIND OF INNOVATION STRENGTHS &OPPORTUNITIES

WEAKS &THREATS

Torre Colombaia was one of the first organic farms, agritourism and didactic farm in Umbria. Packed dry cereals and noodles are “classic” products. The owner has an holistic and global vision and his last challenges are oriented today to the nutraceutical niche markets by producing cold pressing seed oils from sunflower and flax, rich in antioxidants.

Renowned trade mark for organic products since many years. Excellent quality. Innovative nutraceutical products. Agritourism and didactic farm contribute to business.

The commercialisation is still underdeveloped and the bio-shops are still not so largely common in Umbria and close regions. Farm markets are old fashioned.

Further projects to enlarge storage cooling and conditioning containers and a large platform balance. New markets: after Germany and USA, Japan and China.

The high quality nutraceutical products are still can be also offered by conventional agriculture at lower prices.

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TORRE COLOMBAIAFARMER’S ADVICE

“Organic farming, sustainable production

and environmentalprotection are different faces

of the same strategicfarm vision”

“Consumers areto be aware howimportant can be

genuine health food, biodiversity protection,

heritage recipes,natural landscapes and

use of renewableenergy sources”

“Even use of fundingis to be ecologicallyoriented: farmers

have to adfirm ownabsolutely necessary

role for the rural communities and

the whole society”

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PHOTO GALLERY & VIDEO

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Flax oil productionFlax oil productionFlax oil production

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuXNbHY_qA4 FLAX SEED OIL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R3Cao1_2qY

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Sunflower oil production

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Agritourism activities

case study: “torre colombaia”: organic farming, biodiversity, traditon and innovation in the...

Small Business & Entrepreneurship