Summary

Vegetable cultivation has always been an asset of Apulian farming, whose products have been also exported to other regions of Italy. In the last two decades, farmers tended to rely just on a few commercial varieties, abandoning older and typical ones. This was a cause for concern for public bodies of the region that started a process to rediscover and protect the agricultural biodiversity of the vegetable sector, identifying and improving the varieties at risk.

Results

Engaged 20 farmers who produced old varieties on their farms.

Genetically improved 10 artichoke varieties.

Registered 34 old varieties in national registers;

Established contacts with HORECA, the catering sector supporting association, to promote these old varieties.

Set up and maintained a website as well as a Facebook page with 13 500 followers.

Organised the ‘Week of Apulian Biodiversity’  in May 2017 and in May 2018.