Slow Food Presidia

Grassland type Cultivated, Natural, Semi-natural, Permanent

Name of practice Slow Food Presidia

Name of main actor Slow Food producers

Type of actor(s) Farmers, Pastoralists, Communities

Location Italy

Agro-ecological region Tropical, Sub-tropical, Temperate, Mountain, Arid/semi-arid

Sustainability dimension involved Governance, Environmental, Economic, Social

Sustainability sub-themes Participation, Holistic Management, Atmosphere, Water, Land, Biodiversity, Materials and Energy, Animal Welfare, Vulnerability, Product Quality and Information, Local Economy , Decent Livelihood, Equity, Cultural Development

Year of implementation 2000

Description of best practice The Presidia sustain quality production at risk of extinction, protect unique regions and ecosystems, recover traditional processing methods, safeguard native breeds and local plant varieties. The general objectives of the Presidia are numerous, complex and multifaceted, but can be boiled down to four areas. The economic aspect is obviously vital (presidium products were disappearing because they were no longer profitable and in order to continue their activity, producers have to have economic assurance about the future), but another three factors are also crucial: environmental, social and cultural aspects. Environmental objectives (defending biodiversity, improving the sustainability of products) are essential for all presidia. Every set of production rules requires producers to eliminate or reduce chemical treatments, guarantee animal wellbeing (using extensive farming systems, adequate space, no forced feeding), defend, where possible, local breeds and native vegetable varieties, use ecological packaging, and to favor the use of renewable energy. Economic objectives (increasing producer incomes, developing local driven activities, increasing employment) are the only ones that can be measured using quantitative indicators: variations in price, quantities produced, numbers employed. The other aspects require a different approach and are more difficult to classify and compare using standard parameters, but they are perhaps the most interesting and important dimension of presidium activity. Social objectives (improve the social position of producers, strengthen their organizational capacity) can be measured by seeing whether the presidium has created an association or other organized body, if producers have improved their ability to form relationships with public and private institutions, if they are more widely known and if their voice has greater weight, thanks to media attention. Cultural objectives (strengthening producers' cultural identity and promoting production areas) are linked to the ability of the presidium to stimulate publications about the local area, the creation of tourist routes and other cultural initiatives, the restoration of old buildings, etc.

Outcomes and impacts The outcomes and impacts are documented in the following studies: Do the Slow Food Presidia Represent an Opportunity for the Future of the Mountains? http://www.slowfood.com/sloweurope/filemanager/position_docs/biodiversity/ING_ricerca_presidi_b.pdf Slow Food Presidia in Europe: A Model of Sustainability http://www.slowfood.com/sloweurope/filemanager/position_docs/biodiversity/Ricerca_presidi_ENG.pdf Inventory and assessment of good practices on the role of small-scale farmers in the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems http://www.slowfood.com/sloweurope/filemanager/position_docs/ENG_risultati.pdf

Contacts Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity Via Mendicità Istruita, 14 12042 Bra (Cn) Italy tel. +39 0172 419701 fax +39 0172 419725 [email protected]